RIHLA #7

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The Mesoamerican Mayans

What's so interesting about the Mesoamerican Mayans?
The Mesoamerican Mayans have gained huge achievements, which includes their mathematical system (including zero and place notation) and their ability to observe and predict eclipses. The Mayans were also into agriculture and art. Their art ranged from average paintings on paper to statue figures made from a type of molding clay. The art displayed numerous acitivities, important people, and the types of interaction between the people. To grow their food, the Mayans removed any obstacles that could interfere with the growth of the crops (flattening hills for example). The Mayan diet consisted mostly of corn. The last but most interesting thing about the Mayans is the end of the Mayan calender (also known as the end of the world/time). The calender itself is constructed based on the astronimical observations of the planets and stars. The calender includes the dates of numerous years into the future (at least until 2012).

What makes the Mesoamerican Mayans a civilization?
1. Organized Government
The Mayans were a structured people, but their entire nation was divided into states.
2. Complex Religion
The Mayans believed in numerous gods and made sacrifices to them. They practiced all of these in certain religous areas.
3. Job Specialization/ Agriculture
There were a lot of jobs a Mayan could chose to do. The jobs include artist, priest, merchant, architect, etc. The Mayans grew food on cultivated lands, which may have been flattened for use from hills or swamps.
4. Social Heirarchy
There was a class like system. This ranged from the king all the way down to the poor man.
5. Writing
The Mayans had a very nice way of recording everything for others to read. Their writing included both pictures and syllable like forms.
6. Cities
There were cities in the times of the Mayans. All had a unique architectual structure.
7. Public Works
The Mayans carried out public sacrifices to gods. Priests recorded important events.
8. Arts and Architecture
The Mayans showed their art in everything that stood above the ground. There are pictures on temples, which include pictures of different activities or highly praised people (kings, priests, etc.). There are also pots and slabs of artistic creations. The architecture varied for different types of buildings. A temple made for a god, for example, would be created differently from a ceremonial area.

The Mayan society is like today's society because both include social classes. Today there are people who make little money (lower class) and people who make a lot of money (higher class). In the Mayan society, there were high priests and kings who stood at the top of the social class, and there were the common people who do jobs like being merchants (the lower class).


For more information about the Mayans, go to these websites
-http://indians.org/welker/maya.htm
-http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1123-the-maya-civilization-cities-of-the-maya
-http://www.religionfacts.com/mayan_religion/index.htm
-http://www.crystalinks.com/mayanarch.html

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