Maya relief of royal blood-letting

In this Mayan relief of a royal blood-letting ceremony, a kings wife is running a barbed rope across her tongue so that the king may speak to his ancestors. There were a great many rituals for the Mayan people that relied on the letting of blood to communicate with their gods or ancestors. At a time when Europe and Asia had gotten past flesh to their gods, the Mayans believed that was the only way. Mayans had been spilling blood for their gods for so long and it seemed to be working to them so why would they change.