I don't care for the movie (because of the many things wrong with it), but if people do at least it lets me get the shout out, out there (To the excavation of El Mirador).
I saw a documentary on that a while ago, pretty interesting stuff though I didn't connect the name until now.
I myself am half Kaqchikel
Nahua, but I don't know much about that part of my family and couldn't get more specific than that. I'm not losing any sleep over the Pacal issue but I do think these things effect viewers subconsciously in ways they're not always aware of.
Now for snideness!
It has nothing to do with laziness. It has to do with what sells. Personally, I hate the movie, but it was quite popular, so it was cleverness on Firaxis' part to design Pacal in this way.
I don't think Pacal as a leader is so high up on the food chain that people aren't going to buy Gods and Kings simply because his representation doesn't look cool enough. I also don't think its particularly clever to borrow from the only major movie to depict the "Maya" (As Gucumatz points, there is so much wrong with that movie its hard to associate it when the Maya peoples). I think its pretty obvious move which is why so many people here were able to identify it right off the bat.
Also, they're making a leaderscreen for a game; it's not reasonable to expect that they would spend more time and effort on research than a $40 million motion picture.
As Ehecatzin already demonstrated how readily available realistic sculptures of Pacal are, I'd just like to point out that it doesn't cost 300,000 dollars to pick up a book on Mayan art, 1,000,000 dollars to hire someone to read it. Pointing to the movie's budget seems a little dishonest to me when obviously research was a very, very small part of the film's overall expenses.
However I do agree he looks pretty cool, its better than Moctezuma dressed like a prehsipanic dance renactor with anger managment issues, thats for sure.
I always figured that (the anger thing) was an in-joke. The Aztecs always declare war on everyone, Catherine is horny as hell (although that does have some historical basis) it doesn't surprise me Firaxis would put that in. As for his garb, I don't think I've seen any Danza Azteca that tattooed up but atleast his headdress was based on something very real and very significant to the modern day Mexica:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17878130
personally don't see a difference in people believing the Mayans were taught advanced technologies by an alien race, and people believing an all knowing god resides in some dimension and judges our actions in preparation for an afterlife. Neither can be proved definitively, and should not be called nonsense by either side
One is the belief people who are ignorant of Mayan culture decided to apply to Mayan history simply because they know nothing of how the classical Maya lived, thought, and built. The other is a personal belief which is entirely subjective. The issue is not "definitive proof", the issue is wild theories based on a person's unwillingness to learn. It would be as if I told you Mt. Rushmore was built by aliens to tell Americans which kings to worship - that would be a claim that ignores American history, American political systems, American technological capabilities.
. I don't care for the movie (because of the many things wrong with it), but if people do at least it lets me get the shout out, out there (To the excavation of El Mirador).
so I guess I am used to a certain tolerance level)
. Do I have to direct you to the Ancient Alien Memes, no ridicilous ancient alien nonsense here please.
