For the Maya their king was literally the central
figure of the universe. He was regarded not only
as a warrior and statesman, but also a divine
being with superhuman attributes. Ceremonial
pageantry and ostentation contributed to this
perception, and the Maya were master showmen
capable of dazzling the populace with dramatic
presentations. One of the most important
ceremonies was the bloodletting ritual. On this
very powerful celt we may be witnessing a scene
from such a ceremony. Against the backdrop of
terraced pyramids, dancers whirled about to the
frenzied music from dozens of musicians. The
emotions of the crowd would already be near
hysteria when the king and his wife appeared. He
would be dressed in full ceremonial regalia with
many Celts hanging from his belt. In full public
view he would lacerate his penis and she her
tongue. The blood loss, combined with days of
fasting, abstinence and ritual steam baths, would
cause them to go into a hallucinatory state. In
this condition they would experience visions
related to the other world and the spirits that
inhabit them. This celt shows what is probably
the king with his penis exposed following
perforation, with drops of blood flowing from the
wound. The figure crouching on his head may be
one of the myriad deities conceived in a vision;
or perhaps the king himself in an altered state of
consciousness. As a semi-divine being the king
supposedly functioned in both the real and non-
real worlds. It is amazing that an artist using
simple tools and cinnabar pigment for the deep
red color could have left behind such a powerful
record of a dramatic event in so small a space.
Through the magic of art we are transported
back in time to witness a ritual that has few, if
any, parallels in the history of the world.
- (PF.4605)
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