Yet more things from the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology continued part 2: toys

Strangely enough, in ancient Mexico they had invented the wheel, but they only used it for making toys.

Yet more things from the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology continued: Cosmetic dentistry

Yet more things from the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology--decapitated ball player

Instead of blood, 7 serpents sprout from where his head was removed. Seven serpent was also the name of the god of ripe corn. The harvest of corn was symbollicaly like beheading; the former to feed humans, the latter to feed the gods.

Wonderful things from the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology part 4: Yay, you're dead!

These inanely smiling ceramic heads are thought to somehow be associated with death, as they're frequently found in graves.

Wonderful things from the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology part 3: a reconstructed pyramid

They dug up a pyramid "Las Higueras" with original frescoes depicting mythological scenes, ceremonies and ball games. In ancient Mesoamerica it was thought that there was a chance the world might end once every 52 years. So whenever it did not, they would add a new level onto their pyramids to make them more grandiose. The result is that the layers of murals show 3 centuries of changing beliefs and artistic styles.

Wonderful things from the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology part 2: were jaguars

Wonderful things from the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology part 1: Colossal Olmec Heads

Note that it is likely not that distorted, they were really into head shaping.