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The Mayans built two types of pyramids. One type was meant to be climbed. These pyramids were used during human sacrifices, which would please the Gods. They had a temple on the top and was meant to be climbed by the priests to make sacrifices to the gods. The stairs going up the sides of these pyramids were steep, but not too steep for the priests to climb. The most important religious ceremonies were held at the top of these pyramids.
One such pyramid is the El Castillo or Temple of Kukulcan, which dominates in the center of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in the Mexican state of Yucatán.

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The second type of pyramid was a sacred pyramid built to a god. These pyramids were not to be climbed or touched by humans. There were still steps going up the sides of these pyramids, but they were often too steep to climb without a lot of effort. These pyramids were sometimes built with secret doors, tunnels, and traps.
One such pyramid is the Pyramid of the Magician located in Uxmal, Mexico.

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The Mayan religion believed that most people`s souls were vanquished to spend their afterlives in the underworld. Even the ruler`s soul ended up there. Only those who died at childbirth or were sacrificed would have escaped the underworld. The underworld is filled with Evil Gods represented as jaguars.

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Marriage was another religious ritual and a cause for celebration. Maya marriages were typically arranged marriages within the same social class. Age at the time of marriage varied, but experts speculate that the marriage age was related to population growth and decline. When the Maya population declined, youths would marry at a younger age. Couples would be matched at a very young age, sometimes even when they were infants. Marriages were performed by priests at the bridal home. Priests would burn incense to bring a fortuitous marriage and then a feast or other type of celebration would ensue. If the marriage was not deemed successful by either husband or wife, the couple could “divorce.” There is no known ritual for divorce, but it is intriguing that divorce was, more or less, an acceptable action.

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The rituals were performed in order to satisfy the gods and guarantee some order to the world. Different rituals and ceremonies corresponded to different practices such as divination, baptism, rites related to the cycles of the year, cycles of time and ceremonies of sacrifices for the gods.

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Bloodletting was constrained to the royal line. The gods demanded blood because of the initial creation where the gods spilled their blood in order to give life to humanity. Also, but not as often, bloodletting was performed in order to communicate with ancestors.

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Human sacrifice in Mayan culture  was the ritual offering of nourishment to the gods. Blood was viewed as a potent source of nourishment for the Maya deities, and the sacrifice of a living creature was a powerful  blood offering the sacrifice of a human life was the ultimate offering to the gods  and the most important Maya rituals culminated in human. Generally, only high status prisoners of war were sacrificed.

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The Mayans were polytheist, and they worshipped more than 165 gods. The Mayan religion was characterized by the worship of nature gods (especially the gods of sun, rain and maize), a priestly class, the importance of astronomy and astrology, rituals of human sacrifice, and the building of elaborate pyramidical temples.

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The Mayan religion was characterized by the worship of nature gods (especially the gods of sun, rain and maize), a priestly class, the importance of astronomy and astrology, rituals of human sacrifice, and the building of elaborate pyramidical temples.

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The rulers acted as intermediaries between the gods and the people. They used elaborate rituals that were believed to please the gods. Some of these elaborate rituals included human sacrifice (using prisoners captured in war as victims), bloodletting (when worshippers cut themselves to offer up their blood to the gods) and ceremonial ball games.

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The god of rain, lightning and storms was known as Chac. The Mayans feared drought and starvation and made sure that Chac was kept happy. He is often represented holding jade axes and snakes that he uses to throw at the clouds to produce rain. They believed that his actions assured the growth of maize and other crops in general as well as maintaining the natural cycles of life.

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Kinich Ahau is the sun god of the Mayans. During the Classic period, Kinich Ahau was used as a royal title, carrying the idea of the divine king. He is also known in the Mayan codices as God G and is shown in many carvings on Mayan pyramids.

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Hun Hunahpu is the maize god. The maize god was one of the most important owing to his connection with this vital staple crop. He is represented as a youthful, handsome man. His headdress is a stylized ear of corn and his hair is the silk of the corn.