Ancient Maya Civilization Ⓒ HD

The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period (c. 2000 BC to 250 AD), according to the Mesoamerican chronology, many Maya cities reached their highest state of development during the Classic period (c. 250 AD to 900 AD), and continued throughout the Post-Classic period until the arrival of the Spanish.

The Maya civilization shares many features with other Mesoamerican civilizations due to the high degree of interaction and cultural diffusion that characterized the region. Advances such as writing, epigraphy, and the calendar did not originate with the Maya; however, their civilization fully developed them. Maya influence can be detected from Honduras, Guatemala, Northern El Salvador and to as far as central Mexico, more than 1000 km (625 miles) from the Maya area. Many outside influences are found in Maya art and architecture, which are thought to result from trade and cultural exchange rather than direct external conquest.

The Maya peoples never disappeared, neither at the time of the Classic period decline nor with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores and the subsequent Spanish colonization of the Americas. Today, the Maya and their descendants form sizable populations throughout the Maya area and maintain a distinctive set of traditions and beliefs that are the result of the merger of pre-Columbian and post-Conquest ideas and cultures. Many Mayan languages continue to be spoken as primary languages today; the Rabinal Achí, a play written in the Achi language, was declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• maya
• civilization
• mayan
• calendar
• mayans
• 2012
• columbo
• cortez
• mexico
• mexicans
• apocalypto
• Tenochtitlan
• Teotihuacán
• hispano
• Aztec

[bogdanbackup]

čujem da su bili šampioni ljudskih prava :))

[CroPETROforever]

@bogdanbackup haha

[KumarZimmerman08]

Didn't mayans talk about a light skinned god? And that's why they'd strap boards to elongate their children's heads?

[CroPETROforever]

@KumarZimmerman08 yes, they've said that 10 000 years ago one "white person" called Pahana came to their home, central america and teached them how to build pyramids and walls, also they've said that he came on "sky chariot", after that he left in "sky chariot" and said he will come back one day... poor indians tought that spaniards were Pahana coming back... but they were wrong... deadly wrong.

[antarktyka1]

I was 4 times in Mexico and I saw  the Mayas and something tells that those Mayas did'nt build all the Piramids by them selfs but rather that their so called Gods ( Kachinas ) helped them

[CroPETROforever]

@antarktyka1 yes, that is more like a legend that true, but very interesting legend, even more interesting is thing with INKAS and their legends about "someone" :)

[aztec714ok]

europeans fucked up the world and made it primitive....you will pay the piper in the afterlife

[KumarZimmerman08]

@aztec714ok Wow, you must have some life. coming back and re-commenting again.

[N00bcrunch3r]

@CroPETROforever

"Sky chariot"? That sounds Ancient Astronaut Theory folklore.

[aztec714ok]

@KumarZimmerman08 no you ignorant monkey

[christeanLambert]

MAYA R THE BEST SCREW EVERYONE WHO DESTROIED THIS AMAZIN CULTURE