Crisis and Creativity in Mayan Mythology episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 12, 2026 · 51 MIN

Crisis and Creativity in Mayan Mythology

from Philosophy Talk · host Philosophy Talk

The Popol Vuh, written in 1702, was based on a Mayan oral tradition encompassing creation myths, history, and cosmology. These stories were written in a time of crisis: European colonialism had decimated the Mayan population and destroyed much of their cultural knowledge. How do stories help a society survive and thrive? Can they console us in times of crisis? How much of a culture can historians save in times of devastation? Josh and Ray rewrite history with Edgar Garcia from the University of Chicago, author of Emergency: Reading the Popol Vuh in a Time of Crisis.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 12, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Crisis and Creativity in Mayan Mythology

0:00 51:17

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Philosophy Talk?

This episode is 51 minutes long.

When was this Philosophy Talk episode published?

This episode was published on July 12, 2026.

Can I download this Philosophy Talk episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!