The mayans used to sacrifice people by pulling their still beating hearts out of their chests

The mayans used to sacrifice people by pulling their still beating hearts out of their chests

During the pre-Columbian era, human sacrifice in Maya culture was the ritual offering of nourishment to the gods. Blood was viewed as a potent source of nourishment for the Maya deities, and the sacrifice of a living creature was a powerful blood offering.

By extension, the sacrifice of human life was the ultimate offering of blood to the gods, and the most important Maya rituals culminated in human sacrifice. Generally, only high-status prisoners of war were sacrificed, with lower status captives being used for labor.

Human sacrifice among the Maya is evident from at least the Classic period (c. AD 250–900) right through to the final stages of the Spanish conquest in the 17th century.

Heart removal

Heart extractions and sacrifice have been viewed as a “supreme religious expression among the ancient Maya".

The removal of the still-beating heart, or sometimes self-immolation,[clarify] was considered a great offering and meal for the gods. Like any modern religious ritual, it is believed the extraction had multiple steps for preparation and proper respect for the gods.

[citation needed] It began with a dispersal of blood extracted either[clarify] from the mouth, nose, ears, fingers, or penis, typically with a sharp tool made from animal bone, such as a stingray spine.

They then positioned the victim on a stone or wooden altar. Next, access to the heart would be achieved with a variety of procedures and techniques. Most of these techniques were proved by examination of the post-mortem injuries on bones surrounding the heart, such as the sternum, and ribs. Methods include vertical axial sternotomy, left transverse thoracotomy, transverse bilateral sternothoracotamy, or transdiaphragmatic access. 

Most probably access would be accessible from below the diaphragm, as this allowed for easy access and not much blockage from bones. Nicks, segmenting, and fracturing of the sternum and ribs all defended this. Following access, the heart was exposed to retrieval. If accessed through the sternum, the ribs would be pulled apart, or tissue would be cut through if accessed through the diaphragm.

The actual removal of the heart would then be continued by cutting any attaching ligaments with a bifacial tool. Finally, offering of the heart would take place with either special positioning or through burning. At this time, blood would also be collected from the victim. The ritual will end with mutilation of the body, usually through dismemberment, or burned. They would then dispose of the body or reutilize it for other purposes.

During the Postclassic period (c. 900–1524), the most common form of human sacrifice was heart extraction, influenced by the method used by the Aztecs in the Valley of Mexico;

this usually took place in the courtyard of a temple, or upon the summit of the pyramid-temple.The sacrifice was stripped and painted blue, which was the colour representing sacrifice, and was made to wear a peaked headdress.

Four blue-painted attendants representing the four Chaacs of the cardinal directions stretched the sacrifice out over a convex stone that pushed the victim's chest upwards;

An official referred to as a nacom in Landa's Relación de las cosas de Yucatán used a sacrificial knife made from flint to cut into the ribs just below the victim's left breast and pull out the still-beating heart. The nacom then passed the heart to the officiating priest, or chilan, who smeared blood upon the image of the temple's deity.

Depending upon the exact ritual, sometimes the four Chaacs would throw the corpse down the pyramid steps to the courtyard below, where it would be skinned by assistant priests, except for the hands and feet.

The chilan would then remove his ritual attire and dress in the skin of the sacrificial victim before performing a ritual dance that symbolised the rebirth of life. If it was a notably courageous warrior who had been sacrificed, then the corpse would be cut into portions and parts would be eaten by attending warriors and other bystanders.

The hands and feet were given to the chilan who, if they had belonged to a war captive, wore the bones as a trophy. Archaeological investigations indicate that heart sacrifice was practised as early as the Classic period.

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