uler , ▁who ▁is ▁contact ing ▁or ▁being ▁helped ▁by ▁his ▁ancest ors , ▁the ▁figures ▁on ▁either ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁alt ar . ▁Alternatively , ▁some ▁believe ▁the ▁side ▁figures ▁to ▁be ▁bound ▁capt ives . ▁ ▁Alt ar ▁ 5 ▁faces ▁Alt ar ▁ 4 ▁across ▁Str ucture ▁D - 8 ▁( one ▁of ▁the ▁do z ens ▁of ▁m ounds ▁at ▁La ▁V enta , ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁platforms ). ▁Alt ar ▁ 5 ▁is ▁similar ▁in ▁design ▁and ▁size ▁to ▁Alt ar ▁ 4 , ▁except ▁that ▁the ▁central ▁figure ▁holds ▁an ▁in ert , ▁perhaps ▁dead , ▁were - j agu ar ▁baby . ▁The ▁left ▁side ▁of ▁Alt ar ▁ 5 ▁features ▁bas - rel ief s ▁of ▁humans ▁holding ▁quite ▁l ively ▁were - j agu ar ▁b ab ies . ▁Like ▁the ▁Alt ar ▁ 4 , ▁the ▁right ▁side ▁of ▁Alt ar ▁ 5 ▁has ▁been ▁def ac ed . ▁ ▁Some ▁have ▁seen ▁child ▁sacrifice ▁echo ed ▁in ▁the ▁lim p ▁were - j agu ar ▁baby ▁on ▁the ▁front ▁of ▁Alt ar ▁ 5 . ▁O thers , ▁however , ▁view ▁the ▁table au ▁as ▁a ▁myth ▁of ▁human ▁emer gence ▁or ▁as ▁story ▁of ▁a ▁spiritual ▁journey . ▁ ▁Although ▁less ▁striking ▁and ▁displaying ▁a ▁less er ▁degree ▁of ▁craft sm ans hip , ▁Alt ars ▁ 2 ▁and ▁ 3 ▁are ▁similar ▁to ▁Alt ars ▁ 4 ▁and ▁ 5 . ▁They ▁each ▁show ▁a ▁central ▁figure , ▁one ▁with