Table of Contents
Clavigero writes about the traditions of various indigenous peoples, including the Chiapenese from the Chiapas region, in his work “Historia Antigua de México“. In the first volume, he recounts the legend of Votan, a cultural hero for the Chiapenese. He connects this figure closely to a great flood. Clavigero describes Votan as the grandson of the man who built an ark to save himself and his family from a deluge. This story presents a clear parallel to other flood myths, such as the account of Noah in the Bible.
Clavigero links Mesoamerican mythology to broader flood narratives from cultures worldwide through his account of these traditions. According to the Chiapenese version, Votan founded their civilization. He settled the region and established key social and religious structures.
This connection represents one of many cases in which Clavigero identifies similarities between indigenous myths of the Americas and ancient stories from other parts of the world. He delivers a detailed and respectful account of pre-Columbian Mexican history and cultures.
In the broader discussion of Votan, Clavigero explores the origins of indigenous peoples, their migrations, and their mythological accounts of world events, especially the deluge myth.
Clavigero draws parallels between the myths of Mexico’s indigenous peoples and the biblical narrative, as well as other ancient traditions worldwide. He demonstrates that many cultures share common stories about creation, destruction, and the rebirth of civilizations. The flood myth provides a key example, and he relates the Chiapenese story of Votan to this theme.
A great flood that wiped out previous civilizations
Clavigero describes how the Chiapenese people claimed that Votan came to their lands after a great flood that wiped out previous civilizations. According to their tradition, Votan acted as a significant cultural figure who helped reorganize society after the deluge. This role mirrors figures such as Noah in the Judeo-Christian tradition or Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Votan not only survived the flood but also established key social and religious structures in the region. He settled in Chiapas and spread knowledge, which allowed the Chiapenese civilization to flourish. This pattern appears in many ancient flood myths, where a figure helps rebuild society afterward.
Clavigero emphasizes the similarities between the Chiapenese flood myth and flood myths from around the world. He suggests that the Chiapenese tradition of Votan connects to broader global traditions, particularly the biblical flood. His work identifies connections between the indigenous cultures of the Americas and the ancient civilizations of Europe, Africa, and Asia. He argues that indigenous peoples maintained ancient and sophisticated cultures worthy of respect.
In the same context, Clavigero describes Votan as the founder of Palenque, a major ancient Maya city. This aspect of the tradition remains more speculative and mythological. Votan’s link to Palenque connects him to the broader Maya civilization, which achieved great architectural, mathematical, and astronomical feats.
Clavigero demonstrates the deep mythological and spiritual traditions of indigenous peoples by recounting the Chiapenese tradition. By aligning figures like Votan with flood myths and cultural heroes, he highlights how Mesoamerican peoples understood the world, nature, and the divine. They viewed Votan as a survivor of the flood who brought civilization and order after chaos.
Clavigero sought to defend the intellectual and cultural achievements of pre-Columbian civilizations when he discussed figures like Votan. He wrote his work in response to European scholars who diminished the value of indigenous cultures. By drawing comparisons to Old World traditions, he sought to affirm the worth of these cultures.
