The Maya

The Maya• Civilizations had been

on Mesoamerica since around 1200BC.– Olmec

• “Mother Culture”

• The Maya are one of the most sophisticated civilizations in the Americas.– Lasted from 300 –

900AD– Cleared rainforest in

order to farm– Organized into many

independent city-states• Built around central

pyramids

Tikal

Palenque

Chichen Itza

Mayan Religion• Polytheistic Theocracy• All of life was in the

hands of the gods.– “Kukulcan” or

“Quetzalcoatl”• Feathered Serpent• Vows to return someday

to reclaim his throne

• Humans and animals were sacrificed to please the gods.– Blood = Life

Highlights of Mayan Society

• Worked with gold and other precious metals.

• Used cacao– Chocolate was a drink

for the higher classes

• Wrote in hieroglyphs.– The Mayan Codices

• Played a ceremonial ball game

Mayan Calendars

• Had two calendars– “Long Count”

• 18 months of 20 days each (360 days)

• Leaves 5 days at the end

– “bad” or “unlucky” days

– Ritual calendar• Known only by priests• 260 days

Doomsday?• According to their calendar,

the world was created in the year 3114BC and it will “complete” its current cycle on the Winter Solstice (December 21st) of 2012.

• So is the world going to end?

• Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012.

• This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then -- just as your calendar begins again on January 1 -- another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.