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los penchos de los reyes - sumos sacerdotes

English translation: the headdresses of the Mayan Kings — or High Priests — [who...]


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:los penchos de los reyes - sumos sacerdotes
English translation:the headdresses of the Mayan Kings — or High Priests — [who...]
Entered by: Louise Souter
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20:52 Jan 18, 2011
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Tourism & Travel / Cultural background of Guatemala
Spanish term or phrase: los penchos de los reyes - sumos sacerdotes
Taken from an article on Guatemala's Mayan Heritage. The whole sentence is

"Como ellos, los guatemaltecos de hoy rinden culto al pajaro sagrado, el quetzal, el de la larga cola verde, cuyas sagradas plumas ornaban los penachos de los reyes -sumos sacerdotes mayas que dominaban aquella civilizacion desaparecida".

I cannot work out if this means that the quetzal was a Mayan high priest or that today's Guatemalans worship Mayan high priests and I cannot find anything to support or deny these ideas.
Louise Souter
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:22
the headdresses of the Mayan Kings — or High Priests — [who...]
Explanation:
As I understand it Mayan Kings were both in the priesthood and the ruling class (see 1st link). And the Quetzal is a sacred bird.

I would translate this passage along these lines.

Hope this helps.

Selected response from:

James A. Walsh
Spain
Local time: 18:22
Grading comment
Thanks, James.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2the headdresses of the Mayan Kings — or High Priests — [who...]
James A. Walsh
4mayas king - high priests' feather tufts
Jorge & Julie Soares


  

Answers


16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
mayas king - high priests' feather tufts


Explanation:
Suggestion.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2011-01-18 21:38:23 GMT)
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You say "penchos" in your question but the text says "penachos". It's the feather tufts they would use.

Jorge & Julie Soares
Local time: 17:22
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
los penchos de los reyes - sumos sacerdotes
the headdresses of the Mayan Kings — or High Priests — [who...]


Explanation:
As I understand it Mayan Kings were both in the priesthood and the ruling class (see 1st link). And the Quetzal is a sacred bird.

I would translate this passage along these lines.

Hope this helps.



Example sentence(s):
  • Like them, Guatemalans today worship the sacred Quetzal bird, with its long green tail, whose sacred feathers adorned the headdresses of the Mayan Kings — or High Priests — who dominated this extinct civilization.

    Reference: http://www.naomistolow.com/travelogue/maya_adornment.html
    Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_religion
James A. Walsh
Spain
Local time: 18:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 31
Grading comment
Thanks, James.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Emma Goldsmith
8 hrs
  -> Cheers, Emma.
agree  cgowar
14 hrs
  -> Thank you.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




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