Editing Tohil (section)

==Worship==
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| image1 = Catherwood - Santa Cruz del Quiche - Qumarkaj - Tohil Temple.jpg
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| caption1 = Drawing of the Temple of Tohil at the former Kʼicheʼ capital of [[Qʼumarkaj]], by Frederick Catherwood, published in 1841
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| caption2 = The ruins of the Temple of Tohil as they appeared in 2006.<ref>Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.170.</ref>
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The Kaweq lineage of the Kʼicheʼ built a temple to Tohil at their first capital Jacawitz, identified as the archaeological site of [[Chitinamit]]. Jacawitz was overlooked by a shrine to the god placed on a neighbouring peak, this shrine was known as Pa Tohil.<ref>Fox 1989, pp.663-664.</ref> Later the Kʼicheʼ built their main temple to Tohil at [[Qʼumarkaj]], their new capital. They made him offerings on the day ''Toh'', one of the days of their [[Tzolkʼin|20-day]] [[Maya calendar|calendar]] cycle.<ref>Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.170.</ref> The Kʼicheʼ performed the Great Dance of Tohil in honour of the deity in the month of ''Tzʼikin Qʼij'', prior to the [[maize]] harvest (which takes place in November).<ref>Christenson 2003, 2007, p.220.n.620.</ref> This dance took place at [[Qʼumarkaj]] and involved a gathering of all the principal lineages subject to the [[Kʼicheʼ Kingdom of Qʼumarkaj]], and as is described in the Kʼicheʼ chronicle ''[[Título de Totonicapán]]'',<ref>Christenson 2003, 2007, p.260.n.775.</ref> they were expected to bring tribute, slaves and sacrifices.<ref>Orellana 1981, p.160.</ref>

The [[Maya priesthood|priests]] of Tohil were known as ''Aj Tohil'' and were selected from the ruling Kaweq lineage of Qʼumarkaj. During their ceremonies to Tohil, the Kʼicheʼ would offer [[Resplendent quetzal|quetzal]] feathers to the god.<ref>Orellana 1981, pp.162-163.</ref> Writing at the end of the 17th century, [[Francisco Ximénez]] described the tradition that upon the temple [[Human sacrifice in Maya culture|human sacrifices]] were tied before the representation of Tohil, where the priest would open the victim's chest and cut out his heart.<ref>Carmack 2001a, pp.356-357.</ref> After sacrifice, the victim's body was probably hurled down the front stairway of the temple where his head would be severed to be placed on a [[Tzompantli|skull rack]] that was located in front of the temple.<ref>Carmack 2001a, p.360.</ref>

Equivalents to Tohil were worshipped by other groups closely related to the Kʼicheʼ. These included Belehe Toh of the [[Kaqchikel people|Kaqchikels]] and Hun Toh of the [[Rabinal]],<ref>Recinos 1998, p.46.</ref> this last name meaning "One Rain", a calendrical date.<ref>Recinos et al 1954, p.132.</ref> The Kaqchikel and the Rabinal did not merely think their own patrons were ''equivalent'' to Tohil, they claimed that they were the same deity under a different name.<ref>Fox 1989, p.665.</ref> The Kʼicheʼ themselves claimed in the Popul Vuh that their patron Tohil was the same as [[Quetzalcoatl]] of the [[Aztec]]s.<ref>Christenson 2003, 2007, pp.19, 217.</ref>

===Temple of Tohil===
{{main|Qʼumarkaj}}
The Temple of Tohil at Qʼumarkaj was the tallest structure in the city. The rubble core of the building still stands but the stone facing has been looted. The temple was originally a pyramid with stairways on all four sides, the summit shrine faced towards the rising sun in the east. This form of radial pyramid temple was built by the Maya since the Late Preclassic with examples at many archaeological sites such as [[Tikal]], [[Copán]] and [[Chichen Itza]], among others. According to [[John Lloyd Stephens]], who visited the site in the 1830s, the temple base measured {{convert|66|ft|m}} square and it stood {{convert|33|ft|m}} high. At that time the radial stairways were more-or-less intact. The temple was originally covered in painted [[stucco]], with the decoration including the painted image of a [[jaguar]].<ref>Christenson 2003, 2007, pp.268-269.n.821.</ref>