The Mayas were known to be religious and death is really honored by them. Although they honor death, they still fear it because it is the day their God will judge them and afraid of the judgement for he might get angry on them although these people believe in a heaven like life after death. Once a member of the society dies or the member of their family, they would show their great respect by mourning and sharing about the accomplishments of the dead while he was still alive.
There are categories which the dead person will go after his death depending on his way of life and reason of death. Those who fought in the battlefield, who offered themselves as sacrifices, and women who died because of giving birth are considered noble reasons of death and believed that they are directly taken to heaven and take pleasure in it.
Xibalba, the underworld is the hell version of the Mayans. It is the place for those who have died who were involved in crime and those have been greedy. They are bound to suffer until eternity as a result of their doings while they were still alive.
Mayans who died and did not fall in these two categories are believed to be in their journey towards heaven and can live again by means of rebirth. The members of the significant Mayan family will serve as deities to watch over their family members and their descendants to come.
The burial sites are pointed either to the North or West which is believed that heavens are situated at this direction. Others are buried in the caves which they believe that this is the door to the other world. The Mayans would bury them with maize, jade and stone beads on their mouth. These symbolize food so that they will never be hungry as they travel to the other world and currency respectively. Other burial offerings were whistles and small carvings of deities and animals to guide them to reach the spirit world. The red color symbolizes death and Rebirth at the same time; this is the color of the walls of the tomb and painted on the bodies as well.
The era of the person's death suggests the way of burying him as he will be in a sitting position and will be laid flat eventually just like how we bury the dead today. In the old times, cremation was the common way of burying the dead. Individuals who belong in the high ranks will be laid in family crypts. The rulers knowing their capacity and man power were buried in the ceremonial building with toms like pyramids.
There are categories which the dead person will go after his death depending on his way of life and reason of death. Those who fought in the battlefield, who offered themselves as sacrifices, and women who died because of giving birth are considered noble reasons of death and believed that they are directly taken to heaven and take pleasure in it.
Xibalba, the underworld is the hell version of the Mayans. It is the place for those who have died who were involved in crime and those have been greedy. They are bound to suffer until eternity as a result of their doings while they were still alive.
Mayans who died and did not fall in these two categories are believed to be in their journey towards heaven and can live again by means of rebirth. The members of the significant Mayan family will serve as deities to watch over their family members and their descendants to come.
The burial sites are pointed either to the North or West which is believed that heavens are situated at this direction. Others are buried in the caves which they believe that this is the door to the other world. The Mayans would bury them with maize, jade and stone beads on their mouth. These symbolize food so that they will never be hungry as they travel to the other world and currency respectively. Other burial offerings were whistles and small carvings of deities and animals to guide them to reach the spirit world. The red color symbolizes death and Rebirth at the same time; this is the color of the walls of the tomb and painted on the bodies as well.
The era of the person's death suggests the way of burying him as he will be in a sitting position and will be laid flat eventually just like how we bury the dead today. In the old times, cremation was the common way of burying the dead. Individuals who belong in the high ranks will be laid in family crypts. The rulers knowing their capacity and man power were buried in the ceremonial building with toms like pyramids.
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