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The Pyramids, their construction, their interior and their purpose The Maya used tools made of obsidian and flint, instead of hard metals which were used in the Old World (such as iron, copper and bronze). The Maya building methods used plaster, stone and wood. The plaster was normally made of lime, calcareous or chalky sand and water, although other techniques called for plant resins (chicozapote and breadnut or ramon trees). Calcareous sand was burned to obtain the lime. Stones of regular size and shape, square and rectangular, were used on the exterior of the building and irregular ones on the inside. Rather than the normal arch, a ‘false’ Maya arch was used. The ceilings of buildings were built with columns and pillars and ventilation holes were used instead of windows. Although small, Maya buildings always had a platform. The only archaeological evidence to date shows the use of curtains but none to prove the use of doors. This book does not speak of ‘doors’, but rather, refers to them as ‘entrances’. The first pyramid was covered with another larger one at a later date, and so on. Hence, we can often see pyramids on top of other pyramids. The tunnels, which connect with the earliest pyramids, which are at the heart of the building, are usually sealed. Recently, though, some were reopened to the public by archaeologists. It is believed that the open tunnels were used in rituals associated with the Underworld. These may have included magic-religious initiation rites. Note: some authors mention ‘shamanic’ initiation ceremonies, which is a widely accepted generalisation. ‘Shamanic’ and ‘Magic-Religious’ initiation rites are synonymous. This book prefers to use the term ‘magic-religious’ initiations. It is understood that the shaman is an individual who is skilled in these arts. Priests usually climbed the pyramids in order to preside over religious ceremonies. The villagers or townspeople watched the ceremony in the square, which was located either around or in front of the pyramid. The women who participated in the ceremonies were those who had already gone through the menopause. Religious ceremonies included theatrical presentations, offerings, human sacrifice, hymns, self-sacrifice, dances and ritual cannibalism. The Maya did not feel the need to build large covered buildings. The climate was ideal for open-air ceremonies. The pyramids are not located in the centre of the world, rather they are the centre itself. Axis Mundi, or the centre of the world, is a sacred place where the divine forces of the heavens and the underworld converge.