The Maya civilization (/ ˈmaɪə /) was a Mesoamerican civilization developed by the Maya peoples, and noted for its logosyllabic script —the most sophisticated and highly developed writing system in pre-Columbian Americas —as well as for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar, and astronomical system.
Full Answer
¿Qué es la cultura maya?
La cultura maya se refiere a una civilización mesoamericana que se desarrolló en el sureste de México (en los estados de Yucatán, Campeche, Quintana Roo, Chiapas y Tabasco ), prácticamente todo Guatemala y también en Belice y la parte occidental de Honduras y en El Salvador: abarcando más de 300,000 km².
¿Cuáles son los libros de la cultura maya?
México: SEP Cultura. Megged, Nahum (1991). El universo del Popol Vuh. Análisis histórico, psicológico y filosófico del mito quiché. México: Diana/UNIVA. Morley, Sylvanus (1965). La civilización maya. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica. Pérez, Juan Pío (1870/1949). Liga de Acción Social de Yucatán, ed. Códice Pérez.
¿Dónde se desarrolla la civilización maya?
La antigua civilización maya se desarrolló dentro del área cultural mesoamericana, una región que se extiende del centro de México hacia el sur en América Central. Mesoamérica fue una de las seis cunas de la civilización en el mundo.
¿Dónde se encuentran los mayas?
Los mayas son un pueblo milenario habitante de Mesoamérica y muy particularmente de los estados mexicanos de Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Chiapas y Tabasco, así cómo de Guatemala y partes de Belice, El Salvador y Honduras.
Where is the lost city of Maya?
northern GuatemalaAbout a half-hour's flying time due north was the Mirador basin itself—a 2,475-square-mile tract of jungle in northern Guatemala and Campeche, Mexico, filled with hidden ruins that Hansen and others refer to as “the cradle of Maya civilization.” We zipped away from the town of Flores at 140 knots.
Are there any Mayan descendants left?
Descendants of the Maya still live in Central America in modern-day Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and parts of Mexico. The majority of them live in Guatemala, which is home to Tikal National Park, the site of the ruins of the ancient city of Tikal.
Did the Mayans come from Egypt?
Egypt civilization appears to have begun about 4,000 to 3,500 B.C. in northern Africa, while the Mayan civilization appears to have arisen around 3300 B.C. in the Yucatan peninsula of North America, now modern Guatemala.
What is the civilization of years at 550 950 AD?
History of the Maya civilizationPeriodDivisionDatesClassicEarly ClassicAD 250–550Late ClassicAD 550–830Terminal ClassicAD 830–950PostclassicEarly PostclassicAD 950–12009 more rows
Who killed the Mayans?
The Itza Maya and other lowland groups in the Petén Basin were first contacted by Hernán Cortés in 1525, but remained independent and hostile to the encroaching Spanish until 1697, when a concerted Spanish assault led by Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi finally defeated the last independent Maya kingdom.
Do Mayans still exist today?
Despite popular belief, the Maya remain an important part of the human geography of the Yucatan. Did the Maya disappear? Explain. No, there are millions of Mayans and Mayan speakers still inhabiting Central America today.Apr 12, 2012
Which is older Mayan or Egyptian pyramids?
Mesoamerican peoples built pyramids from around 1000 B.C. up until the time of the Spanish conquest in the early 16th century. (Egyptian pyramids are much older than American ones; the earliest Egyptian pyramid, the Pyramid of Djoser, was built in the 27 century BC).Sep 30, 2019
What God did the Mayans worship?
While Gucumatz was the most popular god, Hunab-Ku is considered the supreme deity of the pantheon of the Maya, known as `Sole God'.Jul 7, 2012
How are Mayans and Egyptians similar?
The Mayans and Egyptians fit in with many ofuniv~rsal religious themes. Both had a form of polytheistic belief, they believed that the four cardinal directions had important meaning to the flow of life, their world was flat and they were the center of it, they depended on the gods and the gods depended on them.
Where did the Mayans go?
Although the Mayan people never entirely disappeared—their descendants still live across Central America—dozens of core urban areas in the lowlands of the Yucatan peninsula, such as Tikal, went from bustling cities to abandoned ruins over the course of roughly a hundred years.Aug 23, 2012
Why did the Mayans disappear?
Scholars have suggested a number of potential reasons for the downfall of Maya civilization in the southern lowlands, including overpopulation, environmental degradation, warfare, shifting trade routes and extended drought. It's likely that a complex combination of factors was behind the collapse.Oct 5, 2016
Where did the Mayans come from?
The Maya are probably the best-known of the classical civilizations of Mesoamerica. Originating in the Yucatán around 2600 B.C., they rose to prominence around A.D. 250 in present-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, northern Belize and western Honduras.
When were the Maya cities built?
The first Maya cities developed around 750 BC, and by 500 BC these cities possessed monumental architecture, including large temples with elaborate stucco façades. Hieroglyphic writing was being used in the Maya region by the 3rd century BC.
What were the main crops of the Maya?
2000 BC to 250 AD) saw the establishment of the first complex societies in the Maya region, and the cultivation of the staple crops of the Maya diet, including maize, beans, squashes, and chili peppers.
What are the three main periods of Maya civilization?
The history of Maya civilization is divided into three principal periods: the Preclassic, Classic, and Postclassic periods. These were preceded by the Archaic Period, during which the first settled villages and early developments in agriculture emerged. Modern scholars regard these periods as arbitrary divisions of Maya chronology, rather than indicative of cultural evolution or decline. Definitions of the start and end dates of period spans can vary by as much as a century, depending on the author.
What type of stone was used in Maya masonry?
Across a broad swathe of the Maya area, limestone was immediately available. The local limestone is relatively soft when freshly cut, but hardens with exposure.
What were the buildings of the Maya?
Architecturally, city buildings included palaces, pyramid-temples, ceremonial ballcourts, and structures specially aligned for astronomical observation. The Maya elite were literate, and developed a complex system of hieroglyphic writing. Theirs was the most advanced writing system in the pre-Columbian Americas.
How to identify glyph blocks in Maya?
Glyph blocks are usually arranged in a grid pattern. For ease of reference, epigraphers refer to glyph blocks from left to right alphabetically, and top to bottom numerically. Thus, any glyph block in a piece of text can be identified. C4 would be third block counting from the left, and the fourth block counting downwards. If a monument or artefact has more than one inscription, column labels are not repeated, rather they continue in the alphabetic series; if there are more than 26 columns, the labelling continues as A', B', etc. Numeric row labels restart from 1 for each discrete unit of text.
Is the Mayan civilization a part of the Western civilization?
They should always be called Maya and not Mayan. Since at least the time of Spanish colonialism, Maya are also full participants in and culture bearers of "Western civilization" to the same extent than any other "westerner" is participates in, promotes, and continues "Western civilization.".
Periodo Clásico (250-900 d. C.)
El período Clásico se define en gran medida como el período durante el cual en las tierras bajas mayas se levantaron monumentos fechadas, utilizando el calendario de la cuenta larga. [ 28 ] Este período marcó el auge de la construcción a gran escala y el urbanismo, el registro de inscripciones monumentales, y demostró un significativo desarrollo intelectual y artístico, sobre todo en las regiones de las tierras bajas del sur. [ 28 ] El panorama político del período Clásico ha sido comparado con el de la Italia del Renacimiento o de la Grecia clásica, con múltiples ciudades-estado involucrados en una compleja red de alianzas y enemistades. [ 29 ] .
Persistencia de la cultura maya
La conquista española eliminó la mayor parte de los rasgos definitorios de la civilización maya. Sin embargo, muchas aldeas mayas se mantuvieron alejados de la autoridad colonial española, y en gran medida continuaron manejando sus propios asuntos.
Investigación de la civilización maya
Desde el siglo XVI en adelante, los soldados españoles, el clero y administradores estaban familiarizados con la historia y las creencias de los mayas precolombinos.
Sistema politico
A differenza degli Aztechi e degli Inca, i Maya non riuscirono mai, in tutta la loro storia, ad integrarsi in un singolo stato o impero: infatti essi furono caratterizzati da un insieme di città-stato e piccoli regni. Queste unità, tuttavia, interagirono spesso tra loro in complesse reti di rivalità, vassallaggi e alleanze.
Società
A partire dal primo periodo preclassico, la società maya era nettamente divisa tra élite e cittadini comuni. Tuttavia, poiché la popolazione aumentò nel corso degli anni, i vari settori della società divennero sempre più specializzati e l'organizzazione politica sempre più complessa.
Guerra
La pratica della guerra era diffusa in tutto il mondo maya. Si intraprendevano campagne militari per i più diversi motivi, tra cui il controllo delle rotte commerciali e dei tributi, la cattura di prigionieri, fino al tentativo di raggiungere la completa distruzione di uno stato nemico.
Commercio
Il commercio fu un elemento fondamentale della società e nello sviluppo della civiltà maya.
Agricoltura e allevamento
Gli antichi Maya conoscevano diversi e sofisticati metodi per la produzione alimentare.
Il tempo
La cronologia dei Maya era calcolata da un punto fisso del passato, proprio come il cristiano parte dalla nascita di Gesù, il greco dai primi giochi olimpici e il romano dalla fondazione di Roma.
Medicina
Per gli antichi Maya, l'arte della medicina, era un complesso miscuglio di mente, corpo, religione, rituali e scienza. Importante per tutta la popolazione, essa comunque era praticata solo da pochi eletti, che in genere ereditavano la pratica dopo aver ricevuto un'ampia formazione.
What was the first capital of the Maya civilization?
El Mirador is considered to be one of the first capital cities of the Maya civilization. The swamps of the Mirador Basin appear to have been the primary attraction for the first inhabitants of the area as evidenced by the unusual cluster of large cities around them.
How long did the Maya period last?
The Preclassic lasted from approximately 3000 BC to approximately 700 AD; this was followed by the Classic, from 700 AD to roughly 950 AD, then by the Postclassic, from 950 AD to the middle of the 16th century. Each period is further subdivided: Maya chronology. Period. Division.
What are the three main periods of Maya civilization?
The history of Maya civilization is divided into three principal periods: the Preclassic, Classic and Postclassic periods; these were preceded by the Archaic Period, which saw the first settled villages and early developments in agriculture. Modern scholars regard these periods as arbitrary divisions of chronology of the Maya civilization, rather than indicative of cultural evolution or decadence. Definitions of the start and end dates of period spans can vary by as much as a century, depending on the author. The Preclassic lasted from approximately 3000 BC to approximately 700 AD; this was followed by the Classic, from 700 AD to roughly 950 AD, then by the Postclassic, from 950 AD to the middle of the 16th century. Each period is further subdivided:
What were the most powerful cities in the Usumacinta region?
Palenque and Yaxchilan were the most powerful cities in the Usumacinta region. In the highlands, Kaminaljuyu in the Valley of Guatemala was already a sprawling city by AD 300. In the north of the Maya area, Coba was the most important capital. Calakmul was one of the most important Classic period cities.
Where is the Mayan calendar?
The 260-day tzolkʼin ritual calendar continues in use in modern Maya communities in the highlands of Guatemala and Chiapas, and millions of Mayan-language speakers inhabit the territory in which their ancestors developed their civilization.
Who was the first person to photograph the Castillo at Chichen Itza?
1892 photograph of the Castillo at Chichen Itza, by Teoberto Maler. The final two decades of the 19th century saw the birth of modern scientific archaeology in the Maya region, with the meticulous work of Alfred Maudslay and Teoberto Maler.
Who burned the Maya books?
The writings of 16th-century Bishop Diego de Landa, who had infamously burned a large number of Maya books, contain many details of Maya culture, including their beliefs and religious practices, calendar, aspects of their hieroglyphic writing, and oral history.
Hintergrund
In ihrer Blütezeit stellten die Maya eine mächtige Hochkultur dar. Man spricht zumeist von „der“ Maya-Kultur; tatsächlich gibt es auch viele Gemeinsamkeiten zwischen den verschiedenen Fundstellen aus der Vergangenheit – doch stehen hinter dieser Kultur verschiedene Völker mit miteinander mehr oder weniger eng verwandten Maya-Sprachen.
Geographie
Das ausgedehnte historische Siedlungsgebiet der Maya umfasste ungefähr 350.000 km². Im Norden des damaligen Mayalandes ragt die Halbinsel Yucatán weit in die Karibik hinaus. Die Niederschlagsmenge in diesem Gebiet war stets extrem gering, dazu ungleich verteilt, die Region war daher weitestgehend versteppt und mit Dornbüschen bewachsen.
Geschichte
In der Frühen Vorklassik kommt es am Ende der Archaischen Periode zu ersten dauerhaften Siedlungen und zur Entwicklung der Landwirtschaft. Erste den Maya zugerechnete archäologische Funde aus Cuello (Belize) werden auf etwa 2000 v. Chr. datiert. Von diesem Ort soll eine Aufspaltung und Migration nach Norden ( Golf von Mexiko) stattgefunden haben.
Religion
Auffällig an den Ruinenstätten der Maya-Kultur ist das Vorherrschen religiöser Bauten. Deren ethnische Religion und ihre Funktionäre (Priester u. a.) scheinen im Leben der klassischen Maya eine herausragende Rolle gespielt zu haben.
Architektur
Ausgangspunkt für die spätere Entwicklung ist die sogenannte Maya-Hütte, ein – zum Schutz vor eindringendem Wasser und am Boden lebenden Tieren – meist geringfügig erhöht stehender Bau aus ca.
Politische und gesellschaftliche Situation
Die Maya waren vor allem außenpolitisch stark engagiert. Dies war unter anderem dadurch begründet, dass die einzelnen Stadtstaaten ständig untereinander rivalisierten und gleichzeitig die Handelswege zur Versorgung mit Ferngütern kontrollieren mussten.
Kriegswesen
Die Maya führten häufig untereinander Kriege. Eine Reihe von Historikern sehen darin sogar einen der Hauptfaktoren beim Untergang der klassischen Maya-Kultur. Diese These ist jedoch insofern fragwürdig (und wohl z. T.
Orígenes
El origen de los primeros asentamientos en la península de Yucatán no han sido confirmados científicamente a cabalidad, aunque la presencia de los primeros humanos en el área data del Pleistoceno tardío o la edad de hielo (alrededor del año 10000 a. C.) dato obtenido de hallazgos osteo-arqueológicos en las cavernas de Loltún y Tulum. [ 2 ]
Costumbres, lenguaje y religión
A pesar de los embates de los siglos de dominación española y de la explotación y abuso de este pueblo por parte de los hacendados mexicanos durante la época porfiriana, [ 6 ] el pueblo maya aún conserva en gran medida sus costumbres ancestrales, vestido y tradiciones. [ 7 ]
What is Mayan Astrology?
What is often called Maya 'astronomy' is really astrology, that is, a priestly science resting on the assumption of an influence exerted on earthly events by the movements of heavenly bodies and constellations. The observation of sky and horizon by present-day Mayas relates chiefly to celestial signs of seasonal change relevant to agriculture; stars connected to the hunt and specific hunting animals; and stars sending certain illnesses. With but few exceptions, the names of stars and constellations is all that has been preserved, and the influence of star lore on social and professional activities beyond agriculture and on individual destiny can no longer be traced. In this respect, other Mesoamerican groups (such as Totonacs and Oaxacan Chontals) have fared better. The far more sophisticated pre-Hispanic Mayan astrology is mainly found in the Early Post-Classic Dresden Codex, and concerns lunar and solar eclipses and the varying aspects of Venus in the course of its cycles; animals and deities symbolize the social groups negatively affected by Venus during its heliacal rising as the Morning Star. The Paris Codex contains what some consider to be a zodiac. In the earlier, Classical period, references to specific stars are not rare; in dynastic texts, a star glyph with rain symbols signals a decisive war, or " star war ". Some of the Books of Chilam Balam testify to the great interest the colonial Maya had for the astrology of their conquerors.
What are the Mayan landscapes?
The Mayan landscape is a ritual hoe topography, with landmarks such as mountains, wells and caves being assigned to specific ancestors and deities (see also Maya cave sites ). Thus, the Tzotzil town of Zinacantan is surrounded by seven 'bathing places' of mountain-dwelling ancestors, with one of these sacred waterholes serving as the residence of the ancestors' 'nursemaids and laundresses'. Part of these ritual takes place in or near such landmarks; in Yucatán, they also take place around karstic sinkholes (cenotes).
What are the Mayan heroes?
Within the group of the ancestors, a special category is constituted by the heroes, best known through the sixteenth-century Quichean epic of the Maya hero twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque. In the Classic period, the adventures of these two heroes – only partly coinciding with those of the Popol Vuh – were known all over the Mayan area. Specific ancestral heroes occur among various traditional Maya groups, such as the dwarfish Ez among the Yucatec Mayas; Juan K'anil among the Jacaltecs of the northwestern highlands; Ohoroxtotil, the jaguar slayer, among the Tzotziles of Chiapas; and Kumix among the Ch'orti' Mayas. The heroes' actions can belong to a relatively recent past, and be semi-historical, or have occurred in the deep past, and be primeval; but in principle, the heroes can be addressed in prayer, and receive some form of worship. Sometimes, they have merged with specific military saints.
What is the afterlife in the Maya?
The Yucatec Maya had a double concept of the afterlife: Evildoers descended into an underworld ( metnal) to be tormented there (a view still held by the 20th-century Lacandons ), while others, such as those led by the goddess Ixtab, went to a sort of paradise. The ancestors of Maya kings (Palenque tomb of Pakal, Berlin pot) are shown sprouting from the earth like fruit trees which, together, constitute a blissful orchard. The so-called ' Flower Mountain ' has more specifically been interpreted as a reference to an aquatic and solar paradise. To judge by the marine faunal remains found in Classic tombs and by the accompanying aquatic imagery, this sea paradise may have been the Maya variant of the rain god's paradise ( Tlalocan) in Central Mexican religion.
What were the war rituals in the Maya?
In the pre-Hispanic period, war rituals focused on the war leaders and the weapons. The jaguar-spotted War Twin Xbalanque counted as a war deity in the Alta Verapaz; preceding a campaign, rituals were held for him during thirty days, so that he might imbue the weapons with his power. The Yucatec ritual for the war chief ( nakom) was connected to the cult of a puma war god, and included a five-day residence of the war leader in the temple, "where they burned incense to him as to an idol." In Classic war rituals, the Maya jaguar gods were prominent, particularly the jaguar deity associated with fire (and patron of the number Seven), whose face commonly adorns the king's war shield. The Palenque Temple of the Sun, dedicated to war, shows in its sanctuary the emblem of such a shield, held up by two crossed spears.
What was the role of the Yucatec king in the Maya court?
In the Classic period, the rituals of kingship were the most important rituals of the Maya court.
What is the priest called in the Maya?
To a large extent, Maya religion is indeed a complex of ritual practices; and it is, therefore, fitting that the indigenous Yucatec village priest is simply called jmen ("practitioner"). Among the main concepts relating to Maya ritual are the following ones.
What is the Maya?
In the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, Maya is "the powerful force that creates the cosmic illusion that the phenomenal world is real.". In Hinduism, Maya is also an epithet for goddess Lakshmi, and the name of a manifestation of Lakshmi, the goddess of "wealth, prosperity and love". Also, Maya refers to wealth or treasure itself.
What does the word "maya" mean?
Not to be confused with Maya (Buddhist mental factor). Maya ( / ˈmɑːjə /; Devanagari: माया, IAST: māyā ), literally "illusion" or "magic", has multiple meanings in Indian philosophies depending on the context. In later Vedic texts, Māyā connotes a "magic show, an illusion where things appear to be present but are not what they seem".
What is the difference between Brahman and Maya?
A later Advaita scholar Prakasatman addressed this, by explaining, "Maya and Brahman together constitute the entire universe, just like two kinds of interwoven threads create a fabric. Maya is the manifestation of the world, whereas Brahman, which supports Maya, is the cause of the world.".
What is Varuna's supernatural power called?
Varuna 's supernatural power is called Maya. Māyā, in such examples, connotes powerful magic, which both devas (gods) and asuras (demons) use against each other. In the Yajurveda, māyā is an unfathomable plan. In the Aitareya Brahmana Maya is also referred to as Dirghajihvi, hostile to gods and sacrifices.
What is the Maya in yoga?
Maya in Yoga school is the manifested world and implies divine force. Yoga and Maya are two sides of the same coin, states Zimmer, because what is referred to as Maya by living beings who are enveloped by it, is Yoga for the Brahman (Universal Principle, Supreme Soul) whose yogic perfection creates the Maya. Maya is neither illusion nor denial of perceived reality to the Yoga scholars, rather Yoga is a means to perfect the "creative discipline of mind" and "body-mind force" to transform Maya.
What does Yoga Vasistha say about Maya?
The text Yoga Vasistha explains the need to understand Maya as follows, Just as when the dirt is removed, the real substance is made manifest; just as when the darkness of the night is dispelled, the objects that were shrouded by the darkness are clearly seen, when ignorance [Maya] is dispelled, truth is realized.
What is the root of the word Maya?
He categorically uses a Prakrit (Tamil:Pagatham) Tadbhava Mayakkam, which is the root of the word Maya (m). He says that the entire creation is a blurred flow between State of matter or Pancha Bhutas. This concept of Maya is of the school of Agastya, who was the first Tamil grammarian and the guru of Tholkappiyar.
Overview
Bibliography
• Abrams, Elliot M. (1994). How the Maya Built Their World: Energetics and Ancient Architecture. Austin, Texas, US: University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-70461-9. OCLC 29564628.
• Adams, Richard E. W. (2005) [1977]. Prehistoric Mesoamerica (3rd ed.). Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-3702-5. OCLC 58975830.
Mesoamerica
The Maya civilization developed within the Mesoamerican cultural area, which covers a region that spreads from northern Mexico southwards into Central America. Mesoamerica was one of six cradles of civilization worldwide. The Mesoamerican area gave rise to a series of cultural developments that included complex societies, agriculture, cities, monumental architecture, writing, and calendrical systems. The set of traits shared by Mesoamerican cultures also inclu…
Geography
The Maya civilization occupied a wide territory that included southeastern Mexico and northern Central America. This area included the entire Yucatán Peninsula and all of the territory now incorporated into the modern countries of Guatemala and Belize, as well as the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador. Most of the peninsula is formed by a vast plain with few hills or mountains and a generally low coastline.
History
The history of Maya civilization is divided into three principal periods: the Preclassic, Classic, and Postclassic periods. These were preceded by the Archaic Period, during which the first settled villages and early developments in agriculture emerged. Modern scholars regard these periods as arbitrary divisions of Maya chronology, rather than indicative of cultural evolution or decline. Definitions of the start and end dates of period spans can vary by as much as a centur…
Politics
Unlike the Aztecs and the Inca, the Maya political system never integrated the entire Maya cultural area into a single state or empire. Rather, throughout its history, the Maya area contained a varying mix of political complexity that included both states and chiefdoms. These polities fluctuated greatly in their relationships with each other and were engaged in a complex web of rivalries, periods of dominance or submission, vassalage, and alliances. At times, different polities achieved regional dominance, such as Calakmul, Caracol, Mayapan, and Tikal. The first re…
Society
From the Early Preclassic, Maya society was sharply divided between the elite and commoners. As population increased over time, various sectors of society became increasingly specialised, and political organization became increasingly complex. By the Late Classic, when populations had grown enormously and hundreds of cities were connected in a complex web of political hierarchies, the wealthy segment of society multiplied. A middle class may have developed tha…
Warfare
Warfare was prevalent in the Maya world. Military campaigns were launched for a variety of reasons, including the control of trade routes and tribute, raids to take captives, scaling up to the complete destruction of an enemy state. Little is known about Maya military organization, logistics, or training. Warfare is depicted in Maya art from the Classic period, and wars and victories are mentioned in hieroglyphic inscriptions. Unfortunately, the inscriptions do not provi…
período Preclásico
Periodo Clásico
- El período Clásico se define en gran medida como el período durante el cual en las tierras bajas mayas se levantaron monumentos fechadas, utilizando el calendario de la cuenta larga.[28] Este período marcó el auge de la construcción a gran escala y el urbanismo, el registro de inscripciones monumentales, y demostró un significativo desarrollo intelectual y artístico, sobre todo en las regiones de las tierras bajas del sur.[28] El panor…
Periodo Posclásico
- Hacia el comienzo del siglo X, con el inicio del colapso del periodo Clásico Terminal, las grandes ciudades que dominaban Petén habían caído en la ruina.[72] A pesar de ser mucho más reducida, una significativa presencia maya permaneció durante el periodo Posclásico, después del abandono de las ciudades durante el Clásico Terminal; la población se concentró principalmente cerca de las fuentes de agua permanentes.[73] A diferencia …
Periodo de Contacto Y Conquista Española
- En 1511, una carabela española naufragó en el Caribe, y alrededor de una docena de sobrevivientes tocó tierra en la costa de Yucatán. Ellos fueron capturados por un señor maya, y la mayoría fueron sacrificados, aunque dos lograron escapar. De 1517 a 1519, tres expediciones españolas separadas exploraron la costa de Yucatán, y participaron en una serie de batallas con los habitantes mayas.[95] Después de que la capital azteca Tenochtitla…
Persistencia de La Cultura Maya
- La conquista española eliminó la mayor parte de los rasgos definitorios de la civilización maya. Sin embargo, muchas aldeas mayas se mantuvieron alejados de la autoridad colonial española, y en gran medida continuaron manejando sus propios asuntos. Las comunidades rurales mayas, y la familia nuclear, mantuvieron su vida diaria tradicional.[105] El cultivo de alimentos básicos, como el maíz y frijoles, continuó, aunque la producción agrícol…
Investigación de La Civilización Maya
- Desde el siglo XVI en adelante, los soldados españoles, el clero y administradores estaban familiarizados con la historia y las creencias de los mayas precolombinos. Los agentes de la Iglesia católica escribieron relatos detallados de los mayas para apoyar sus esfuerzos de evangelización y de absorción en el Imperio español.[109] Incluso los escritos del obispo Diego de Landa del siglo XVI, que había quemado una gran cantidad de libros ma…