Bloodletting and Sacrifice
The offering of blood as the most precious sacrifice to feed the gods.
Blood is the most precious offering because it contains life force. Ancient Mayans practiced bloodletting, piercing tongue, ears, or genitals. Today, substitute offerings are made, but the principle remains: the gods require feeding with our essence.
The gods gave their blood to create us; we return what we can.
Blood sacrifice shows the Mayan understanding of reciprocity with the divine.
Classic Maya Inscriptions