Mexico and the Mexican Indian A series of six programmes 2 : The First Great Temples
The Night of the Dead is celebrated throughout Mexico every year-a pagan cult that has become a Christian festival. The Mexican obsession with death probably began 3,000 years ago with the mysterious Olmec people. Their influence spread across Mexico and was followed by the building of the first great temples - Tootihuacan and El Tajin.
Today, religious rites are still performed at El Tajin by the Totonac people. But Spanish priests succeeded in stamping out the sacred Ball Game - a game involving the sacrifice of players who were sent as messengers to the gods.
Narrated by IAN HOLM
Photography JOHN HOOPER , COLIN WALDECK Film editor RAOUL SOBEL
Executive producer BRUCE NORMAN Written and produced by ANNA BENSON GYLES