Votan

The boat slipped away silently. In the center of the boat walked a pensive man, circling around the oarsmen and the mates of the trip.

The sea was calm and gazing so far away was a dark fringe of new land.

Where do these men come from?

Perhaps from Atlantis?

From the unknown place called Mun?

From the Old World?

These men with their guide Votan, also called Tepanaguate - the master with thin hair - arrived to lands that have been cleansed by the sea, setting up camp in the swamps. (Yucatan). These men immediately formed a village, forming a group around their guide Votan.

But through being in that place described as dry land without water, Votan decided to search for better terrain following the coast.

But the village or pueblo founded there was created and the son of Votan named Zamna - the dew from the sky - was already a man, so the foreigner decided to leave him there as the village's representative.

When they remained, they saw him part and all asked why he left them. What did he want to look for in this unknown world? But nobody stopped him, so Votan after following a long path through unknown directions arrived at a lagoon - the Terminus Lagoon - in which he stayed for a short time. Since he did not like the place, he did not delay to undertake a new pilgrimage arriving at the mouth of the Usumacinta River and  establishing there.

But Votan although was not conformed to a hidden place struggling with the river's current, went up it arriving at Catasa and establishing there.

The river was navigable; his constructed canoes there at the same river would dominate it. The region was very pretty and temperature was warm. Its big trees with fine wood circled around it. Birds with very rich feathers and exquisite flowers abounded the tropical tree or "caimito" of Xoconochco. The saffron, the mimosa that produces the huixpchitl, the anode root that turns black with dye, the ulli or the yellow stick, the blood of the dredge, the liquid amber, cotton, cocoa, the tree patch, tabacco, vanilla, the "zintule," the burial ground, the lily called the "zarzaparrilla," the "copalchi," or the resin from tropical trees, the cedar, the mahogany tree, the balm, the "zapotillo" or the tree known for its sweet edible fruit, the pomegranate tree, the "tepequaje" which  are all duennas from the gods.

In this valley that they called from Custepeques, in addition to so much wealth; there was gold, much gold near here, in a place that they called Chicomuselo; they founded big fountains of "chapopote," in addition to salt mines. Votan enamored by the new region decided to establish there, constructing a city, whose chief would be him and whose name would be given as Chan - snake. The village founded by him was called No-Chan - City of Snakes, which today is known as Palenque.

Time quickly went by and the "chanes" and their chief did not delay in suffering the consequences of the floods, so they had to build a new city farther way from the river.

Votan, the powerful Votan, had the illusion of erecting in this new hidden place by him, a city amazed by all; but his death prevented it.

The chief disappeared and his descendants the Chanes - the snakes that have progressed in culture and in numbers, agreed with their guide. They built the new city of amazing beauty that carried the Na-Chan - Palenque.

Votan in his life, advised the chanes or the snakes that were united through different marriages to the master inhabitants of this earthly paradise, to engender with them a new race in that by their own right it would be theirs, vanishing the fear of eviction. So Votan after this victory, proceeded with the land divisions, establishing the right of PROPERTY.

And not only did the great maker of civilization think of this but for guaranteeing their prosperity, he demanded the cult of the gods to be worshiped. He thought intelligently that this religion had to unite isolated interests, so the power needed to be theocratic.

Votan the guide, Votan the priest, Votan the make of civilization, at his death was deified and much later the men coming from the sea far away, were also deified to his son Zamna.

This civilization marked from the South, arrived toward the sea with its amazing characteristics although thought to be considered superior in those times. The characteristics followed all of the established villages or pueblos on the area, who due to the floods of the Usumacinta, were obliged to build their homes and their buildings over superior terraces at the level of overflowing waters, so from there was born the custom to build - KUS - terraces that in addition to saving them from terrible consequences of the floods, it would serve them as a defense from unrefined tribal aggressions that harassed them.

With time, Na-Chan, the city founded by Votan arrived at such a cultural degree that the priests and the inhabitants of it thought in sumptousness, by that they were annexing their first constructions story by story, reaching at the zacualli - the citadel and temple. In addition to its extraordinary beauty they built a major defense.

Who could had seen Na-Chan at some time, badly named Palenque, prior to the amazement of its beauty?

It will never be forgotten!