One of the Maya's most important rituals was sacrifice, mainly of humans. Over time the location, victims, and execution of the sacrifice changed, mostly because of the Spanish invasion. When the Spanish invaded, they forced Mayans to convert to Christianity and tortured them if they attempted to practice their religion. The Mayans adapted to Christianity and eventually blended their religion and Catholicism to create the religion most Mayans practice today.
Ancient Mayan Sacrifices Humans and animals were sacrificed as offerings to the deities or gods, often specific ones. It was believed the gods needed blood to nourish them. It was also performed to make contact with the gods. Sacrifice was not considered death but the moving on to live with the gods. As Mayans believed in the cyclical nature of life, life does not end it only begins a new path. Sacrifices often took place during important festivals, in times of crisis, and to mark special events. Sacrifice was used in time of need because it was believed it would prevent chaos and gain power. Sacrifices also took place after games of Pok-A-Tok, after which the losing team would be sacrificed. The sacrifices were located in pyramid-temples, but were also executed near sacred cenotes or wells, where the victim would be drowned. In many sacrifices priests would undergo a process ending in the priest removing the victims heart. Several priests would often carry out the sacrifice, as the sacrifices were complex. In a usual sacrifice, four chaks would hold down the victim, a nacom would cut open the chest, and the chilam would take out the heart and spread blood on the statue of the god being honored. Spanish Conquest The Spanish took away every part of the Mayans religious freedom when they invaded. They destroyed their places of worship, killed their priests and took away their power, and tortured anyone who was caught worshiping their gods. The Spanish viewed human sacrifice as barbarous and inhuman. They did not understand how similar it was to things they did: killing and torturing others in God's name and honor. The Maya had brutal rituals but their intentions were honorable. The Spanish often killed without thinking but didn't view that as inhuman. At this time sacrifice and other rituals were prohibited. Aftermath of the Spanish Conquest The Spanish conquered the Maya, enslaving them and passing on many diseases. They forced the Maya to convert to Roman Catholicism. Maya's religion and Catholicism were similar in many ways: their written and oral traditions, their elaborate ceremonies, the idea of an afterlife, the rules to guide ones life by, and more. They even both practiced bloodletting and sacrifice, although Christians did not usually practice human sacrifice. These similarities allowed the Maya to eventually merge the two religions. They didn't view being converted as abandoning their religion but as something they'd adapt to. They held on to many of their traditions while picking up Christian ideas. By mixing their religion with Christianity, the practice of sacrifice changed in several ways. Sacrifice Today Many Mayans practice sacrifice today, but not with humans. It is now practiced with animals, especially chickens. Sacrifices often take place in Catholic churches unlike the massive temples they used to be in. Instead of having several priests perform it, usually a single shaman will carry it out. Like in the past, many sacrifices occur during ceremonies but the ritual is much different. In the article, "Rituals of the Modern Maya" by Angela M.H Schuster, an old woman with an illness comes to a church with eggs and a chicken. Through prayer and offerings a shaman "transfers" the woman's illness to the chicken which he then sacrifices by breaking its neck. This process was much different from the Ancient Maya's ritual: the removal of the heart and the spreading of the blood onto the statue of a god, but in a way it has the same idea. Over hundreds of years, sacrifice has kept its main purpose: to both praise the gods, and to solve problems, and that is what is most important. |
Pulling out of the heart during a human sacrifice
A woman is sacrificed: thrown into a cenote
The Spanish forced the Maya to convert to Christianity
Cartoon about the Maya and sacrifice
A Guatemalan woman sacrifices a chicken during a ceremony
A Mayan sacrifice stone: with two sacrificed chickens and a cross
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