Ouch!

I went to the British Museum today to do some research on the Mohenjo-Daro civilization. I was distracted by many wonderful objects, but I was particularly taken with a collection of Maya lintels. They are so carved so perfectly! This one is from AD750 and shows a bloodletting ceremony that took place on 28 October AD 709.

'The king, Shield Jaguar, holds a torch while his queen, Lady Xoc pulls a rope studded with what are now believed to be obsidian shards through her tongue in order to conjure a vision serpent.'

Ouch, ouch, ouch!!!

Here's some more information on the lintel.