Errors in the movie Apocalypto of Mel Gibson (translated from Tlacaelels page, posted by A: Xiu) To begin with, there is a confusion between the Classic Maya and the post-classical. The movie shows clothes and cities of the Classical Era 5th-10th centuriess Mayans, yet it ends with the arrival of the Spanish discoverers (1502). Apocalypto Maya live in a place where there are no rivers, so it cannot be Yucatan, where all rivers are underground. All the Mayan grew corn, and yet in the Apocalypto there were groups that lived only by hunting. Not plausible. The hammocks. The Maya slept on mats. Hammocks were brought to Americas by African slaves. The priest in the film invokes the Sun calling Kukulcan. The Mayan Lord of the Sun is Kinich Ahau. Kukulkan was the Mayan Lord of the wind during the Postclassic period. In the film we see pyramids classic style Tikal (Guatemala) of the 6th century alongside tzompantlis, unknown in that period structures, since they belong to the Yucatecan style of the 15th century. Also, to be sacrificed was an honor, and no captured Mayan warrior would refuse to sacrifice as shown in the film. On the other hand, the custom of taking prisoners for sacrifice was lickely not known. In a scene of the film, it is possible to see the skull of a horse, the animal that did not exist in America until the arrival of the Spaniards. As you can see this film has some merit, as it strives to present pre-contact cultures although in a way quite demeaning and out of place that cannot be taken seriously. posted by A: Xiu
Posted on: Sun, 02 Mar 2014 06:37:29 +0000