Maya Hero Twins

The Maya Hero Twins are the protagonists of a narrative contained within the colonial Kʼicheʼ document known as Popol Vuh, representing the oldest Maya myth that has survived in its complete form. Named Hunahpu [hunaxˈpu] and Xbalanque [ʃɓalaŋˈke] in the Kʼicheʼ language, these Twins have also been identified in Classic Maya artistic representations (200–900 AD). The twins are frequently depicted as complementary forces.

The Twin motif appears in numerous Native American mythologies; the Maya Twins specifically can be viewed as mythical ancestors to Maya ruling dynasties.