Chaac

Chaac (Chac or Chaakh, also known as God B) was the Mayan deity of rain – thus making him a very important deity in the agricultural civilization of the Maya. In addition, he was also venerated as the god of thunder and storms – with one particular myth-based motif suggesting how he struck the clouds with jade axes (and even snakes) to bring down the rain. Such actions nourished the various crops (especially the maize, which is often ascribed as a gift of Chaac to the Maya people after he discovered the seedling inside the rock) and fostered the natural cycle of life in terms of regeneration.

In some narratives, he is presented as the brother to the sun god Kinich Ahau. And while these brothers were close, Chaac fell for the beautiful wife of Kinich Ahau (possibly Ix Chel) and consequently suffered punishment for his immoral affair. To that end, few Mayan legends say how the rain occurs when Chaac cries for repentance – thereby contradicting the ‘ax-effect’ on clouds (as was sometimes the case in various myths). In any case, historically, many Mayan rulers were venerated as ‘rainmakers’, thereby underlining their strong relationship to Chaac – the Mayan god of rain. Interestingly enough, in spite of being the deity of rain, Chaac was believed to dwell not in the skies but deep within the caves and cenotes – signifying the sources of water. In that regard, his Aztec (Nahuatl) counterpart is often perceived as Tlaloc – who was correlated with caves, springs, and mountains.