The Mayan Civilization Introduction Conquest of the Jungle

There never was a Mayan prophesy.

Classic Highland Maya and Lowland Maya thrived in southern Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.

Early pre-Maya and contemporary sites ► San Jose Magote in Mexico’s southern highlands years old. Lasting from before 1500 BC to 1150 BC. Not urban. ► El Mirador. From 300 BC to 250 AD. Unique architecture, urban ceremonial center. ► Monte Alban in Oaxaca. 500 BC to about 700 AD with decline to 1500 AD ► Teotihuacán in Valley of Mexico 100 BC to 500 AD and decline to 1000 AD.

Mayan Chronology ► Preclassic 500 BCE-300 CE  Contemporary with Olmec ► Classic 300 CE -800 CE  Dominant in their region ► Contemporary with Teotihuacan ► Post-Classic 800 CE-1530 CE  Abandon the highlands ► Post-conquest since 1530  Under Spanish, then Mexican domination

El Mirador complex

El Mirador

Mayan Accomplishments ► Mathematics ► Astronomy ► Engineering ► Irrigation agriculture ► Trade (long distance) ► Architecture ► Writing and sacred libraries ► Chocolate

“El Castillo” at Chichen itza. Post classic phase. The sophistication of Mayan astronomy has led some to seek an extraterrestrial explanation.

During solstice.

El Caracol. The “observatory.”

Sacred cenote at Chichen itza.

Mayan Books ► Reading Mayan glyphs: Pattern recognition insufficient for translation. ► Sir Eric Thompson the leading Mayan epigrapher until his death in 1974.* ► Insights made by Yuri Valentinovitch Knorosov in 1960’s of syllabic fusion of separate elements into one glyph.

The struggle ► Several theories about Mayan glyphs competed Was it pictographic; phonetic; syllabic; symbolic-- non spoken; esoteric magic… ► Bitter rivalries and harsh words into the 1980’s. ► Sir Thompson shown to be almost fully incorrect in his analysis. Came to be convinced before he died. ► Current approach has unanimous support

The Mayan World Highlands and Lowlands Maize God figurine.

► Economy based on agriculture (maize) and trade. ► Spiritual world dominated all aspects of life. ► Cosmology: a living landscape ► Urban life integrated cosmology: architecture, ritual, food consumption all linked to beliefs.

The Ball Game ► Ritual for the gods, cycle of life, fertility, death and sacrifice. Sacred. ► Different rules in different places and through history. ► Teams played with out using hands or feet. ► Rubber ball weighed as much as 5 pounds. ► Losers could be sacrificed. Sometimes winners too.

Ball court at El Tajin. The city has 11 courts.

Ball court (small version) at Monte Alban

Ball court rings. Chichen itza. This court is the size of two modern football fields.

Chichen itza. Yucatan. The “jaguar” temple. Near entry to ball court. Post Classic (after 800 AD)

► Forensic analysis from burials of ball players reveal numerous injuries. Some died while playing the game. ► Mostly fractures and head injuries. ► Archaeological evidence demonstrates the game was violent: protective gear was required.

A brief look at the Diversity of Mayan city Centers. Architectural Identity

Artist reconstruction of Copan. Honduras.

Temple complex at Copan. Yucatan.

Uxmal. Mexico. The city is sacred, devoted to Venus. The so-called “Nunnery.”

Tikal. Guatemala.

Tikal

Coba Yucatan

Bonampak

Calakmul

Imagery Carvings and figurines

Image from a tzompantli carving (skull rack).

Kulkalcan

► Lord Pacal: Ancient Astronaut? ► Refer to Feder Chapter 9.

Mosaic Puuc style architectural façade. Chichen itza. Yucatan, Mexico

Choc mool. Toltec derived sacrificial altar. Late post classic Maya were significantly influenced by Toltec and Aztec culture—including increase focus on sacrificial rituals.

Maya people today

► Throughout Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras ► Discriminated minority. ► Mostly poor and rural. ► Maintain some language and a few cultural arts and traditions. ► Mostly Catholic, but practice blended faith.

Analysis ► Reading a page from one of the only surviving Mayan books. ► Page from the Dresden Codex  Pattern recognition ► Clues ► spaces

What does it mean? ► We need to calculate the values shown. ► Which way do the numbers go and how do they group? ► Experimentation is the only way to solve this.

Patterns ► Look for groupings ► Note: the Maya counted in base 20 ► Read the numbers ► Place value system as in our familiar base 10, but … ► Instead of 1’s, 10’s, 100’s (10x10) the Maya counted in the 20’s, 400’s (20x20) and so on. ► They get some really big numbers.

Palenque. Mexico