The monolith carved to dishonor the goddess Coyolxāuhqui is a testament to the beliefs and practices surrounding sacrifice. As the myth goes, Coyolxāuhqui was beheaded at the hands of her brother, Huītzilōpōchtli, the Mexica god of sun and war. This act of ritual sacrifice and revenge was deemed necessary to ensure the continued cycles of life, death, and rebirth—a fundamental aspect of the culture’s cosmology.

Begin your journey here for a look into the story behind the carving of Pakal's coffin lid. A look through the quatrefoils into Xibalba (the underworld) where King Pakal is being reborn from the world tree as the young maise god.