Maya Religion and Government
- Religion
- The institution of ahaw kingship
- The end of the Classic era kingdoms
- Post-Classic governments
- For More Information
Like many pre-Hispanic cultures, the Mayas (pronounced MY-uhs) did not distinguish between religion and government. While they considered the gods to be the rulers of their everyday life, they depended on their mortal rulers to ensure that the gods did not destroy the earth or extinguish the life-providing sun. The Maya religion required a highly complicated worship, including bloodletting and sacrifice rituals often fulfilled by the kings and queens. These efforts were believed to "feed" the gods. The rulers were also believed to have the power to pass in and out of the spirit world, where they...
[The entire page is 6002 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
