1. What is  differences  between the ancient Mayan criminal justice system and modern criminal justice systems?

 

2. Does the legal system of the ancient Maya has any relevance to the modern world? 

  

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File AutoSave Page 1 of 2 + Home off) H 711 words V Insert Draw Design Layout References Text Predictions: On Type here to search The Excerpt from The World of the Maya by Victor Von Hagen(1)- Protected View Saved to this PC ✓ Review @ Mailings View Zotero Help 1 2 Search 1 3 4 5 6 The Excerpt from The World of the Maya by Victor Von Hagen. The Maya "were governed by laws and good customs and they lived in peace and justice." What is meant is that, while war was waged with other clans and tribes, there was still "peace and justice" among those living in the same tribe. There is no doubt that the Maya had a highly developed sense of justice--but definitely the form of justice meted out by a preliterate people. After 3,000 years or more of living in the same area, tribal mores had become dicta. Crimes to the Maya were basic--theft, homicide, adultery, lese majeste (insulting the ruler)--and punishment often "fitted the crime," like being punished with like. Theft, of course, was antisocial. Since all the clans within the tribe were of one blood, it was considered distinctly unethical to take something not of one's own. Maya houses had no doors, no locks, only a drapery or a string of bells to inform the owner that someone had entered. For theft the punishment was slavery. The thief had to "work off" the theft; or should his immediate relations feel the social defilement brought on by it, they paid off the debt. Second offenses could bring death. Theft perpetrated by any member of the directing classes brought disgrace; his face was scarred by deep tattooing and carried notice of his crime throughout life. There was no social atonement for theft. The thief did not "pay society," the Maya having no form of imprisonment. The culprit paid the victim. Even if accidental, homicide carried a death penalty--unless the relatives were willing to pay the victim's survivors. There was no such thing as an accidental death; homicide was treated as willful murder. "The penalty of homicide...even when the death was accidental, was to die in the snares set by the victim's survivors." To their mystic mentality, there was no such thing as chance or accident; what we call "accident" was to them purposeful. It revealed that evil influences were at work even before the "accident" and that the intended victim had been "selected"; it was a sign of malignant influences. Any form of death was defilement. The greater social uncleanliness came from the shedding of blood. The Maya had even to atone for the killing of an animal. That is why he hung up something of an animal and pierced himself and spread a few drops of his own blood over the recently killed animal. Killing an animal was the same as homicide, and anyone who took life and shed blood brought about social defilement; he was subject to tribal discipline. Loss of property by accident was treated the same as if it had been caused deliberately. If one knocked over another's beehive, he had to pay the owner. If it was proven that he or she committed suicide because of blameful commission or omission on the part of another, the latter had to pay. Adultery brought death. The only legal loophole was that one had to be caught in the actual sex act. If so caught, the adulterer was brought bound to the judges, who heard, sentenced, and handed him or her over to the "injured" spouse. The adulterer was summarily executed by the "injured" spouse who "dropped a large rock on his head from a great height." Or should the case involve the wife of a noble, the adulterer might have his naval cut open and his intestines pulled Mz Osson Focus 72°F Partly sunny MO Comments Ca * Viewing ENG Share 11:46 AM 2/27/2023 X 100%

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1 Differences between the Ancient Mayan Criminal Justice System and Modern Criminal Justice Systems Punishments The ancient Maya employed punishments View the full answer