Bloodletting
Only those of royal blood were allowed to practice the ritual of bloodletting, however both men and women of royal blood were able to. This was because the Gods demanded blood as they spilled blood to give life to humanity. It was also used to commutate with ancestors, however, this was not a common use for the ritual.
The royal people participating in the ritual of bloodletting could spend days performing purification rituals to prepare for bloodletting. The Maya Kings and Queens would take part in many different forms of bloodletting, with sacred tools even being created to perform the ritual. The blood was usually taken from different parts of the body, however the most sacred blood is from the ears and tongue, with different tools being used to create more blood and more pain as well.
The practice of bloodletting was used to commemorate important events such as births, ascents to the throne and anniversaries.
Human sacrifice
Sacrifices were used to keep the Gods satisfied and ensure military victories. Typically, this sacrifice would be in the form of taking prisoners as sacrifices. When a King or Queen would ascend to the throne and there was a political prisoner who had been captured, they would commemorate this with the sacrifice of this prisoner. Usually these prisoners were royals or nobles from enemy territories.
There were three main methods that were used to carry out these sacrifices. The first was decapitation, the second was removing the heart from a living person and the other was throwing them into a well as an offering to the Gods.
Only those of royal blood were allowed to practice the ritual of bloodletting, however both men and women of royal blood were able to. This was because the Gods demanded blood as they spilled blood to give life to humanity. It was also used to commutate with ancestors, however, this was not a common use for the ritual.
The royal people participating in the ritual of bloodletting could spend days performing purification rituals to prepare for bloodletting. The Maya Kings and Queens would take part in many different forms of bloodletting, with sacred tools even being created to perform the ritual. The blood was usually taken from different parts of the body, however the most sacred blood is from the ears and tongue, with different tools being used to create more blood and more pain as well.
The practice of bloodletting was used to commemorate important events such as births, ascents to the throne and anniversaries.
Human sacrifice
Sacrifices were used to keep the Gods satisfied and ensure military victories. Typically, this sacrifice would be in the form of taking prisoners as sacrifices. When a King or Queen would ascend to the throne and there was a political prisoner who had been captured, they would commemorate this with the sacrifice of this prisoner. Usually these prisoners were royals or nobles from enemy territories.
There were three main methods that were used to carry out these sacrifices. The first was decapitation, the second was removing the heart from a living person and the other was throwing them into a well as an offering to the Gods.