RIHLA #7

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Mesoamerican Mayans ( AD 300-900)

Organized Government:
- Hierarchical government that was ruled by kings and priest.
- During the classic Maya period State level political organization developed ( large city states)
- Classic Mayan societies centralize the royal household especially the king.

Complex Religion:

- Mayan believes in a cyclical nature
- Rituals and ceremonies
- Mayan practice Human sacrifice
- Mayan believed in three major cosmos which include the earth, the underworld, and the heavens
- priest were respected for conducting the ceremonies and rituals that help harvest their plants and win battles
- worship of nature gods ( sun, rain, and corn)


Social Hierarchy-
- Nobles - rulers ( military and government officials)
- Priests
- commoners (Farmers, Craftsmen)
- Slaves


Writing:
- Hieroglyphic writing ( phonetic symbols and logograms)
- Mayans produced texts painted on tree- bark paper


Arts and Architecture:

- Mayans were known for their amazing ceremonial architecture. ( pyramidal mounds with a temple on top)
- build large pyramids and palaces
- funerary pottery

What was more interesting about Mayan is that around 900 AD Mayans left their cities for unknown reasons.
Historians believe that they abandoned their city because of the following:
- decline warfare
- overpopulation
- Famine
- Natural disaster


URL links :
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization
- http://www.angelfire.com/ca/humanorigins/government.html
- http://www.caa.uidaho.edu/arch499/nonwest/mayan/agricul

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