[Aztlan] Chichen Cenote

[Matthias Gorissen]

Anna had quite a few good points here - data from the "Landa idolatry trials" 
should not be cited as hard evidence. As far as I recall, evidence for 
child-sacrifice propped up only AFTER the Franscicans were informed of 
Toral's arrival, but not in the extensive investigations conducted before. 
The point here is not if Landa has made up some evidence on prehispanic 
customs (when human sacrifice certainly existed) - the point here is if this 
custom really extendend into Early Colonial times.
Tedlock also pointed out that descriptions of child-sacrifice in Yucatan were 
much too close to accusations leveled against Jews in Spain at the same 
time - kind of a larger cultural pattern behind it.

Finding myself somehow cut-off from well-stocked university libraries at the 
moment, I don't really understand your reference to Tomas Lopez Medel. Unlike 
Landa, he was a brief visitor to Maya territory, at best. He died in 1582, 
and thus cannot have written anything in 1612 - perhaps this was the date 
when his work got published? Are you refering to his "Tres elementos" here? I 
am not so sure if he was a Franciscan, but anyway - any hint to primary 
sources would be wellcome. 

Best regards,
Matt