Sacrifice In The Maya And Aztec Societies

Throughout the course of history the Mayan and Aztec societies have been viewed as some of, if not the most bloodthirsty cultures in history, due to the immense significance of human sacrifice. Both the Aztec and Mayans have gained an infamous reputation for the ritualistic ceremony of human sacrifice, but it is important to remember that both cultures did this as a gratification to the gods and this process was viewed as a necessity to life and the prolonged prosperity of the people. Self sacrifice was common practice in both these developing empires, as they believed human blood was the key to appeasing the gods, as a result auto sacrifice became common practice in showing your commitment to the gods and played a momentous role in the life of the people.

Religion was the driving force behind the act of human sacrifice, it is believed that in Aztec civilizations thousands of sacrifices were made yearly. These sacrifices were made in order to appease the gods, as in Aztec culture the root of their religion was based upon the belief that the gods needed nourishment and this was accomplished
In these many dedicated temples and pyramids human sacrifice would take place. In numerous primary accounts we are exposed to the barbaric nature and scale in which human sacrifice was practiced, one Spanish account recalls the nature of the sacrifice, “ We saw the men being dragged up the steps, to be sacrificed. The priests laid them down on their backs and cutting open their chests, drew out their palpitating hearts, which they offered to the idols before them, then they flung the bodies down the steps”, here we are given an insight into the connection these people felt towards the gods, through the height of the pyramid and the appreciation of their idols, as well as the unprecedented scale in which human sacrifice was