AgendaAgenda

►Reminder: Tonight on PBS, Cracking Reminder: Tonight on PBS, Cracking the Mayan Code. 8:00 pmthe Mayan Code. 8:00 pm

►Mayan early classicMayan early classic►Slides of Tikal, Palenque, Copan, Slides of Tikal, Palenque, Copan,

TeotihuacanTeotihuacan►Assignment: Mayan glyphsAssignment: Mayan glyphs

The Mayan The Mayan CivilizationCivilization

Conquest of the JungleConquest of the Jungle

Late formative and Early Classic Late formative and Early Classic periodperiod

El Mirador

El Mirador

Early pre-Maya and Maya Early pre-Maya and Maya sitessites

► El Mirador. From 300 BC to AD 300. Unique El Mirador. From 300 BC to AD 300. Unique architecture.architecture.

► Contemporaries elsewhere: Contemporaries elsewhere: ► Monte Alban in Oaxaca. 500 BC to about AD Monte Alban in Oaxaca. 500 BC to about AD

700with decline to 1500 AD700with decline to 1500 AD► Teotihuacán in Valley of Mexico 100 BC to Teotihuacán in Valley of Mexico 100 BC to

AD 500 and slow decline to 1000 AD.AD 500 and slow decline to 1000 AD.

Forms of InfluenceForms of Influence

► Direct through conquestDirect through conquest► Shared ideas and ideologyShared ideas and ideology► Trade in ideas as well as commoditiesTrade in ideas as well as commodities► Artistic motifsArtistic motifs► LanguageLanguage► [Think Canada, United States, Mexico of [Think Canada, United States, Mexico of

today. Different nations and cultures but today. Different nations and cultures but much in common—each largely derived much in common—each largely derived from European sources].from European sources].

Survey of cities/urban Survey of cities/urban centerscenters

► Peten regionPeten region► TikalTikal► PalenquePalenque► Copan Copan (pre Mayan (pre Mayan

component)component)

► Quirigua Quirigua (pre Mayan (pre Mayan component)component)

► Basin of MexicoBasin of Mexico► Teotihucan (“city of Teotihucan (“city of

the gods” or “place the gods” or “place where time began”)where time began”)

► YucatanYucatan► Chichen itzaChichen itza

►We can not speak of Early classic Maya We can not speak of Early classic Maya without also considering Teotihuacanwithout also considering Teotihuacan

►Evidence of influences in shared Evidence of influences in shared cultural traits and architectural / artistic cultural traits and architectural / artistic styles, cosmology, myths.styles, cosmology, myths.

►We also have evidence from We also have evidence from inscriptions at Tikal of Teotihuacan inscriptions at Tikal of Teotihuacan “strangers from the west”“strangers from the west”

TeotihuacanTeotihuacan

►Early construction perhaps 100 BCEarly construction perhaps 100 BC►Astronomical and ritual numerology Astronomical and ritual numerology

integrated with architectureintegrated with architecture►Basic unit 32 inches. Divinition Basic unit 32 inches. Divinition

calendar number 260 incorporated calendar number 260 incorporated into structural proportions. into structural proportions.

►The number 584 critical to layout and The number 584 critical to layout and alignments of streets.alignments of streets.

► Pyramid of the Sun Pyramid of the Sun built over a cave built over a cave (perhaps the origin (perhaps the origin cave of humanity) cave of humanity) Several construction Several construction phasesphases

► Completion AD 100 Completion AD 100 at 246 feet height.at 246 feet height.

► City layout City layout incorporates 365, incorporates 365, 29, 260, 32, 584 at 29, 260, 32, 584 at basic levels. Other basic levels. Other numbers also numbers also evident.evident.

► Several separate Several separate pyramid complexespyramid complexes

► In AD 100 population In AD 100 population of at least 100,000.of at least 100,000.

Temple complex at Tikal

Tikal. Guatemala.

Kulkalcan

How do modern cities How do modern cities exhibit/advertise prestige?exhibit/advertise prestige?

►Professional sports arenas, cultural Professional sports arenas, cultural centers (museums, art, theater), centers (museums, art, theater), architectural singularity…architectural singularity…

►We see theses same concerns with We see theses same concerns with prestige at key Mayan centers.prestige at key Mayan centers.

Palenque “Palace”

Palenque

This city also house the rich tomb of Lord Pacal. His sarcophagus was found within several layers of rebuilt temples. The lid (10,000 pound limestone slab) portrays in low relief a mythological journey to the underworld.

Death mask of jade.

“El Castillo” at Chichen itza

Chichen itza. Yucatan. The “jaguar” temple. Near entry to ball court.

Ball court rings. Chichen itza.

El Caracol. The “observatory.”

Mosaic style architectural façade.

Chichen itza.

Yucatan.

Sacred cenote at Chichen itza.

Choc mool

Image from a tzompantli carving. (skull rack)

Coba Yucatan

Artifacts from Copan

Artist reconstruction of Copan. Honduras.

Temple complex at Copan. Yucatan.

Polychrome drinking vessel. Ceremonial hunting scene with heralds blowing conch shell horns.

►SlidesSlides

Written HistoryWritten History

►Reading Mayan glyphs Pattern Reading Mayan glyphs Pattern recognition not enough to translate.recognition not enough to translate.

►Sir Eric Thompson the leading Mayan Sir Eric Thompson the leading Mayan epigrapher until his death in 1974.*epigrapher until his death in 1974.*

► Insights made by Yuri Valentinovitch Insights made by Yuri Valentinovitch Knorosov in 1960’s of syllabic fusion of Knorosov in 1960’s of syllabic fusion of separate elements into one glyph.separate elements into one glyph.

The struggleThe struggle

► Several theories about Mayan glyphs in Several theories about Mayan glyphs in competition: pictographic; phonetic; syllabic; competition: pictographic; phonetic; syllabic; symbolic--non spoken; esoteric magic…symbolic--non spoken; esoteric magic…

► Bitter rivalries and harsh words into the 1980’s.Bitter rivalries and harsh words into the 1980’s.► Sir Thompson shown to be almost fully incorrect Sir Thompson shown to be almost fully incorrect

in his analysis.in his analysis.

► Current approach has almost unanimous supportCurrent approach has almost unanimous support

Your struggleYour struggle

►Reading a page from one of the only Reading a page from one of the only surviving Mayan books.surviving Mayan books.

►Page from the Dresden CodexPage from the Dresden Codex Pattern recognitionPattern recognition

►CluesClues►spacesspaces

►Proceed the way an epigrapher Proceed the way an epigrapher would…seek patterns.would…seek patterns.

PatternsPatterns

► Look for groupingsLook for groupings► Note: the Maya Note: the Maya

counted in base 20counted in base 20► Read the numbersRead the numbers► Place value system Place value system

as in our familiar as in our familiar base 10, but …base 10, but …

► Instead of 1’s, 10’s, Instead of 1’s, 10’s, 100’s (10x10) the 100’s (10x10) the Maya counted in the Maya counted in the 20’s, 400’s (20x20) 20’s, 400’s (20x20) and so on.and so on.

► They get some They get some really big numbers.really big numbers.

Maya people todayMaya people today

► Throughout Mexico, Throughout Mexico, Guatemala, HondurasGuatemala, Honduras

► Discriminated minority.Discriminated minority.► Mostly poor and rural.Mostly poor and rural.► Maintain some Maintain some

language and a few language and a few cultural arts and cultural arts and traditions.traditions.

► Mostly Catholic, but Mostly Catholic, but practice blended faith.practice blended faith.

What does it mean?What does it mean?

► We need to We need to calculate the values calculate the values shown.shown.

► Which way do the Which way do the numbers go and numbers go and how do they group?how do they group?

► Experimentation is Experimentation is the only way to the only way to solve this.solve this.

Mayan AccomplishmentsMayan Accomplishments

►MathematicsMathematics►AstronomyAstronomy►EngineeringEngineering► Irrigation agricultureIrrigation agriculture►TradeTrade►ArchitectureArchitecture►Writing and sacred librariesWriting and sacred libraries