Key Info

- Oldest of all the gods and the divine grandparents of Maya mythology. 

- Ground the maize that was used in the third, successful attempt to make people

Brief Bio

In Mayan mythology, Xmucane and Xpiacoc are the divine grandparents, and the oldest of all gods, playing a crucial role as the creators and daykeepers in the Popol Vuh. They are often referred to as the "grandmother" and "grandfather" of the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, and are also known as the divine couple who helped shape the world.

The pair were invoked during the creation of the world in which the Maya gods were attempting to create humanity. Xmucane and Xpiacoc ground the maize that was used in the third, successful attempt to make people, after a first attempt with mud and a second with wood, the products of which were described as being simply mannequins and not real people. These two are also invoked, often by other powerful deities, for their powers in divination and matchmaking.

Xmucane herself also plays an integral role in the development of the Maya Hero Twins. She was at first wary of them and their mother, Xquic, and ordered them out of her house when they were yet infants, but she would come to accept them almost as her own sons, raising and caring for them.