In the Mayan culture, which took place from AD 250-900, many deities were formed. One of these deities was a powerful and feminine symbol of immortality that was recorded in many stories told by the Mayans. Ixchel, also known as the "Lady Rainbow", was the moon goddess of the Mayan culture.
             Ixchel was symbolized with a long, flowing skirt with crossed bones, and a serpent held in her hand. In her other hand, a tall, great jug of water was held, which she overturned to send floods and powerful rainstorms to Earth. To help her, Ixchel had an assistant sky serpent, which the Mayans believed carried all the waters of the heavens in its belly. Ixchel was mostly kind-hearted, but if humans got on her bad side, she would become very angry. Her lengthy hair was held together by coiling snakes that wrapped their selves around the top part of her head. She was worshipped as the protector of weavers and women in childbirth. Ixchel never aged, and her beauty never faded away.
             "The moon is a feminine symbol, universally representing the rhythm of time as it embodies the cycle." (6, pg.5) Being the goddess of the moon, Ixchel associates with the many symbolic meanings the moon holds. Immortality and eternity follow alongside the moon's symbolism. Controlling the tides, the rains, the waters, and the seasons, it represents the "phases of man's condition on earth." (6, pg.5) The different stages of the moon represent the stages of human development. Infancy defines the new moon; the crescent represents youth and children. Maturity and pregnancy symbolize the full moon, which is what stage Ixchel represents. The last stage the moon fades through is the waning moon, and it represents the decline of life. Ixchel associates with many serpents, usually holding or wearing them. A serpent is a "universal and complex symbol." (6, pg.6) It has many meanings, but it mainly represents death, evil, and destr...