The Cult of The Cenote

By Crusader1307

Originally relating to the Ancient Mayan, The ''Cult of The Cenote'' existed for that Culture for Centuries (until Spanish Occupation). To iendtify the most important part of this ''religious practice'', One needs to identify the term ''Cenote''. These were natural (and often very deep) cave openings which led to water sources (directly). In short, a natural well. The Mayan's felt that any misfortunes which troubled The People could be addressed by making a ''suitable offering'' to The Gods. Cenotes were seen as ''natural portals'' to The Gods realm. A ritual was developed by which Human Sacrifices were ''offered'' to The Cenotes. These were young, virgin females or ''gilded'' young boys. Often selected at birth, these ''sacrifices'' were often treated with great care and raised with good food and fine clothes (almost treated as Royalty). In the final form, sometimes victims were given a mixture of drugs (alcohol) to ''relax them''. They were bound with ropes and thrown to their deaths (or to drown) in the waters of The Cenote. In some Cenotes, thousands of skeletal remains have been found.