Thread by @KikaFedCue

Thus begins my official thread of Mesoamerican Insperations in #MayaAndTheThree that I know off the top of my head because I have no chill. Holy Cacao, it’s a lot!I’m keeping it organized starting from non-spoiler and ending very spoiler. Let’s go!!

Teca! A play on the Mexica’s common name “Azteca”. The Mexica home, Tenochtitlan, was built on a lake like Teca. An eagle killing a snake on a cactus (featered on the Mexican Flag) was the omen the Mexica’s ancestors sought where to settle their home. #MayaAndTheThree (1/24)

About 5 mins in and we get a glimpse of Ulama, the game with many names & played throughout Mesoamerica. Then we get an Ocellated Turkey (the prettiest turkey, if i may say) which is native to the Yucatan Peninsula. #MayaAndTheThree (2/24)

Though not a title for a royal or the highest rank in the military, Jagaur and Eagle warriors did hold great status in Mexica culture. One of many weapons they carried was a wooden sword with obsidian blades called a macuahuitl #MayaAndTheThree (3/24)

Popular fashion choices for Mexica were lioncloths for men and huipils for women. The more colorful & decorated, as well as more jewelery, the more status you had. Common hairstyles for Nahua women were 2 twists of hair resting on top like horns #MayaAndTheThree (4/24)

Deers are normally associated with fire. But there’s something beautiful about it linked to the Earth & Femininity. Especially since Sandra said she took inspiration from P’urepecha women weaving ribbons in their hair #MayaAndTheThree (5/24)

Body paint was used both daily & special occasions. Nahua women painted themselves yellow, a color for fertility & the Maya women in white, like the moon goddess Ixchel. Queen Teca & Maya have green paint that remind me of the Otomi tattoos #MayaAndTheThree (6/24)

Moctezuma II didn’t wear this headress on the daily, or even in formal situations. BUT feathers were reserved for the highest in societies across Mesoamerica. Worn especially by royal Maya mostly in ceramonial events. #MayaAndTheThree (7/24)

The Mexica Sunstone (not a calendar) is often depicted vertical when in fact it was actually meant to be placed facing skyward. In the series, Maya stands on a similar Sunstone placed exactly the way the Mexicas had theres! #MayaAndTheThree (8/24)

Love they included the Voladores (flyers)! The origins are from the Totonac who today live in various states like Veracruz. This “sky dance” was done by priests to call upon rain for a prosperous harvest. #MayaAndTheThree (9/24)

There were Maya priestess of Cozumel who were devout to the Moon Goddess, Ixchel. That was just my first thought in seeing Luna Island, the moon motifs on the Wizards, and Gran Bruja being the head wizard #MayaAndTheThree (10/24)

As someone who LOVES Maya cultures, I definitely enjoyed the Tikal (Maya site in Guatemala) vibes with the narrow height of the temples. And colors like red painted on structures resemble what temples used to look back then #MayaAndTheThree (11/24)

Maya fashion was vast, but like the Jungle Lands, often times women wore skirts & the men wore hip cloths & vests. The Jungleland citizen designs value more Jade then gold much like Mesoamerica w/ green being associated with earth & prosperity #MayaAndTheThree (12/24)

I’m not as well versed in South American cultures, but the sun shining on the Golden Mountains & sun-like motifs on Barbarian garments reminded me that various Andean groups highly revere the Sun. The Inca sun god, Inti, is depected w/ a sun-like headress #MayaAndTheThree (13/24)

And the Golden Mountain Kingdom is built on a mountain like Machu Picchu, a royal estate of an Incan King. Yes, the character Picchu is named after it and even Jorge has joked how very ”Macho Picchu” is XD #MayaAndTheThree (14/24)

I remember Jorge saying that the Olmec, the earliest civilization in Mesoamerica, were the source for Underworld related assets. Yep, I spotted a few #MayaAndTheThree (15/24)

Onto the gods. First off… do I even have to say it 😂. But unlike his cold, demon portrayel in Maya myths, the Camazotz here is an absolute dad and i’m here for it!!! And Zatz’s name is close to the (K’iche’?) Maya word for bat “Zotz” #MayaAndTheThree (16/24)

Acat, the Maya god of Tattoos, is portrayed female here which is AWESOME! Those who were tattooed with images of gods were said to have some of the god’s power. Which makes Acat’s tattoos being her weapons absolutely genious!! #MayaAndTheThree (17/24)

Cipactli was more the alligator type beast then the actual god of Alligators. But she does get a day on the Mexica Calendar. And funny thing about the god of Earthquakes, Cabrakan’s dad is Vucub & he has an alligator-like brother. #MayaAndTheThree (18/24)

Hura and Can are actually one god in Maya myth. Huracan, who controls both wind & storms. In iconography he’s got one leg shaped like a serpent reflected in the snake arms of Hura & Can. #MayaAndTheThree (19/24)

I’ve only just learned of Xtabay, but she’s more of a modern myth then an ancient god. Said to enchant men only to kill them. The design of her mask resembles the funerary masks of K'inich Janaab' Pakal, Maya King of Palenque. #MayaAndTheThree (20/24)

The look & name of Vucub takes insperation from Vucub Caquix, a demon bird in the Maya hero twin story who adorns himself with gems & splendor. Personally, I really like the divergance from vain, greedy origins & towards a more noble, animal-protector type #MayaAndTheThree (21/24

Lady Micte is a direct reference to Mictecacihuatl, Mexica goddess of death who had the roll to watch the bones of the dead. Marigolds adorn this design, the same flower whose petals are often used to guide the dead to vist the living on Dia de Los Muertos #MayaAndTheThree (22/24

Lord Mictlan shares a name with Mictlanticutli, Mexica god of death. But #MayaAndTheThree depicts Mictlan as the god of war, a title the Mexica gave to Huitzilopochtli. Mictlan’s face reminds me of Tlatilco masks that represent duality, opposites that depend on each other (23/24)

The thread continues here but with tagged spoilers. So readers beware! (24/24)