Alright so here's the thing. My history task for school is to compare the mayans plazas to another civilasations plazas and see similarities and differenses. So I read that the greeks held trials or whatever you want t call it in the agoras, greece plaza, so I was wondering if the mayans did something like that. I read that they law and different punishments, but I'm not sure about how it was decided. So now I'm wondering if i'm on to something that could be one similarity to add and well, you see the question! PS: First question here so I hope I have written the question right, don't hate me if I haven't!
The Maya most certainly had their rulers pass judgements for crimes, but as to whether or not the public was able to view such a spectacle I do not know. Most plazas in the Maya region are actually quite small and bordering the plaza are buildings either on platforms or pyramids. The buildings themselves are also small with enough room for the ruler to be seated on their throne and to look out into the plaza where any other people may be. The uses of the plaza varied with instances of execution or celebration. Plazas were also viewed as symbolic representations of the Primordial Sea with the pyramid or platform nearby as the earth and at the top the heavens.
1995 Maya Cosmos: Three Thousand Years on the Shaman's Path by David Freidel, Linda Schele, and Joy Parker.