To the Maya people their universe was shaped like a giant tree. The gods lived in the upper part where the tree foliage would be. These gods could travel to the middle and lower parts of the universe via rainbows. In the trunk of the tree was the middle world where the people live with plants and animals. On each side of the truck were the oceans (represented by the pattered blue shapes). Where the roots are was their underworld. The lords of the underworld live here and were trapped in the roots. They could not travel across the universe like the other gods. When people died they had to journey to this part of the universe, but after passing trials and testing they could be born again in the middle world.