The Maya 250 BC to 1190 AD
The Mayas We know they were not called Mayas When Spaniards arrived, the major city was MAYAPAN (thus the name the Mayas) The only great civilization to be located in the “jungle” Primarily the Yucatan peninsula and northern central America
MAYAS MAYA KINGDOM
Astronomers Calculated Lunar and Solar Eclipses –Used that information to have “Festivals” Understanding of the Solar Position in the sky
Mathematicians Had a system based on 20 Recognized the zero (unlike the Romans for instance) One two three four five six eight nine ten nineteen twenty
Architects Build Magnificent Temples and Places for Commerce and Games
Mayan Economy A trade system existed through which salt, obsidian, jade, cacao, animal pelts, tropical bird feathers, luxury ceramics and other goods flowed. Goods from the highlands were traded with those of the lowlands. Obsidian was made into tools and weapons. People either bartered goods directly or exchanged them for cacao beans
Commonly Bartered Items
Social Structure The Social Pyramid –Priests –nobles wealthy –commoners and low-level govern officers –slaves and servants Priest
GAME The Maya had a ball game called Pok-A- Tok. It was played on an odd shaped field. The object of the game was to move a hard rubber ball without the use of hands or feet through a hoop. There is debate whether it was the losing team or the winning team that was sacrificed.
GAME Decapitation scene at ball court,
GAME
Demise of the Mayas Natural –Ecology Soil Exhaustion Water Loss and Erosion Savana Grass Competition (Continual burning of soil led to end original forest and converted into man-made grass land. Problem, Mayas did not have toil equipment).
–Catastrophism Earthquakes Hurricanes –Evolution Main idea was that social collapse occurred due to over population and lack of food supply –Disease brought by Spanish Demise of the Mayas (continuation)
Social –Demography Higher rate of female to male ratios led to a collapse of social order –Social Structure –Invasion