Popul Vuh

(in the Quiché language, Book of Counsel; in a broader sense, Book of the People), a classic of ancient American Indian literature.

The Popul Vuh, the sacred epic of the Quiché people of Guatemala, took form before the European colonization of America. The extant version was written down in the mid-16th century by an unknown Quich é Indian in his native language, using the Latin alphabet. This version was copied and translated into Spanish in the late 16th century by the Dominican monk F. Ximénez.

The work, written in rhythmic prose, is based on the mythical legends and historical traditions of the Quiché Indians and includes genealogical lists of noble families. The formation of the early class system of the Quich é Indians before the Conquest is reflected in the Popul Vuh. The first scholarly edition of the work, which utilized Ximénez’ manuscript, was published in French by C. É. Brasseur de Bourbourg (1861). A free translation into Russian was published by K. D. Bal’mont in the book Snake Flowers (1910).