The Mayan deities
- The Itzamnaaj was lord over the most fundamental opposing forces - life and death, day and night, sky and earth. Itzamnaaj could be depicted as a serpent or two-headed reptile.
- Other deities included the sun-god K'inich Ajaw, the rain and storm god Chaak, and the lightning god K'awiil.
- The Maya believed each person had a 'life force' in their blood, and draining the blood in a temple could give some of this life force to a god.
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