Chaac

♂ Boy

Pronounced CHAHK

Meaning: rain; the rain deity who brings life-giving water

In 30 seconds: The great Maya deity of rain, thunder, and lightning — one of the oldest and most pervasive gods in Mesoamerican religion, worshipped continuously from the Preclassic period through today.

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Origin Maya

Meaningrain; the rain deity who brings life-giving water

History & Origin

Chaac (also Chahk) is the principal rain, thunder, and lightning deity of the Yucatec Maya, depicted with reptilian scales, a long pendulous nose, shell ear ornaments, and a lightning axe. His name derives from Proto-Mayan *kahwuq through Classic Ch'olan chaahk, meaning lightning flash — a linguistic lineage spanning some 3,000 years. Chaac appears in four directional forms tied to the four world-colors: red (east), white (north), black (west), and yellow (south). Ceremonies called Ch'a-Cháak, meaning fetch Chaac, were performed to summon rain and are still practiced in rural Yucatán communities today.

Did you know? Chaac's name traces linguistically to Proto-Mayan *kahwuq, meaning lightning flash in Classic Ch'olan — so the deity's very name preserves a 3,000-year-old word for the flash that precedes the rain.

Chaac — Wikipedia — Overview of the deity, iconography, four directional forms, and Ch'a-Cháak ceremoniesOn the Reading of Two Glyphic Appellatives of the Rain God — Academia.edu — Scholarly derivation of Chaac from Proto-Mayan *kahwuq through Classic Ch'olan chaahk = lightning flash

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If you like Chaac…

Balam— Yucatec Maya word for jaguar, the supreme terrestrial power in Mesoamerican tradition

Canek— Itza Maya royal name from the same Classic Maya linguistic tradition

Kin— Yucatec Maya word for sun, day, and time — a foundational partner concept to Chaac's rain

Itzamna— Supreme Maya creator deity worshipped alongside Chaac in the same Yucatec tradition

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Frequently Asked

What does Chaac mean?

Chaac derives from Proto-Mayan *kahwuq through Classic Ch'olan chaahk, meaning lightning flash or ray of light. In modern Yucatec Maya the word cháak also means rain directly.

How do you pronounce Chaac?

CHAHK — one syllable, rhyming with sock but with a longer vowel. The Classic Maya IPA is [t͡ʃaːhk].

Who is Chaac?

Chaac is the principal rain, thunder, and lightning deity of the Yucatec Maya, depicted with a long nose and a lightning axe. He appears in four directional forms and is one of the most consistently depicted gods in all of Classic Maya art.

Is Chaac a boy or girl name?

Chaac is a masculine deity name in Maya tradition.