Why did the ancient Aztec and Maya pierce their tongues during sacrifice rituals?

In Mesoamerican cultures, including the Maya and Aztec, bloodletting—which included piercing the tongue, ears, arms, legs, and genitals—was a fundamental religious practice performed to secure divine favor.12

These rituals were deeply rooted in the belief that the universe was unstable and required constant nourishment to maintain the world order. According to their cosmology, the gods had sacrificed their own blood to create the sun and moon, and humans were obligated to reciprocate this sacrifice to sustain the gods and guarantee human existence.32

Bloodletting often served as a preparatory act for more significant ceremonies, such as human sacrifice or prayers for material benefits like rain. By offering their own blood, priests and practitioners demonstrated their devotion and fulfilled their religious duty to preserve the balance of the cosmos.132