This Maya stone lintel depicts Lord Shield Jaguar and his wife Lady Xoc engaged in a bloodletting rite. It would have originally been painted – there are traces of blue and red pigment. The text at the top of the panel reveals this event took place in October AD 709. The king stands on the left with a flaming torch to illuminate the scene, while Lady Xoc kneels in front of him wearing an elaborately woven tunic. She pulls a rope, probably studded with obsidian blades, through her tongue, while b

Explore the world of the Maya – from games and graffiti to palaces and politics – on Google Arts & Culture. Our new partnership project lets you discover ancient Maya culture like never before. Explore the ways new technology including 3D scans and printing are being used with 19th-century photographs and casts to help us learn more about the Maya world: http://ow.ly/900430pJycN | British Museum