On many TV Programs, Maya often talked about due to their uniqueness and the thrives in technology at the time. The archaeologist writes that ancient Maya reached a peak between A.D. 250 and 900, known as the Classic period. Until now, Maya ruins can still be seen across Central America.
In present, the term “Maya” refers to both a modern-day group of people who live across the globe. It is believed that their ancestors built an ancient civilization that stretched across much of Central America.
The Civilization
The Maya people refer themselves by ethnicity and language bonds such as Quiche in the south or Yucatec in the north. They live in southeastern Mexico and northern Central America, including Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. Altogether, their homelands cover an area of approximately 125,000 square miles (323,750 square kilometers).
The `Mysterious Maya’ have intrigued the world since their `discovery’ in the 1840’s. The Maya descendants is the people who built the great cities like Chichen Itza, Bonampak, Uxmal and Altun Ha. While many Maya have settled in cities—particularly Merida and Cancún—and adopted an urban lifestyle, most remain rural dwellers.
Mesoamerican Pyramids
The structures which shape like pyramids form a prominent part of ancient Mesoamerican architecture. Although similar to each other in some ways, these New World structures is different with Egyptian pyramids. The only resemblance is their stairs bear but with a weak point architectural.
Maya and The Forest
The majority of the Maya lived a rural, agricultural life around these ceremonial cities. The earth was one of the most important parts of Mayan life and worship. They believe that the world was a combination of the heavens and the underworld. It linking together by a giant tree, which had its branches in the heavens, and its roots in the underworld.
Nature was central because most of the Mayan people were farmers. They usually have a culture to sacrifices animals, plants, and sometimes humans. In belief it would encourage the fertility of the earth and lead to good crops.
Many Mayan Gods were seen as forces of nature, such as the Chac the God of Rain. There was also a God of Chocolate who blessed the people with cacao beans.
As the peninsula had no mines, the Maya were without iron or any metal. Their tools were almost entirely of flint or other stone, even for the most intricate monumental carving. For household purposes they used clay pottery, dishes of shell, or gourds. Their pottery was of notable excellence, as were also their weaving, dyeing, and feather work. Along the coast they had wooden dugout canoes capable of holding fifty persons.