• Book of the Chilam Balam of Chumayel, [between 1775 and 1800].

Collections:
  • Mesoamerican Manuscripts
  • Digitized Manuscripts
  • Indigenous Cultures
Format:
  • Manuscript
  • Book
Date:
  • [between 1775 and 1800].
Subject:
Language:
View in catalog:
Call number:
  • C0940 (Princeton Mesoamerican Manuscripts, no. 4)
  • Electronic Resource
Extent:
  • 1 v. (55 leaves) : paper, ill. ; 20 x 15 cm.
Type:
  • Paper
  • Texts
Description:
  • Layout: 1 column, 32 lines.
  • Decoration: 27 leaves of illustration ranging from full-page drawings (in brown ink and red ink wash) to smaller ones on a portion of a textual page.
Title sort:
  • Book of the Chilam Balam of Chumayel, [between 1775 and 1800].
Alternative:
  • U chin vucub icil an Canule: Ix jac
Spatial:
  • Mexico
Relation:
  • Princeton Mesoamerican collection, [600s]-[1800s]
Text language:
  • Text in Yucatec with some Spanish.
Binding note:
  • Modern marbled boards; originally bound in leather (deerskin?); in cloth box.
Provenance:
  • Found in the 19th-century in Chumayel, probably by don Adumaro Molina; given to Bishop Crescencio Carrillo y Ancona; the manuscript was expropriated by the government of General Alvarado (from Rivero Figueroa's library) in 1915; became part of the Cepeda Library in Merida and then disappeared; said to have belonged to Julio Berzunza in 1945.
Source acquisition:
  • Acquired in 1968 from the widow of Julio Berzunza by Princeton University Library with the aid of subvention provided by John Hauberg, Princeton Class of 1939.
Former owner:
  • Carrillo y Ancona, Crescencio, 1837-1897
Created:
  • 1775-01-01T00:00:00Z/1800-12-31T23:59:59Z
Abstract:
  • Manuscript, written and illustrated in Chumayel, Yucatán, is a late 18th century copy, cf. Edmondson, Berrera, and Roys. Concerns the history of the conquest of the Yucatán by the Spaniards. Includes the ritual of the four world-quarters; the rise of Hunac Ceel to power; a prophecy for Katun 11-Ahau; the building of the mounds; memoranda concerning the history of Yucatán; notes on the calendar; the amorial bearings of Yucatán; notes on astronomy; the interrogation of the chiefs; the creation of the world; the rituals of the angels; a song of the Itza; the creation of the uinal; a history of the Spanish conquest; the prophecy of Chilam Balam and the story of Antonio Martinez; a chapter of questions and answers; an incantation; a series of Katun-prophecies; chronicles; a book of Katun-prophecies; the last judgment; prophecies of a new religion, cf. Roys. There are inscriptions in Spanish and a native language throughout (1832-1838), including names, places, and dates. For example "Chumayel Junio 28. de 1838 Chilam Balam [por Pedro Bristano].
Identifier:
  • ark:/88435/0z708w51x
Location:
  • HSVM C0940 (Princeton Mesoamerican Manuscripts, no. 4)
  • HSVM Electronic Resource
  • ELF1 C0940 (Princeton Mesoamerican Manuscripts, no. 4)
  • ELF1 Electronic Resource
Edm rights:
  • No Known Copyright
Uniform title:
  • Chilam Balam de Chumayel (Manuscript)
References:
  • Cline, H. F. Guide to Ethnohistorical Sources, 1146
  • Weeks, J.M. Mesoamerican Ethnohistory in United States Libraries, 148
Available online:
Exhibit Tags: