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Description
Chikchan (a.k.a Chicchan or Chij Chan) in traditional Maya cosmology is a huge serpent, with variations in different traditions. Some say its upper half is a human body with a snake face and the lower half has the tail of a feathered serpent. In other accounts, it's a horned snake.

Traditionally considered the bringers of rain, in some accounts these fantastic animals are terrestrial rather than aerial, they "only go up to the sky to open its doors during the rain season, then come back to the land". It's said that rainfall and storms are caused by the Chikchan's travel in the sky, and the rainbow is either the body of a Chikchan or the trail left by its' flight. The thunder is the voice of a Chikchan, continuous lightning is considered to be a Chikchan talking to another, on the other side of the firmament - according to tradition there are four major Chikchan, one in each corner of the world, but there are minor Chikchans on the earth. A similar myth is that of the Hor Chan, a huge snake with golden horns and a rattle on the end of its tail. This is a combination of both.

In the 260 days cycle calendar (a.k.a Tzolk'in), Chikchan "Serpent" is the 5th day. Its' K'iché counterpart (the Chol Q'ij') is Kan (not to be confused with the Maaya / Iucatec "K'an / Maize" sign which K'iché equivalent is K'at). Both are associated with Kukulkan / Q'uq'umatz the Feathered Serpent

Digital illustration, 2023

Description
Chikchan (a.k.a Chicchan or Chij Chan) in traditional Maya cosmology is a huge serpent, with variations in different traditions. Some say its upper half is a human body with a snake face and the lower half has the tail of a feathered serpent. In other accounts, it's a horned snake.

Traditionally considered the bringers of rain, in some accounts these fantastic animals are terrestrial rather than aerial, they "only go up to the sky to open its doors during the rain season, then come back to the land". It's said that rainfall and storms are caused by the Chikchan's travel in the sky, and the rainbow is either the body of a Chikchan or the trail left by its' flight. The thunder is the voice of a Chikchan, continuous lightning is considered to be a Chikchan talking to another, on the other side of the firmament - according to tradition there are four major Chikchan, one in each corner of the world, but there are minor Chikchans on the earth. A similar myth is that of the Hor Chan, a huge snake with golden horns and a rattle on the end of its tail. This is a combination of both.

In the 260 days cycle calendar (a.k.a Tzolk'in), Chikchan "Serpent" is the 5th day. Its' K'iché counterpart (the Chol Q'ij') is Kan (not to be confused with the Maaya / Iucatec "K'an / Maize" sign which K'iché equivalent is K'at). Both are associated with Kukulkan / Q'uq'umatz the Feathered Serpent

Digital illustration, 2023