Mystical Bloodletting was a core aspect of classical Maya religion. By spilling their own blood, Maya elite sought to mark significant moments in the passing of time, ensure agricultural success and conjure visions of the divine – to even give birth to the gods. I also explore this practice of mystical blood letting and discuss the origins of the channel’s Tzak icon!
#maya #mysticism #bloodletting
Recommended Readings:
Schele, etc., – Blood of Kings: Dynasty and Ritual in Maya Art – 978-0807611593
Tedlock – Popol Vuh – 978-0684818450
Garcia – Popol Vuh en Escritura Maya – 978-0359321308
Coe – The Maya – 978-0500291887
Coe, Stone – Reading the Maya Glyphs – 978-0500285534
Montgomery – Dictionary of Maya Hieroglyphs – 978-0781808620
Gronemeyer – Bloodletting and Vision Quest among the Ancient Maya: A Medical and Iconographic Reevaluation – https://www.academia.edu/2088940/Bloodletting_and_Vision_Quest_among_the_Ancient_Maya_A_Medical_and_Iconographic_Reevaluation
Bataille – Theory of Religion – 978-0942299090
