Colors

Like many other elements in the Mayan culture, colors are very important symbols. Red was the color of the east, the color of fire, the dawn, and spring. Yellow was the color of the south, and was associated with water and winter. White was the color of the north, associated with air and summer. Blue or black was the color of the west, the color of night and fall. Each direction was associated with a Bacab, or guardian or sky-bearer, which was also associated with different rain deities. In the center of the Mayan universe was a ceiba tree, which is the center of all ritual activity. So green is actually the color of the center.

For the Aztecs in Mexico, red was also the color of the east, but black was the color of the north. For these people, blue was the color of the south, the color of water and rain, and white was the color of the west, the color of the arid desert. For the Aztecs, every person, animal, plant, and day of the calendar belonged to one of these four regions, and so was associated with a different color. The color associated with each person would be based on the day they were born.

For the ancient people in Mexico and Central America, color was very important. It not only said something about the directions of the world, but colors were also connected to different gods, rituals, and even people. Today we think of color as being something decorative, where we use our “favorite” color, but for these people color was much more serious and symbolic!

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