Children of the Elite Were Forced to Become Cross-Eyed
In modern times, if we see someone cross-eyed, we try not to stare for too long. And many parents opt to give their child surgery to correct the issue. But the Mayan people actually thought that crossed eyes were a sign of nobility. They also believed that it made someone more physically attractive. So they would induce the condition by hanging a piece of thread in-between their baby’s eyes. They would attach a stone or ball of resin at the end of the string, and the baby would focus their eyes on it. Eventually, their eyes would rotate inwards, causing them to be slightly cross-eyed for the rest of their life. Believe it or not, this is something that modern Mayans still do today, because it’s still considered attractive.