•
The people of ancient Maya believed in the concept of 'afterlife'. They
considered it to be a dangerous journey of the soul through the
Underworld, the most unpredictable place in the universe.
• It
was believed that everybody who died, went to the Underworld, except
the individuals who were sacrificed, and the women who died during
childbirth.
Maya Calendar •
The Mayan rulers enjoyed a semi-divine status, and were considered to
be venerable after the gods themselves. This seems to have been the
very reason why they were buried under the colossal Mayan pyramids
after their deaths, just like the gods had their shrines built on top
of these edifices.
• For the Mayans, religion and science were
one and the same. The famous Maya calendar, through which they
attempted to predict the cycles of time, was based on this same belief.
They also believed that the world was created five times, and destroyed
four times.
• The principal reason behind their practice of
ritual sacrifices was to bring fertility to the land. They believed
that if the ritual was discontinued, the entire universe would in chaos.
•
One of the important beliefs of the ancient Mayans pertains to the
human soul. They believed that within every individual, there exists
more than one soul. Moreover, when a person falls ill, one or more of
his souls are lost.
Sacred Spaces
Ruins of the Mayan Temple •
The sacred spaces of the ancient Mayans are characterized by three
peculiar kinds of architecture. These include, ceremonial platforms,
pyramids, and temples. • The ceremonial platforms were
specifically designed for public rituals. They were low, square-shaped
platforms, constructed out of limestone. Often, they had altars on
them, and were embellished with beautifully sculpted figures.
•
The mighty Mayan pyramids are famous the world over. These are
colossal, towering structures, some over 200 feet high. Some of them
are tombs of the Mayan kings, while the others bear temples on top of
them.
Ballgame Court •
Pilgrimage played a very important part in Mayan religion. Some of the
major Mayan pilgrimage centers included Caracol (Belize), Tikal
(Guatemala), Uxmal (Yucatán, Mexico), Palenque (Chiapas, Mexico),
Chichén Itzá (Yucatán, Mexico), and Coba (Yucatán, Mexico).
•
Mayan observatories also occupy a prominent place as far as the Mayan
sacred spaces are concerned. Sometimes, circular shrines, dedicated to
the Mayan deity, Kukulcan, are described as observatories. But again,
there is no solid evidence to prove this. What we do know, however, is
the fact that many features of the Mayan temples have been placed in
such a way that they align with major celestial events. This also sheds
light on their astronomical expertise.
• A ritual ballgame was
played by the ancient Mayans during festivals and other religious
events. Several ballcourts, where this game was played, have been found
along the ancient Mayan landscape. These comprise narrow playing alleys
located amidst two long, sloping walls, running parallelly. The usual
custom was to sacrifice the individuals, who lost the game.
•
Apart from the ones mentioned above, topographic features such as
mountains, valleys, caves, wells, etc. also comprised Mayan sacred
spaces.
In the recent past, attempts have been made to revive
the ancient Mayan religion through a movement known as the Pan-Mayan
movement, wherein they sought to reinvent the ancient Mayan traditions.
Today, the mighty civilization that thrived in the rainforest of North
America, still remains with us despite its downfall. Their
awe-inspiring structures and other remnants continue to stand testimony
for their unparalleled knowledge and prowess
