- Mayan Social Organization
-They played recreational activities: Pok-a-tok (ball game)
Mayans used their heads, shoulders etc. exclusive of their hands to hit a hard rubber ball through a vertical ring.
-Mayans were involved in numerous religious activities and ceremonies. These included:
- Human sacrifice- The human heart was offered up to the gods so to appease them/win their favour. They believed that this would make the gods provide them with food, water, sun, rain to name a few.
- Blood rituals: They would take their prisoners of war (such as the Aztecs), line them up atop the pyramid, take some of their blood and smear it on their idols which they also called zemis.
NOTE: Mayans thought that the Halach Unich (their leader) was a descendent of the Sun god Pipil.
Mayan Gods: Pipil-Sun god
Chac-Rain god
Yum Kax-Maize/Corn god
Au Puch-Death god
They pierced the Halach Unich in four consecutive places:
- Lips- for wise decisions/instructions
- Tongue- for knowledgeable speech
- Ears- to hear instructions and reactions from the gods
- Genitals- for continuous birth/fertility
-Ancestral worship: They often tried to communicate with their ancestors to get guidance and/or knowledge.
NOTE: The Mayans were fatalistic. In other words they believed that everything happened for a reason and so their lives were centered around their gods and controlled by the Halach Unich. This ultimately led to their demise.
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