The Maya
Lands of the Maya
Political Characteristics Never form a unified political system Do create a unified culture Larger city-states dominated smaller city-states Large city-states built elaborate commercial and religious centers Chichen-Itza
El Castillo at Chichen Itza
El Castillo
Maya Economy Cultivated maize, cotton, and cacao Increased agricultural production by draining swamps, terraced fields, and irrigation ditches Led to environmental degradation Hereditary nobility controlled most of the land Maya merchants came from ruling class Traded primarily in luxury products
Nobles: Priests & Warriors Maya Society King Nobles: Priests & Warriors Merchants Peasants Slaves Elite women participated in bloodletting rituals and other ceremonies Women rarely held any political power Common women played a role in agriculture and textile production Coercive labor used to build large palaces and temples
Maya Religion Polytheistic Cosmos consisted of three layers: the heavens, the human world, and the underworld Priests could communicate with residents of both supernatural worlds Mayan developments: calendar, writing system, and mathematics Used to determine religious holidays
Maya sacrifice Had to please the gods via sacrifice Piercing of bodies with needle Human Sacrifice Sacrificed prisoners of war, slaves, and children
Maya Accomplishments Understood movement of heavenly bodies Invented the concept of zero Calculated the length of a solar year Off by 17 seconds Created an elaborate calendar Two calendars: solar and ritual Glyphic writing system
Maya Writing
Maya Decline Maya city-states were abandoned or destroyed between 800-900 CE Causes for decline include: The disruption of trade after the decline of Teotihuacan in Central Mexico Environmental degradation caused by overpopulation Epidemic disease