Maya archaeologists have the advantage of being able to study the living Maya and read ancient Maya paintings and other writings. The dates from these burials show that more virgins were put to death during the years of military defeats. Preservation of their virginity marked Rome's success, loss of their virginity marked Rome's failure. Maya glyphs are still relatively poorly understood. But they show a reverence for animals, namely the monkey, macaw, and jaguar.
All religions recognize the soul.
Understanding a society's view of the soul is the key to understanding its religion. Part of the soul lives in the blood, the other part lives outside at night. A person dreaming can become this other soul. If this other soul escapes and cannot be recovered, the person will die. In State-level Societies, one lineage becomes special by becoming the lineage.