Human Sacrifice & Bloodletting in Ancient Mesoamerica and the Near East - This talk will compare ritual practices, commonalities, and differences and provide an opportunity to reflect on how human sacrifice has become so central to narratives about "savage" Amerindians and the minimization of its role in the more "civilized" Near East.

Born in Mérida, Carlos is a Mexican-Canadian writer and editor of Yucatán Magazine. He is an avid explorer of Mesoamerican archaeological sites and has conducted extensive research on topics ranging from migration patterns during antiquity to the interplay between Mayan identities and tourism. Carlos is also the author of the “Archaeology Monday” series for Yucatán Magazine and has consulted and been featured on international productions on diverse topics related to the Maya and Yucatán.