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According to the written histories, yes they did. However the writer of that history were the clergy that accompanied the conquistadors, so I would be inclined to think the instances were fewer and further between than reported.

Archaeologists have unearthed what appears to be proof that human sacrifice was practiced. They can not however conclusively say how often it happened or under what circumstance.

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16y ago
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6mo ago

It is estimated that the Mayans performed human sacrifices on a large scale, but the exact number of people sacrificed is unknown. Sacrifices were conducted as part of religious rituals to satisfy the gods and maintain balance in their society. It is believed that both elite individuals and prisoners of war were sacrificed.

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13y ago
Mayan SacrificesFirst, the priests, called chacs, and the executioner, called nacom, were subjected to a period of fasting and celibacy in preparation for the ritual. Through this preparation, the chacs became pure of spirit and were ready to perform the ritual. Once a slave, enemy soldier, criminal, or orphan is apprehended to be the victim, the priests painted him with blue paint, created from a composite of clay and indigo. Colors were pervasive in Mayan mythology―they carried great archetypal significance. Blue was specifically the color of sacrifice, being painted on the victim as well as the priests.

Then came the moment the spectators anticipated: the chacs held down the victim on a convex altar while the nacom struck the victim between the ribs and the heart was yanked out, still beating. The heart is the ultimate symbol of life; its rhythmic beating is felt within all humans. Taking out the heart kills the victim and shows that the physical existence has ended. The priests place the heart on a platter and anoint the blood on the faces of the idols, statues of the gods for whom the sacrifice was performed. Blood was especially important to the Maya, for it is the symbol of life energy. A specific type of ritual such as this uses blood from the sacrifice as a symbol of the Mayans relationship of exchange with the forces of life in the universe.

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15y ago

Yes they did because the mayan's are humans to. They also sacrificed there own kind.

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15y ago

they ripped the hearts out of the people

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Q: How many people did the mayans sacrifice?
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it has to do with the past and many people want to know if there ancestors were mayans


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polytheistic, the believing in many gods and they did sacrifice.


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to use them as sacrifice


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What are Mayan rituals?

Use of copal (incense), animal sacrifice, candles, invocations of gods. Many Mayans are now Catholic.