Doin' It All for Xbalanque

Though the practice of seppuku is virtually synonmous with ritual suicide, it's worth noting that feudal Japan hardly had a monopoly on ceremonial self-slaughter. The Mayans were also enthusiasts, though the details of their process obviously differed from those of their peers across the Pacific. As this fascinating paper makes clear, the Mayan method involved the severing of one's carotid artery with an axe or knife, then dancing until Death came knocking.

At least that was the ritual in its pur