The Maya Ixchel deity: Fertility goddess, goddess of creation, goddess of midwifery and medicine, and linked to the Aztec sweat bath goddess Toci Yoalticitl ( Public domain ) The archaeologists say the sweat bath “embodied the amphibian goddess.” In ancient Maya communities “sweat baths” were used in birthing procedures and they were symbolic of “grandmother figures.” According to the Eureka Alert press release, the outside of this Maya sweat bath depicts the image of a supernatural being that is thought to be the classic Maya deity “ix.tzutz.sak.” This fertility goddess is shown squatting, toad-like, together with iguanas and cane toads. ( San Bartolo-Xultun Regional Archaeological Project ) Entering The Womb Of The Amphibian Goddess The remains of a juvenile skeleton were recovered from the Los Sapos Maya sweat bath, suggesting an early understanding of the structure as a place of birth and human creation. The Los Sapos Maya sweat bath reopened again 300 years later.
Around 600 AD, a male adult was interred within the sweat bath doorway, after which the entire building was buried. It is believed the sweat bath was a central component within the Xultun community for about 300 years. Together, these remains and artifacts are helping archaeologists understand the Los Sapos sweat bath when it was functional. Strewn amongst the bones were numerous heat-damaged stone tools and ceramic sherds. The archaeologists discovered human remains, including a human child, and also animal remains (a puppy, birds, cane toads and iguanas). ( San Bartolo-Xultun Regional Archaeological Project ) A news release from the STRI posted on EurekAlert describes a collection of “unusual artifacts” that represent evidence of the beliefs and rituals performed at sweat baths.Īn assortment of toad bones that were found in the Los Sapos Maya sweat bath. Maya Sweat Bath Find: Human Remains And Burnt ArtifactsĪ team of archaeologists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and the archaeology program at Boston University studied a Maya sweat bath at Xultun, in modern-day Guatemala, dating to the Early Classic period (250-550 AD). The ancient Maya sweat bath discovery, however, has also added to our understanding of Maya religious practices. These properties were among the many health benefits associated with heat and water that were identified by the indigenous people of ancient Mesoamerica. Whether saunas do actually help in the fight against disease is ‘hotly’ debated within the scientific community, but many believe the heat boosts the immune system and that saunas are a useful therapeutic treatment. What was the Maya wisdom regarding sweat baths? Well, according to an article in Spa Business, Risto Elomaa, president of the International Sauna Association (ISA), says “the body goes through a physiological state of hyper-arousal” in a sauna, and that the heat and moisture can help “alleviate psychological symptoms… helping people feel more in control of symptoms and allowing time for dedicated rest.”
Archaeologists exploring an ancient Maya sweat bath in Guatemala say not only did this sacred chamber represent the goddess of creation, but it is the actual deity herself manifested on earth.