The Maya Postclassic period saw continued literary production in Yucatan and highland Guatemala, though many earlier Classic period centers had declined. Hieroglyphic writing continued in some regions, while oral traditions preserved mythological narratives that would later be recorded in texts like the Popol Vuh.

Maya oral traditions from this period preserved creation myths and heroic narratives that survived Spanish conquest through clandestine transmission and eventual transcription. The Popol Vuh, though written in the 16th century, contains material originating in earlier periods including the 12th century, demonstrating remarkable continuity in Maya literary culture. Ritual poetry and prophetic texts composed during this period influenced later Maya resistance literature and cultural preservation efforts.