Itzamna

Itzamná (Mayan pronunciation: [it͡samˈna]) is a supreme creator deity and celestial god in Maya mythology. He stands as one of the most significant deities in both the Classic and Postclassic Maya pantheon. Despite limited documentation, information about him appears in early colonial Spanish records (relaciones) and dictionaries. Modern Lacandon Maya narratives feature a creator god named Nohochakyum or Hachakyum who may represent a later evolution of Itzamná. In pre-Columbian times, Itzamná frequently appeared in Maya codices and on ceramics depicting scenes from these manuscripts. Before Maya hieroglyphic decipherment, archaeologists designated him as "god D," a label still occasionally used in academic contexts.

J. Eric S. Thompson initially translated the name Itzamná as "lizard house," combining the Yucatec Maya word itzam (iguana) with na (house). This interpretation has largely been abandoned by scholars. While the exact meaning remains debated, it may be significant that the root itz relates to various secretions (including dew, sap, and semen) and to sorcery. The otherwise undocumented agentive form itzam might therefore signify "asperser" or "sorcerer." Although researchers commonly render god D's Classic period name glyph as "Itzamnaaj," this reading still requires definitive confirmation.