Human Sacrifice: Mayans, Aztec and Incans
Introduction
In the history, there are different civilizations that exist and these ancient civilizations have their own traditions, rituals, and customs. Early civilizations include Mayans, Aztec, and Incans and these three have noted to consider human sacrifices. This paper will discuss the human sacrifices of each of the civilization.
Human Sacrifice in Mayans
Among the Mayans, warfare was considerably different from contemporary battle in which opposing forces tries to destroy their enemies completely on the battlefield. First of, Mayans were divided into city states which would at times be at peace with one another or under different situations fight with each other. The goal of this is to take prisoners of wars. Those who belong in the lower status are usually considered as slaves of their captor and those with higher status captives were scheduled as a human or ritual sacrifice. Accordingly, the deliberate human sacrifice was noted to be necessary to sanctify specific ritual occasions like ascendancy to the throne of a new ruler or to dedicate the human life for a new building. In nature, the capture of a rival leader was highly prized in Mayan culture, as the sacrifices of the unfortunate person lent extra importance to grace specific occasion. The common approach of such a sacrifice was decapitation or beheading in a public ceremony (Schele, & Moller, 1992) . Other than this, the favored approach in post-classic period was a trick which they acquired from the Mexican cultures to the north, which is the heart removal.
Mayans considered sacrificing women and children as often as men. That victim was stripped and painted in blue before being led to the temple or courtyard where they would be placed face up over a convex altar. The legs and arms of the victim were held by appointed priests while a fourth, which is known as nacom would penetrate the chest of the victim with a flint knife just below the left breast then handle the knife with another priest who will smear the blood on the idol in which the sacrifice was done for. If the sacrifice is done in a pyramid, the corpse would be thrown towards the courtyard below where the priest of lower rank would skin the human sacrifice except for the feet and hands. The skin was used by officiating priest who would solemnly dance among the crowd. if the victim had been an specifically brave warrior his body might be butchered in to pieces and the nobles and the crowd will eat their body. Bow and arrow were also used for human sacrifice. As evidence to their rituals, Bishop de Landa, have reported seeing Sacred Cenote which is located at Chichen-itza to contain skeletons of women, men and children who were said to be sacrificial victims.
AZTEC SACRIFICE
Although it seems that Mayan’s human sacrifice were all but morbid, historians note that Aztecs of Central Mexico looks even more morbid as they sacrificed 20,000 people in a single ceremony to commemorate the dedication for a new temple and afterwards, these human flesh were eaten.
it is hard to understand the extent for the ritual sacrifice done by Aztec who kills approximately 20,000 people per year by the royalty. The captives were all taken at the top of the pyramids where, Aztecs cut their chests and ripped their hearts out. The bodies of the victims were tossed down the steps of the pyramids. According to some studies, the motivation for this ritual sacrifice is the context of tonally which is known as animating spirit (Carrasco, 1999). In humans, tonally was believed to be found in the blood that concentrates in the heat when a person is afraid. Such belief, explains the hunger of the gods for the heart and without this humans sacrifice, all motions stops, even the moment of the sun; hence, when Aztecs were conducting their sacrifices, they believe that they are keeping the sun from halting in its orbit. In particular, the god who they believe was thirstier of the blood was their war god Huitzilopochtli. On one hand, the gentler and kinder god was Quetzalcoatl who only wants animal sacrifices like snakes and butterflies. The victims of such rituals were commonly warriors who have been captured by Aztecs in battles or tributes from vassal states offering human for sacrifice. Another reason for this ritual is cannibalism (Ortiz de Montellano, 1983). After the hearts of the victims were removed and their bodies tossed on the steps of the temples, the limbs were also removed for cooking. However, only those who are in the royalty are allowed to engage in cannibalism and their favorite is the thighs and hands.
Inca human Sacrifice
Aside from Mayans and Aztext, Incan empire was also known to engage in human and ritual sacrifices. Incas are said to be less violent compared to Aztecs during their expansionist politics. Local leaders kept their ranks and functions but their sons were brought to Cuzco and grew up in Incan beliefs, spirits and religion. Human sacrifice was done when they are celebrating mythic events dedicated to their gods. As children were noted to be pure beings, they were the sacrificial lamb most of the time and they are brought to the gods to guaranty eternal life of the spirits in the world of divinities. In the 1990s, some archaeologists have found at Mound LLullailaco, tombs that proves the practice of the Incans for ritual sacrifice.
Ancient Incan chose children whose ages range from 6-15, took care of them until they grow fat for a year and sent them on a sacrifice pilgrimage. These children had their hair cut first a year and half before their sacrifice. Daughters and sons of local leaders were selected for sacrifice, in this manner; the Incans spread fear into their governed populations. Some girls we put under the custody of priestesses around the age four then will be given as wives to local nobles, some are made as priestesses and other are being sacrificed. 3-4 months before the actual ritual, the children are starting the pilgrimage to the heights of the Andes (Religion-Cults, 2009). The priests accompanied their children and during their ritual journey, incantations, dances were done. Because of tiredness, altitude sickness which are usually caused by low oxygen and administered drugs, children who were sacrificed are mostly semiconscious. Some are being left to succumb because of the exposure to coldness, but others experienced horrific death.
Conclusion
Based on the discussion above, it can be said that three ancient civilizations are considering human sacrifices because of different beliefs and rituals; however, most are done to serve their gods. It seems that Aztecs are more morbid in killing compared to Mayans and Incans. But it is really a saddening thought that even children are being put as a sacrifice just to deliver to their gods.
Reference
Carrasco, D. (1999). City of Sacrifice: The Aztec Empire and the Role of Violence in Civilization. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Ortiz de Montellano, BR. (June 1983). “Counting Skulls: Comment on the Aztec Cannibalism Theory of Harner-Harris”. American Anthropologist (Arlington, VA: American Anthropological Association) 85 (2): pp.403–406.
Hispanic-American Indians (2009). Online available at http://www.religion-cults.com/Ancient/America/Hispano-American%20.htm. retrieve February 20, 2009.
Schele, L and Miller, ME (1992). Blood of Kings: Dynasty and Ritual in Maya Art.
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