1. Religious Duties:
- Performed rituals and ceremonies, such as sacrifices, festivals, and prayers, to appease the gods and maintain the balance between the human and divine realms.
2. Astronomical Observations:
- Skilled astronomers, Mayan priests observed celestial events, such as planetary alignments and solstices, to create complex calendars, predict astronomical phenomena, and align their rituals accordingly.
3. Timekeeping:
- Used astronomical observations to create the famous Mayan calendar, which consisted of the Haab solar calendar, the Tzolkin ritual calendar, and the Long Count, measuring periods lasting thousands of years.
4. Codex Creation:
- Recorded historical events, religious rituals, astronomical knowledge, and genealogies in intricate manuscripts called codices, like the Dresden Codex, Madrid Codex, and Paris Codex.
5. Knowledge and Tradition:
- Served as guardians of ancient Mayan knowledge, traditions, and teachings passed down through generations, including medicine, mathematics, hieroglyphic writing, poetry, and history.
6. Divination and Prophecy:
- Conducted divination rituals to foretell future events, using methods like casting lots, astrology, and dream interpretations.
7. Healing Practices:
- Practiced medicine, using traditional remedies and knowledge of medicinal herbs and plants to treat illnesses and perform surgeries.
8. Leadership and Authority:
- Mayan priests held positions of power and influence in the Mayan society, advising rulers and decision-makers on religious, astrological, and political matters.
9. Education:
- Responsible for educating the Mayan elite, including priests, astronomers, scribes, and nobles.
10. Social Stability and Harmony:
- Played a crucial role in maintaining social order, harmony, and religious cohesion within Mayan communities.
In essence, Mayan priests were respected and revered individuals who held deep knowledge, performed religious ceremonies, and guided their society in understanding the complexities of the universe, time, and the mysteries of the cosmos.