File photo shows the sun shining through the door of a Mayan temple in the Mexican state of Yucatan. [AFP]
Posted on 12/30/2009 8:53:47 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Experts are studying the first Mayan hieroglyphic script dealing with the life of a high priest, his blood sacrifices and acts of penance, Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said.
The text consists of 260 glyphs carved into a series of seashell earrings and manta ray stingers found inside a burial urn.
The urn, which also contained the remains of an important Maya priest, wrapped in bright red cloth, was uncovered during excavations 11 years ago in Comalcalco, in southeastern Tabasco state, the institute said in a statement.
"It is the longest Maya hieroglyphic script ever found to date in Tabasco" and the first relating a high priest, instead of a Maya ruler and his wives, INAH said.
The text covers 14 years in the life of a Maya priest who lived in the eighth century A.D. It includes references to blood sacrifices and acts of penance preceding the spring solstice.
Maya priests used manta ray stingers to pierce their earlobes, tongue, forehead, penis and other parts of the anatomy, in painful, bloodletting sacrifices to induce a hallucinogenic state in which they believed they could talk to their gods, INAH said.
One of the glyphs refers to the equivalent modern date of January 31, 771.
The Maya dynasties flourished between 426 and 820 AD throughout much of Central America and south eastern Mexico. They excelled in architecture, astrology, mathematics and in keeping several, extremely accurate calendars.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
File photo shows the sun shining through the door of a Mayan temple in the Mexican state of Yucatan. [AFP]
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“acts of penance preceding the spring solstice.
Maya priests used manta ray stingers to pierce their earlobes, tongue, forehead,
penis
and other parts of the anatomy, in painful, bloodletting sacrifices to induce a hallucinogenic state in which they believed they could talk to their gods, INAH said.”
Penile penance?
Very interesting — how they saw the world and what they would do to support their worldview is a testament to people today.
Sounds like an average Saturday night in LA...
Seems like it would have been more conducive just to build a penitentiary.
Human nature hasn't changed much...
Man has an inward need to do “penance” if they have not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior.
If anyone spends 2 minutes researching Mayan rituals they'll discover penile bloodletting was largely about agricultural fertility. Human fertility = crop fertility, not a big symbolic leap before modern science. The penis creates new life and blood sustains life. They were the most precious sacrifices Mayans could offer to their gods with the aim of feeding and preserving their people.
Have you ever really thought deeply about the meaning of the bread and wine in a Christian communion?
as in "hoc est corpus meam?" Ummm, don't see a connection there. Transubstantiation to me is merely metaphor. There's no cannibalism going on or anything.
Never really thought deeply about the meaning of anything, but “This is my body, this is my blood” settles your question, for me. What are your thoughts about the meaning of the bread and wine in a Christian communion?
I think the globull warming alarmists ought to try this to see if will make the climate cooler. It'd do as much good as their cap and tax schemes, and cost us a lot less money. Kinda like the idea of Algore doing penis sacrifice - assuming there's enough there to sacrifice.
:’D
dear Diary:
Today I sacrificed ten children, thirty warriors and was pleasured by their thirty wives.
I will do pennance at the next solstice.
It’s good to be the high priest.
Precusor to Democrats today. Folsom Street Fair types. Writers for the New York Times. DailyKos posters. Our "Safe School Czar" Kevin Jennings.
1000-Year-Old Monument with Image of Mayan Ruler Found
Art Daily | Sunday, January 24, 2010 | EFE
Posted on 01/24/2010 3:33:23 PM PST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2436355/posts
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