The Maya civilization had one of the most intricate religious systems in the ancient world ... calendar cycles and ancestor worship, their beliefs shaped every aspect of daily life.

Ancestor worship was important and similar to the Shang dynasty in China and also the ancient Egyptians, at around the same time (1500 BC). Maya households buried their dead underneath the floors ...

In ancient Mayan lore, the world of the living was directly connected to the underworld: Xibalba. This belief was central to many facets of Mayan life—including a unique sport with fatal ...