Sacrifice In Mayan Culture

In the traditions of many civilizations, religious sacrifices have been made to various gods for protection, rites of passage, and as a sign of respect. Some civilizations have even offered human beings as sacrifices. Human sacrifice was either voluntary or involuntary, and surprisingly enough, in most cultures it was voluntary. The victims offered themselves to be sacrificed for the greater good of the people or for honor from the gods. Some cases, though, showed involuntary sacrifice as a result of warfare and slavery. Human sacrifice did not always mean that the victim was killed, either. One form of non-lethal sacrifice included bloodletting, where the victim would cut him or herself and let his or her blood flow freely (Bentley and Ziegler

Located on the Yucatan Peninsula, this Mesoamerican society existed from around 300-800 C.E. (Bentley and Ziegler 138-139). Their tradition of human sacrifice came from their predecessors, the Olmecs (Bentley and Ziegler 137). This tradition was in the form of a game. The Mayan ball game, called Pok-a-Tok, was played using prisoners of war (Bentley and Ziegler 139). As Christopher Minster states, “The ball game, in which a hard rubber ball was knocked around by players mostly using their hips, often had religious, symbolic or spiritual meaning,” (“The Ancient Maya and Human Sacrifice”). The losers would be sacrificed to the gods (Minster). High-ranking prisoners of war would undergo ritual torture and be sacrificed in public ceremonies (Bentley and Ziegler 139). The Mayans also practiced the previously mentioned non-lethal form of sacrifice, which was somewhat voluntary. Ritual bloodlettings were held as an offering to the agricultural and fertility gods. Minster also states, “Maya nobles were considered semi-divine, and the blood of kings was an important part of certain Maya rituals…” (“The Ancient Maya and Human Sacrifice”). Female as well as male nobles partook in the bloodletting ritual (Minster). While the Mayans performed human sacrifice as a religious ceremony, it was also a way of maintaining social order. The fact that criminals could be sacrificed inspired fear among the

It is also unclear whether the sacrifices were voluntary or not. Most accounts of human sacrifice involve a river that floods frequently and a village that is willing to sacrifice someone to appease the water deity of that river (Tsuda 760). As Noritake Tsuda states, “According to our investigation of the Japanese tradition of human sacrifices, those connected with the water-deity are the oldest and most numerous…” (767). The Nihon Shoki, or “Chronicles of Japan,” compiled in 720 C.E., tells of many stories where frequent flooding leads the people to believe that a human sacrifice is necessary (Tsuda 761). A recurring theme in these stories is that the people test the river deity by throwing an object in the river. If the object sinks, then that person shall be sacrificed, but if it does not, then their life shall be spared (Tsuda 767). Another practice of Japanese human sacrifice is the Hitobashira, or “human pillars” (“Human Pillars”). The Japanese relationship with the gods was seen as a bargain; they bargained with their lives in order to protect the people (“Human Pillars”). This haggling occurred in many construction projects, like bridges and castles. As stated on Pink Tentacle, they believed “…that a more stable and durable structure could be achieved by sealing people inside the walls or foundation as an offering to the gods” (“Human Pillars”). This act of sacrificing pleased the gods, and they would allow