Jeremy D. Coltman

The Classic Maya world radiated brilliance. Material infused with luminous properties weren’t just manifestations of light but were imbued with divine qualities embodied by light. In Maya art and writing, qualifiers used to specify brilliance correspond to k’uh, meaning “god, holy, sacred”. There are places, people, actions, and situations where k’uh could be concentrated, pooled, or focused. One way is in sparkly, shiny things that offer a way to contact the vitalizing energy directly or at least affirm its divine existence. Applying a monist approach, k’uh, like the Nahua teotl, can be interpreted as a singular vitalizing energy that constitutes and comprises everything in existence thus opening brand new avenues for future research into ancient Maya religion and metaphysics.