Who is Ix Chel?

Ix Chel is one of the Mayan Goddesses and corresponds to Goddess O in the Dresden Codex. She is a jaguar moon goddess whose spouse is Itzamna, God of the Sun.

Ix Chel is the goddess of water, weaving, medicine, and midwifery. Her name translates as “Lady of the Rainbow” which comes from her ability to nourish the crops by bringing the rain.

Ix Chel and Itzamna gave birth to four jaguar Gods, each named for one of the four cardinal directions and charged with holding up the sky. Although Ix Chel was worshiped at many sites within the Mayan civilization, two sites were centered around Ix Chel – Tulum and the island of Cozumel.