1. The Maya

2. Olmec people living in lowlands of South- central Mexico
At height during Pre-Classic period, 1200 to 400 BCE
“Mother-Culture” of other Mesoamerican Civilizations
first thought they were west Africans, now though they came from China across Bering Strait
Credited with many “firsts”:
Mesoamerican ballgame
Bloodletting
Human sacrifice
writing system
concept of zero
Mesoamerican Calendar
City-states
Decline unknown, city-states remained but lacked identifiable characteristics
Maya and other groups took over as dominant group in region

3. Olmec

4. Time Periods Pre-Classic Period: 1700 BCE – 250 CE
first “Mayan” settlements appear
Nomads settle into communities- farm animals
Dead buried in Burial Mounds
Step Pyramids appear
Classic Period: CE
Large scale construction
Significant intellectual and artistic development
Agricultural Empire dominated by City States
Major Pyramids built in Religious Centers
Post-Classic Period:10th – 16th century
Development in North continues
City-States compete for power until Spanish arrive
Took Spanish 170 years to conquer all, no central capital
Tayasal was the last city-state, holds out until late 1600’s

6. Geography Divided into 2 zones:
The Mayan Highlands and Lowlands
Includes: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador & Honduras
Most well-known cities located in the Yucatan Peninsula
not united under one Government
Identify themselves based on their city or region

7. Mayan Cities City “Place of Voices” Largest city Classical period
Tikal
“Place of Voices”
Largest city
Classical period
Guatemala
Tikal Temple
Chichen Itza
“Mouth of the Well of the Itzas”
Cenote of Sacrifice
Post Classical Period
Yucatan Peninsula
El Castillo
Tayasal
last Mayan city to fall to Spanish
held out until 1627
Main Plaza Structure

8. Mayan Cities Lesser known region includes volcanic mountain ranges
Highlands
Lesser known region
includes volcanic mountain ranges
Many natural resources & water in plateau, basins and plains
Settlements concentrated around resources
Lowlands
divided into 2 sections:
West along Pacific Ocean
Fertile plain caused by erosion
Large population
Yucatan Peninsula
Famous cities
varied areas of land, forest, and resources
amount of water varies
Present Day
Guatemala, Belize, western Honduras, El Salvador
Southern Mexico, including Yucatan Peninsula
Climate
varies tremendously
low-lying areas are susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms

9. Water Availability of Water Influenced city locations, limited sources
Used Natural sinkholes
Built reservoirs to catch and hold rain

10. The Cenote of Sacrifice

11. Well of Sacrifice- Chichen Itza
No above-ground water in Northern Yucan
Natural Sinkholes (cenotes) provided water
Well of Sacrifice was sacred to the worshipers of rain God Chaac
Various offerings were thrown in the well
intense drought = human sacrifices
Messenger to the gods

12. Religion Temples at the heart of city-states
Priest were powerful figures, talked to the Gods
Influenced agriculture and day to day activities
Different Gods worshiped across the civilization
Importance of Gods depended on geo. location
To appease the gods sacrifices were offered
Blood offerings was the most important/ powerful sacrifice

13. Xibalba- “Place of Fear”, Mayan Underworld
Physical Location- Underground Caves
located in Guatemala & Belize

14. Mayan Gods Ah Puch Gukumatz Chaac God of Death
Form: Skeleton or Corpse
Associated with Owl screech
Gukumatz
Quetzalcoatl (Aztec)
Creation God
Taught Maya art of Civilization
Will return during end times
Chaac
God of Rain and Thunder
Fertility and Agriculture
Still worshiped into the 21st century

15. Mayan Calendar Not created by the Maya
Borrowed from the Olmec
Consists of 3 separate Calendars
Long Count- dates back to the creation of the Maya
Haab’- 365 days (18-moths of 20 days each + 5 nameless days)
Tzolk’in- 260 days- determine religious and ceremonial days
Mayan Astronomy
Built impressive Observatories
Accurately charted the stars, Venus
Recorded future Lunar and Solar eclipses
Doomsday Prophecy
December 12, Bak'tun 13
end the Long Count cycle, start of a new cycle
End of the World created by modern interpretation

16. Alphabet and Numbers
created the most advanced pre-colonial writing in the Western Hemisphere
Over 800 different images used to record their history
king
sky
house
child
Most records destroyed by Spanish Priest as punishment for not converting
Used a number system consisting of shells, dots, and lines. 
one of the only ancient civilizations to have the concept of zero
Allowed them to write large numbers

17. Alphabet and Numbers

18. Dresden Codex
the oldest surviving book from the Americas
rediscovered in the city of Dresden, Germany
played a key role in the deciphering of Mayan glyphs
Contains accurate astronomical tables and Mayan histories

19. Alphabet and Numbers

20. Mesoamerican Ball Game
Inherited from the Olmec
propel an 8 inch ball of rubber through a ring or onto a marker without using hands
important part of political & religious festivals
Used to decide conflict instead of warfare
Captives played for their very lives
losers were sacrificed, faced torture & execution following the match
Practice of Sacrifices started in Classical period
Sometime severed head used in place of ball

21. Mesoamerican Ball Game