Maya Greeting Discrepancy - Isn't it the otherway around?

[AvianBritish]

I'm not an expert at Mayan culture; but from what I've learnt form other Central American cultures, don't the winning side get sacrificed as a reward in order to pass onto the next life sooner?

Of course, please correct me if I am wrong! I couldn't find anything supproting the loosers being sacrificed; if anything just pages about how neither teams were sacrificed.

 

[Noble Zarkon]

I've always heard it that the losers were sacrificed.

"The winners of the game were treated as heroes and given a great feast. The penalty for losing a game was sometimes unusually harsh: death. The leader of the team who lost the game was sometimes killed. This fit in with the Mayan belief that human sacrifice was necessary for the continued success of the peoples' agriculture, trade, and overall health."

http://socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/worldhistory/mayanballgame.htm

 

[Disgustipated]

I remember it was some tv show or movie that said the winners were the one sacrificed, so that may be where you heard that information. I have no idea which one is accurate.

 

[King William I]

I've heard both of them, and just assumed it varied from city to city. Or maybe even from game to game

 

[Turrdy]

I also heard it was the best few players who got sacrificed.

 

[Icicle]

I mean maybe the best seats are at the top of the altar to watch the winners get sacrificed in the temple square. You don't know!

 

[MrRadar]

I've found an interesting NG article on this subject.

 

[Josephias]

Was in Chichen Itza a pair of years ago and the guide (of Mayan descent), told us it was the winners, indeed. Being sacrificed to ensure a great cycle was seen as an honor.
But yes, I think it might vary depending on the city: maybe Naranjo was different? Or as Icicle said... Losers are prompted to see the sacrifice they don’t deserve?

 

[UWHabs]

Was in Chichen Itza a pair of years ago and the guide (of Mayan descent), told us it was the winners, indeed. Being sacrificed to ensure a great cycle was seen as an honor.
But yes, I think it might vary depending on the city: maybe Naranjo was different? Or as Icicle said... Losers are prompted to see the sacrifice they don’t deserve?

Yeah, that's what I remember being told on my Chichen Itza tour as well, although it certainly wouldn't surprise me if the guides are all told to say that because it makes for a more interesting narrative.

 

[Josephias]

Yeah, that's what I remember being told on my Chichen Itza tour as well, although it certainly wouldn't surprise me if the guides are all told to say that because it makes for a more interesting narrative.

True, it’s shrouded in the past, and difficult to find objective proof of these kind of details. NG article linked by MrRadar is very ilustrating. Maybe all possibilities are true, at some points in time and under certain circumstances.