Source: WTL photograph© on site in Uxmal.
Comments: Inside the temple itself, which was dedicated to the Mayan god Chaac. The professor-photographer was surprised to find that, other than the door on the platform we've been standing on, there is no other opening in this rather small stone room—compared, that is to the size of the pyramid itself. As you perceive (on the right) the professor-photographer is standing just inside the doorway to take this photo. The bottom part of the wall you see (aside from the unfortunate grafitti) was discolored by smoke and spattered blood. This is because this is the room in which live victims (defeated enemy warriors, losing ball game players, virgins, slaves, and others) were sacrificed. Their hearts were cut out of them with obsidian knives, the bodies were thrown down the pyramid steps, and the hearts were burned on an altar in the center of this room (no longer in this sacred temple). Blood, smoke, putrid smells, what a room! Furthermore, the only place for the smoke to escape was through the door where the professor-photographer is taking the photo.
Humanities questions: (A) How did the professor-photographer feel? (B) What was the professor-photographer thinking, aside from framing this mediocre photo? (C) How do you feel? (D) What are you thinking? (E) What were Mayan priests thinking when they were in this room? (F) What did the conquistadors think when they found this place, which was mostly abandoned when they arrived? (G) What can or should we think in a class on Latin American humanities?
Continuing narrative: It rained while the professor-photographer was in this temple room.