Editing Qʼuqʼumatz (section)

==''Popol Vuh''==
In the beginning of the ''[[Popol Vuh]]'', Qʼuqʼumatz is depicted as afloat in the primordial sea with [[Tepeu]], wrapped in quetzal feathers.<ref name="luhr336">{{harvnb|Luhrmann|1984|p=336}}.</ref> Nothing yet existed, only the sea at rest under the sky.<ref name="luhr336"/> Soon Qʼuqʼumatz and Tepeu discussed the creation of man and it was decided between them to raise the earth and create mankind.<ref name="McCallister 2008, pp.1-2"/> The gods spoke the word "''Earth''" and the earth was formed as if from a mist.<ref name="Chris61">{{harvnb|Christenson|2007|p=61}}.</ref> They then called forth the mountains from the water and the mountains rose at their command.<ref name="Chris61"/> Forests of pine and cypress then sprung up among the newly formed mountains and valleys.<ref name="Chris62">{{harvnb|Christenson|2007|p=62}}.</ref> Qʼuqʼumatz was pleased with their collaborative creation of the earth and thanked the other gods that were present.<ref name="Chris62"/> The gods created animals such as the deer, the birds, pumas, jaguars and different types of snakes.<ref name="Chris63">{{harvnb|Christenson|2007|p=63}}.</ref> They instructed each animal where it should live.<ref name="Chris63"/> The gods then commanded that the animals should give them praise and worship them.<ref>{{harvnb|Christenson|2007|pp=64–65}}.</ref> However, the animals could not speak and simply squawked, chattered and roared in their own manner.<ref name="Chris65">{{harvnb|Christenson|2007|p=65}}.</ref> Qʼuqʼumatz soon realized that their first attempt at the creation of beings was a failure as they could not give them praise and so they condemned the animals to live in the forests and ravines.<ref>{{harvnb|Recinos|Goetz|Morley|1954|p=41}}.</ref> Their animals were ordered to live in the wild and to let their flesh be eaten by the ones who will keep the days of the gods and show them praise.

They first formed men of mud, but in this form man could neither move nor speak and quickly dissolved into nothingness. Later, they created men of sculpted wood, which Huracan destroyed as the wooden manikins were imperfect, emotionless and showed no praise to the gods. The survivors were then transformed into monkeys, and sentenced to live in the wild. Qʼuqʼumatz and Tepeu were finally successful in their creation by constructing men out of [[maize]].<ref>{{harvnb|Miller|Taube|2003|p=69}}.</ref> Here the first men were formed: Bʼalam Agab, Bʼalam Quitzé, Iqi Bʼalam, Mahucatah. Their sight was far and they understood all.

The Popol Vuh also mentions a [[Kʼicheʼ Kingdom of Qʼumarkaj#Quqʼkumatz and Kʼiqʼab (ca. 1400–1475)|historic ruler]] of the Kʼicheʼ who bore the name or title of the deity, probably because he drew some of his power from the god.<ref>{{harvnb|Read|González|2000|p=191}}; {{harvnb|Carmack|2001b|p=181}}.</ref> This title of "Feathered Serpent", was an important title used for historical figures in other parts of Mesoamerica,<ref name="Carm178">{{harvnb|Carmack|2001b|p=178}}.</ref> the personal name of this king was likely to have been Kotujaʼ.<ref>{{harvnb|Carmack|2001b|p=183}}.</ref> This individual was likely to have been an ''Aj Qʼuqʼumatz'', or priest of Qʼuqʼumatz, before he became the ''Aj pop'' (king).<ref>{{harvnb|Carmack|2001b|pp=181, 183}}.</ref> This king was said to have refounded the Kʼicheʼ capital at Qʼumarkaj.<ref name="Carm178"/>