Not only did ancient Mesoamericans sacrifice hundreds of thousands of people each year, they often removed their hearts as well. One method of human sacrifice involved pulling the victim’s heart out of their chest and then showing it to them in their final moments of consciousness.
Intended as a means of appeasing and honoring certain deities, sacrifices served as acts of power and intimidation as well as demonstrations of devotion and gratitude. Human sacrifices were highly structured, complex rituals performed by elite members of society, and the ceremonies included a myriad of procedures imbued with symbolic significance.
