PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Intro/ basic info
Maya were an American Indian people who developed a magnificent civilization in Central America and south Mexico. The Maya civilization reached its period of greatest development about A.D. 250 and continued to flourish for hundreds of years.
Advanced cities
Many of the major Maya cities, such as Piedras Negras, Tikal, and Uaxactun, developed in this area. By about 900, most of the Maya abandoned the Guatemalan lowlands and moved to areas to the north and south, including Yucatán and the highlands of southern Guatemala. In those areas, they continued to prosper until Spain conquered almost all of the Maya in the mid-1500's.
Social structure
Entire Maya families, including parents, children, and grandparents , lived together. Everyone in a household helped with the work. The men and the older boys did most of the farmwork, such as clearing and weeding the fields and planting the crops. They also did most of the hunting and fishing.
Religion
The Maya worshiped many gods and goddesses. One Maya manuscript mentions more than 160 of them. For example, the Maya worshiped a corn god, a rain god known as Chac, a sun god called Kinich Ahau, and a moon goddess called Ix Chel. Each god or goddess influenced some part of Maya life.
Government
Each Maya city governed its surrounding area, and some large cities each controlled one or more smaller cities. A city ruler would usually be succeeded by his younger brother or by his son. In some cases, modern scholars know that generations of a single family ruled for hundreds of years.
Writing systems
The Maya kept records on large stone monuments called stelae, as well as on some buildings and household utensils. They used the stelae to record important dates and to take note of great events in the lives of their rulers and the rulers' families. The Maya also made books of paper made from fig tree bark. Only a few books, dating from the 1100’s to the early 1500’s, have survived. They contain astronomical tables, information about religious ceremonies, and calendars that show lucky days for such activities as farming and hunting.
Technology and contributions
the Maya were responsible for a number of remarkable scientific achievements in astronomy, agriculture, engineering and communications. They made great advancements in astronomy and mathematics and developed an accurate yearly calendar. They were one of the first peoples in the Western Hemisphere to develop an advanced form of writing.
Ancient Maya, Post-Classic period, c. 800 – 1200 AD. Large ceramic standing Janus-form Maya figure.
Excellent Maya stamp from the Sula Valley of Honduras, c. 400 – 800 AD. Features a pair of confronted foxes, depicted either dancing or fighting.
Olmec Stone Ax
The Olmecs saw green-colored, jade like stones as the ear of maize and made ritual axes in the shape of corn. Axes were used in fields and demarcated the sacred realm of the maize field, where the symbol of cosmic life, the tree of life, grew.
Olmec Jade Mask
This great mask carved from a large piece of jade and expresses youthful features. During ceremonies, a king wore this mask, which may have unified him through the lines incised upon its surface with the power to preside over the universe.
