Source: World History: Patterns of Interaction by Beck et al

Source: http://www.thelivingmoon.com/43ancients/04images/Pyramid/Tikal_Guatemala_1600.JPG

Classic Mayan Civilization established. Classic Age lasted from 200 B.C. to 900 A.D.

Mayan City-States rise and become urban centers. Tikal in Guatemala

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Source: http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2009/06/93974,xcitefun-copan-ruins-honduras-1.jpg

Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/2293092517_39512a27fa.jpg

Mayan City-States rise and become urban centers. Copan in western Honduras

Mayan City-States rise and become urban centers. Chichen Itza in Yucatan Peninsula

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Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Zea_mays.jpg

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/ResplendentQuetzal.jpg

Trade and exchange of goods supported cities. Quetzal feathers are examples of commodities

traded.

Agriculture supported cities. Maize is an example of a primary domesticated crop, and it is also

one of the staple foods of Mayans.

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Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Jadestein.jpg

Source: http://www.precolumbianwomen.com/maya-society.jpg

Trade and exchange of goods supported cities. Precious metals like jade are examples of

commodities traded.

Agriculture and trade led to the accumulation of wealth which eventually resulted to the

development of social classes. The king is at the top of the society followed by the nobility which

included the priests and leading warriors. Merchants and artisans are next, and at the

lowest level are the peasants and slaves.

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Source: http://www.religionfacts.com/mayan_religion/images/uxmal-chac-sculptures-cc-mexicanwave.jpg

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Dresden_Codex_p09.jpg

Mayan religion: Sculptures of rain and fertility gods on temples show that Mayans worshipped

gods.

Mayan religion: The Dresden codex, a Mayan text, contains astronomical tables of great

accuracy, and it is famous for the Lunar Series and the Venus table. Mayan texts weren’t

regarded as sacred unlike the Bible or Quran, but as important records of religious rituals and

knowledge.

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Source: http://www.hharlestonjr.com/images/pariscodex.jpg

Source: World History: Patterns of Interaction by Beck et al

Mayan religion: The Paris codex, a Mayan text, devoted to Mayan rituals and ceremonies.

Mayan texts weren’t regarded as sacred unlike the Bible or Quran, but as important records of

religious rituals and knowledge.

Mayan religion: The Troano codex, a section of the Madrid codex, a Mayan text, with the

Cortesianus codex as the other section, is said to have been written after Spanish arrival. Mayan

texts weren’t regarded as sacred unlike the Bible or Quran, but as important records of religious

rituals and knowledge.

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Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Popol_vuh.jpg

Source: http://www.religionfacts.com/mayan_religion/images/kabah-sculptures-cc-mike-nl.jpg

Mayan religion: A translation of Popol Vuh, a Mayan text, by Francisco Ximénez. Written in

Quiche, a highland Maya language, It chronicles the creation of man, the actions of the gods, the origin and history of the Quiché people, and the chronology of their kings down to 1550. Mayan

texts weren’t regarded as sacred unlike the Bible or Quran, but as important records of religious

rituals and knowledge.

Mayan religion: Sculptures with jaguar headdresses on a Mayan temple in Kabah,

Mexico. Mayan’s concept of afterlife consisted primarily of a voyage of the soul through the underworld, filled with evil gods(jaguar). The

majority of Maya, including the rulers, went to this underworld. Those who were sacrificed or

died at childbirth go to heaven.

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Source: http://www.2012awareness.com/Maya-Glyphs-Stucco.jpg

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Maya.svg/248px-Maya.svg.png

Maya glyph was the writing system of the Mayan civilization. It contained about 800 hieroglyphic symbols, of which some represent whole words

while others represent syllables.

Mayans had a vigesimal (base 20) numerical system. They also independently developed the

concept of zero.

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Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Mexico_Cenotes.jpg

Source: http://www.mayacalendar.com/mayadivination/tzolkin.gif

Mayan religion: Human sacrifices were made to the gods to demonstrate devotion, and appease

them. Cenote Sagrado in Chichen Itza is an example. Sacrifices were made to Chaac, the rain

god.

Tzolk’in is the 260-day Mesoamerican calendar made by the Mayan civilization. It is an

important component in the society and rituals of the ancient and the modern Maya.

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Source: http://www.mysticunicorn.com/graphics/P-5.jpg

Source: http://www.2012thetruth.com/images/La_Mojarra_Inscription_and_Long_Count_date.jpg

Haab’ is a 365-day calendar made by the Mayan civilization. Unlike the Tzolk’in, Haab’

approximated the solar year. They calculated it to 365.2420 days which is only .0002 day away

from the accepted value.

The Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, also known as Mayan Long Count calendar, is a non-

repeating, base-20 and base-18 calendar.

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Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/47/Map_bonam-1.gif

Maya music served many ceremonial functions such as funerals or celebrations after victory in war. Percussion instruments such as drums and

maracas were used. Flutes were also used.

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Source: http://www.religionfacts.com/mayan_religion/images/chichen-itza-observatory-wp.jpg

Source: http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g316/patrick1952/ChichenItzaBallCourt.jpg

Mayan architecture: Observatory in Chichen Itza. The Mayans were skilled astronomers, and they studied celestial bodies such as the Moon and

Venus.

Mayan architecture: Ballcourt in Chichen Itza. Ball courts were a feature of ancient Maya cities.

The games held religious significance.

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Source: World History: Patterns of Interaction by Beck et al

Source: World History: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Tikal6.jpg

Mayan architecture: A steele is a carved marker that is used to mark special dates or as a building

marker. Steele in Copan

Mayan architecture: Pyramids were religious structures and could be used as tombs. Temple

in Tikal.

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