Year 6 - History
Bloodletting and the Maya
The Maya: what made the Maya so distinctive?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
If pupils study Benin, they learn about Benin's culture and society and how its looted artworks have caused modern controversy. If they study the Maya, they build knowledge of this civilisation to analyse what made them so distinctive.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain why bloodletting was important to the Maya.
Key Notes
- In another Maya city, Yaxchilán, a carved stone lintel has helped archaeologists to understand a lot about Maya beliefs.
- It shows a bloodletting ritual performed by Yaxchilán's king, Shield Jaguar the Great, and his wife, Lady K'ab'al Xook.
- Lady K'ab'al Xook pulled a thorned rope through her tongue to make it bleed so that she could speak with the gods.
- Bloodletting was important to the Maya; they believed the gods had let their blood to create the human race.
- By bloodletting, Maya rulers showed their thanks to the gods, but also showed that they were the right people to rule.
Vocabulary To Learn
- lintel: a lintel is the beam such as a piece of stone or wood over a door or window which supports the bricks above the door or window
- bloodletting: bloodletting was the practice of cutting part of the body to release blood
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Bloodletting was a common and widespread practice among all Maya individuals on a regular basis.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
In another Maya city, Yaxchilán, a carved stone lintel has helped archaeologists to understand a lot about Maya beliefs. It shows a bloodletting ritual performed by Yaxchilán's king, Shield Jaguar the Great, and his wife, Lady K'ab'al Xook.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'lintel'
a lintel is the beam such as a piece of stone or wood over a door or window which supports the bricks above the door or window.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Bloodletting was a common and widespread practice among all Maya individuals on a regular basis. Correction: Bloodletting rituals were primarily performed by the Maya elite, such as rulers, priests, and nobles, and were often reserved for specific ceremonial occasions or important events.
More Lessons In This Unit
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