Mayan Civilization and Culture - 1077 Words

The Ancient Mayan civilization contained nearly two-thirds of Mesoamerica. The area included mostly volcanic mountains to porous limestone, also referred to as the lowlands in the more central regions. Mayan civilization extended from Belize and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula in the north, to Honduras in the south. What made the Mayans stand out to me the most, were their complex societies, which were built and modernized far ahead of its time in a tropical rainforest climate (Aissen, 1992). Normally, ancient populations lived in much drier climates, where irrigation practices served as the foundation of societies. The Mayans excelled at pottery, hieroglyphic writing, making calendars, science, and mathematics. The Mayan Civilization, which†¦show more content†¦Also referred to as â€Å"milpa,† the Mayans would then plant in other areas while the areas that they burned, was given time to grow back. Terrace farming is the process of cutting terraces into the hillsid es to make useable plots to farm. The reason behind terrace farming was so that when farming was taking place on steep hills, water and nutrients would not just flow to the very bottom causing erosion and loss of nutrients for crops at the very top. With terrace farming, Mayans were able to control their agriculture, making sure all of their crops were receiving the proper amount of water and nutrients. Most of the crops of the Mayans consisted of mainly corn, beans and squash. Aside from their immense belief in using what nature has given them for survival, the Mayans were also a highly religious culture and favored many gods. This included the god of sun, moon, rain, and corn. The people with the most power in their society were the kings. They were called â€Å"Kuhul ajaw† which means many lords. They were believed to have a connection to the gods and followed a â€Å"heredity succession.† Priests, warriors, and scribes followed these kings on the hierarchy scale, a nd at the very bottom of the scale were subsistence farmers and servants (Coe, 1966). As the Mayan civilization began to grow, they began trading necessary cooking items such as pottery, stone, and salt. They also began trading fish and seafood toShow MoreRelatedThe Mayan Civilization and Culture1438 Words   |  6 Pages​Many of the cultures that we have today have evolved from past events. Such as language it was something that became known throughout the years. Some of the languages that came from that were English, Spanish, German, and Latin to name a few. These languages were derived more past civilizations. One important civilization that is known for having great success is the Mayan civilization. The Mayan civilization is known for many things like they fully developed written language, art, architectureRead MoreThe Mayan Culture1090 Words   |  4 PagesMayan culture was one of the most complex civilizations of the Mesoamerican societies. Mayans are well-known for their refined mathematical and astronomical system, monumental architecture, and astoni shing artworks. I will not focus on specific artwork and writing but the context in general. I have obtained great facts upon Mayan culture and writings. The ingenuous data that I will be discussing can be found in the book titled â€Å"The Hidden Maya†, a short text consisting of veiled information uponRead MorePhilosophy624 Words   |  3 Pagesplays a critical role in ancient civilization, culture creation, and preservation in the sense that they not only bind, but also influence the societal structure, statutes, and personal lives. This paper documents the Mayan culture taking into consideration their civilization, ideologies, as well as their rituals. Civilization Factors contributing to culture creation and preservation extend from geographical to a number of patterns. The origin of the Mayan culture from the central part of AmericaRead MoreThe Inspirations from the Mayan Ballgame1515 Words   |  7 PagesExploration and investigation has brought to light the great advancements these civilizations made in the areas of art, technology, and even astronomy. By means of examining and analyzing the remains, the massive structures and artifacts left behind by the early people of these civilizations, we have come to know of their rich culture and traditions. One group that we know a great deal of, the Classic Maya, exhibited a culture that was not only sophisticated and ahead of its time, but also one of greatRead MoreEnd of Mayan Civilization1143 Words   |  5 PagesEnd of Mayan Civilization Samuel Nathaniel H. Stansbury HUM 111 11/3/2012 The mystery concerning the fundamental explanation for the collapse of the Mayan Civilization has been a major focus for researchers in the fields of anthropology and archeology for a considerable period of time. At the very core of this mystery of the Mayan collapse was the question of how could such a strong, stable civilization that had flourished for approximately twenty-seven hundred years disappear without a clearRead MoreMayan Civilization : Ancient Civilizations1314 Words   |  6 PagesMayan Civilization The mayan civilization was one of the earliest civilizations that occupied areas that are today known as Guatemala, Northern Belize, and Mexico. The mayan civilization lived through what is known as the Classic Period. Their culture began about 250 C.E. and ended near 900 C.E. While most of the population lived in what is present day Guatemala the population of the mayans rose from 5,000 to almost two million people near the end of the Classic Period. Although the mayans are knownRead MoreThe Decline Of The Mayan Civilization1143 Words   |  5 PagesThe early Mayan civilization had lowly beginnings. They rose to remarkable heights in a seemingly inhospitable land. As Maya scholar Arthur Demarest said â€Å"Such a civilization, had no business there.† The Mayans had to battle with torrential rain in the rainy season, and when the weather turned hot, it scorched the land and their water supplies would plummet. They were always faced with floods or drought. They were probably forced here due to overcrowding from other tribes. But nonetheless they beganRead MoreEssay The Maya Civilization904 Words   |  4 PagesThe Maya Civilization The ancient Maya once occupied a vast geographic area in Central America. Their civilization inhabited an area that encompasses Mexicos Yucatan peninsula and parts of the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, as well as Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. From the third to the ninth century, Maya civilization produced awe-inspiring temples and pyramids, highly accurate calendars, mathematics and hieroglyphics, and a complex social and political order (CollapseRead MoreHow Bloodletting And Human Sacrifice1235 Words   |  5 Pagesimportant in the life of the Mayans. The bloodletting allows the ruler the ability to communicate with the Gods and their ancestors. While the human sacrifice is connected to the continuation of the cosmos and the resurrection of the agricultural seasons. A summary and a discussion of the book Popol Vuh is presented, on the topic of reassurance theme of human sacrifice is addressed in this paper. The examination of how bloodletting and human sacrifice is crucial to the Mayan culture, and how these ritualsRead MoreMayan, Aztec, Incan Dbq768 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mayan, Aztec, and Inca civilizations brought major accomplishments to the world today. These accomplishments established them as advanced societies during their time without the influence of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Some of these accomplishments ranged from agriculture to architecture and on to writing and trade. Such as, the Mayans with their agriculture system of chinampas and there monumental temple/pyramids, the Aztecs with their trading in the city of Tenochtitlan, and the Incas