Mayan Religion Research Paper
The Mayan Religion
Tiffany Frost
English III
Teacher Shirley Malett
April 24, 2013
Tiffany Frost Frost 1
Shirley Malett
English III
3 April 2013
The Mayan Religion With its variety of temples, gods, and astounding astronomical data, the Mayan religion certainly draws our attention to it today. The Mayans had varying thoughts about life which was probably influenced, at least in part, by their interest in the horrifying Underworld. This interest was also sometimes displayed in the bloody rituals performed in their religious ceremonies. The Mayans all had a common culture and religion, however; each Mayan city had its own type of government and ruler (Baquedano 6). Every Mayan capital city’s story varies, …show more content…
Prisoners and slaves were used as sacrifices. Even children, some of which were orphans, bought especially for ritualistic sacrifice, were used. Mayans would also drown kids in wells, to honor Chac, the god of rain (Baquedano 33). In the Pre-Toltec Era, animals like wild turkeys, dogs, squirrels, quail, and iguanas were the more common sacrifice to the many gods. During that time period, they sacrificed people as well, but not very often. The majority of the time, the Mayan people would torture their victims before killing them. Their favorite method to use was beheading, rather than the heart-tearing the Aztec people preferred (Ackroyd 85). Mayans usually buried their dead people under house floors or in the ground. Occasionally, they cremated the remains or buried them in caves, underground tanks or urns (Baquedano 34). Above all, however complex the Mayan religion is with their varying life thoughts, many temples, gods, horrifying Underworld, incredible astronomical data, and bloody rituals, their beliefs are a part of their culture and history that defines them to this present day.
Frost 6
Works Cited
Ackroyd, Peter. Cities of Blood Voyages Through Time. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 2004.
Baquedano, Elizabeth. Aztec Inca & Maya. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1993.
Coe, Michael D. The Maya Sixth Edition. New York: Thames & Hudson Inc., 1999.
Gilbert, Adrian G., and Maurice M. Cotterell. The Mayan Prophecies. Barnes & Noble, Inc. 1996
“Palenque: A Mayan Ceremonial Centre.” The Atlas of Mysterious Places.
Tiffany Frost
English III
Teacher Shirley Malett
April 24, 2013
Tiffany Frost Frost 1
Shirley Malett
English III
3 April 2013
The Mayan Religion With its variety of temples, gods, and astounding astronomical data, the Mayan religion certainly draws our attention to it today. The Mayans had varying thoughts about life which was probably influenced, at least in part, by their interest in the horrifying Underworld. This interest was also sometimes displayed in the bloody rituals performed in their religious ceremonies. The Mayans all had a common culture and religion, however; each Mayan city had its own type of government and ruler (Baquedano 6). Every Mayan capital city’s story varies, …show more content…
Prisoners and slaves were used as sacrifices. Even children, some of which were orphans, bought especially for ritualistic sacrifice, were used. Mayans would also drown kids in wells, to honor Chac, the god of rain (Baquedano 33). In the Pre-Toltec Era, animals like wild turkeys, dogs, squirrels, quail, and iguanas were the more common sacrifice to the many gods. During that time period, they sacrificed people as well, but not very often. The majority of the time, the Mayan people would torture their victims before killing them. Their favorite method to use was beheading, rather than the heart-tearing the Aztec people preferred (Ackroyd 85). Mayans usually buried their dead people under house floors or in the ground. Occasionally, they cremated the remains or buried them in caves, underground tanks or urns (Baquedano 34). Above all, however complex the Mayan religion is with their varying life thoughts, many temples, gods, horrifying Underworld, incredible astronomical data, and bloody rituals, their beliefs are a part of their culture and history that defines them to this present day.
Frost 6
Works Cited
Ackroyd, Peter. Cities of Blood Voyages Through Time. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 2004.
Baquedano, Elizabeth. Aztec Inca & Maya. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1993.
Coe, Michael D. The Maya Sixth Edition. New York: Thames & Hudson Inc., 1999.
Gilbert, Adrian G., and Maurice M. Cotterell. The Mayan Prophecies. Barnes & Noble, Inc. 1996
“Palenque: A Mayan Ceremonial Centre.” The Atlas of Mysterious Places.