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Maya and their culture
BY:Brooke, Elsa, and Jessa
Social Structure
The highest people in the social structure were Kings,queens and they ruled most cities. Priests also sometimes ruled cities.
Social Structure
The Social Structure
The lowest class of Mayans were slaves. They were followed by peasants,then merchants and Artisans. Next, there are the Priests and Nobles. Finally, there are the Rulers.
the social
structure
Jobs
Lower class men in Maya were farmers, hunters, crafts men, etc. High class men were usually priests, military leaders, or the kings counselor.
The women in Maya would not have jobs, and would only do house work. The ruler was not elected but born into his or her role, since Maya was a monarchy.
Artistic artifacts
Some artistic artifacts that the Mayans created include ornaments, pottery, headdresses, and animal masks. Craftsmen usually used materials such as clay, jade, obsidian, onyx, serpentine, quetzal feathers, fur, and cotton to create these artifacts.
Arts
Written Language
The Mayan's written language is called Glyphs. It is written using red and black ink or is carved into stone. We don't know exactly but we suspect that the writing came from either Olmec, or independently.
Written Language
Food supply
major food sources for the Mayans included;
Avocado trees, Lobster, corn, fish, deer,
crabs, bird eggs, papaya, tomatoes, beans, squash, nuts, and cacao. They made lots of different foods with these crops. They used these crops because they were found in the area.
The Mayans used Techniques such as the digging stick with stone implements, sowing, and harvesting. These techniques were because they were the cheapest to use and the simplest.
techniques
Government
The government type that the Mayans used is called a Monarchy. They were ruled by Kings, Queens, or sometimes priests. Each city had its own king as well as a trained army. the Mayans would often conquer other cities and land. The land that the Mayans conquered is Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador.
Religion
the Mayans have a polytheistic religion. Some of their traditions include human sacrifice, and blood letting. its also custom to flatten your forehead and look cross-eyed! Men also traditionally wear the ex skirt. the Mayans believe that there is an underworld and over-world, and that the gods stand on the four corners of the Deities (Earth).
Religion
The Quetzal is very important in Mayan culture. the Mayans associate this bird with the snake god Quetzalcoatl and it is seen as a symbol for goodness and light.
Quetzal
Jade
The Mayans consider jade sacred and far more important than gold. for the Mayans jade represents fertility. It is green like the shoots of young corn plants.
Jade
Location
the Mayans were located present day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Mayan city of Chichen Itza is located in Mexico.
Up north was very dry and had lots of stunted trees. Down south was very humid with lush rainforests and plenty of rainfall.
Location
Technology
Mayan innovations include a Mayan calender, mathematics system, measurement, and number system. Like the Haida, the Mayans used ocean going canoes for transportation.
Technology
Currency
The Mayans didn't have an exact currency, but Cacao beans were sometimes used. The Mayans also used goods that were not found in the area as currency.
Currency
Timeline
The Mayan civilization began at approximately 2000 BC with the Olmec, and ended about the 9th century. In between those many years the Mayans had three major periods; the Pre-Classical period, the classical period, and the post-classical period.
Timeline
Pre-classical period
The pre-classical period lasted from 2000 BC- 250 AD within this period the first pyramids were built, and the cities began to grow in size since the Mayans began to farm. At around the year 700 BC, the Mayans developed writing.
Pre-Classical period
Classical Period
250 AD- 900 AD was considered the golden age for Mayans. Many cities were abandoned at the end of this period. At around the year 400, Mayan highlands fell to Teotihuacan, and the Mayan culture began to disappear. However, citizens of Teotihuacan traveled to a city called Tikal, where they introduced human sacrifice.
Classical period
Post-Classical Period
The Mayan Post-Classic Period was from the year 900 AD to 1500 AD. At the beginning, Northern cities in Maya continued to thrive. But at around 1200 AD, they were abandoned.