Maya

The Mayans

Poll

Do you like mysteries?

• Yes!

• No.

• Sometimes.

Imagine this: deep in the rainforests of Mexico and Central America stand the remains of huge Maya cities—places with tall stone pyramids, temples, palaces, and busy marketplaces. These cities were once full of life, music, farming, trading, and celebrations.

And then—something happened.

Around 1,100 years ago, many of these great Maya cities were suddenly abandoned. People packed up and left. The stone buildings were slowly taken over by the jungle. For hundreds of years, these cities sat empty, hidden by vines and trees.

So here’s the mystery:
Why did the Maya leave their cities?

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​UNSOLVED MYSTERY

Who were the Maya?

The Maya were a group of people who lived long ago in parts of what are now Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. Their civilization began thousands of years ago, but even now their achievements still impress us today.
The Maya built impressive cities with tall pyramids and temples, and they were skilled farmers who grew corn, beans, squash, and even cacao—the plant used to make chocolate.

They were also advanced in math, writing, and astronomy.

It’s important to remember that the Maya people still exist today. Millions of Maya descendants continue their traditions, languages, and cultural practices while living in the modern world.

So as we study the Maya, we are learning about both a great ancient civilization and a living culture.

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Hotspot

Correctly locate where the Maya settled.

When the Mayan civilization began, thick tropical forests covered most of the land, but the people cleared areas to farm and they lived in simple houses.
Gradually, Mayan culture became more complex. As the Mayan population grew, settlements became larger. 

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Origins

They adapted and developed ideas they had learned from the Olmecs.  For example, they improved on Olmec building techniques.

Even though the Mayas lacked metal tools and had not discovered the wheel, they built enormous stone cities with elaborate and highly decorated temple pyramids and palaces.


At its height, the Mayan Empire included more than forty cities, including Tikal, Copan, Chichén Itzá, and Palenque.

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Maya Cities

Each city was built in a similar way. Each Maya city had a central marketplace. Every city had a large plaza where people could gather. Every city also had huge pyramids, temples, at least one ball court, and a palace for the ruler.

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Maya Cities

Not every Mayan lived in the city. In fact, tens of thousands of Mayans lived in residential areas surrounding the city center.

Maya Homes

Most Mayan families lived in simple homes built from materials found in the rainforest. Homes were made of wood and mud.  The floors were covered with soil.  Wood poles supported mud walls. Palms covered the roof.

Maya Homes

Multiple Choice

The Mayan had a complex civilization. What does the word civilization mean?

• An economic system.

• An ancient artifact found in ruins.

• A form of government.

• A society with cities, government, religion, technology, and art.

Dropdown

The Maya settled in the ​

Select answer

peninsula.

Much of what we know about the Maya comes from their writing. The Maya wrote using hieroglyphs—symbols that could represent whole words, ideas, or even individual sounds. Each glyph was carefully designed, often looking like people, animals, or everyday objects.

Because the symbols could be combined in different ways, the Maya could write almost anything: history, stories, math, and even royal events.

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Maya Achievements

The scribes (writers) had access to black ink made from coal and special turkey-feather pens called ‘quills’. They would write on long sheets of paper that could be folded together to make a book, called a ‘codex’. The Maya wrote codices about their gods, their leaders, their daily life, and their special events. Unfortunately, not many of the codices have survived because many were burned by Spanish explorers who thought the books were evil.

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Maya Achievements

They also carved important information onto giant stone columns, called stelae. Stelae were used to honor significant events, such as the reign of a king, victories in battle, or important rituals.

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Stelae

Today, archaeologists also study Maya ceramics to understand more about the Maya civilization. Maya ceramics are clay objects made by the Maya people, including pots, bowls, and vases.
Their ceramics were often painted with elaborate scenes of everyday life, the royal court, and war and sacrifice.

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Ceramics

Experts have been studying the Maya hieroglyphs since 1843!  

Today, experts know the meaning of 90% of their hieroglyphs.

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Dropdown

The Maya used a ​

Select answer

writing system.

The Maya math system is an advanced system of mathematics that many feel was superior to that of the Europeans.
Their numbers were written with only three symbols:

• A dot for the number 1

• A bar for the number 5

• A shell shape for the number 0

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Maya Math

One of the most impressive things about the Maya is that they were one of the first civilizations to use the number zero. This was a huge mathematical breakthrough that made it possible for them to do more advanced calculations. We all know that zero can stand for “nothing.” When it comes to a system of numbers, zero means a lot! Think,

for example, of the difference between the numbers twenty and two hundred. The Maya used math for astronomy, calendars, architecture, and trade. Their understanding of numbers helped them create very accurate calendars and build perfectly aligned temples and pyramids.

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Maya Math

Draw It

Lesson: Maya Civilization

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Draw

The Mayas used a shell to equal 0, a dot to equal one, and a bar to equal 5. Correctly fill in the missing
Mayan number symbols.

Maya Pyramids

The Maya are perhaps most known for their many pyramids, many of which still stand today. Maya pyramids are large, stepped structures made of stone. They often had a flat top where temples or other important buildings were located.

Mayan pyramids were primarily temples and were painted in the sacred colors of the Mayan: red, blue, yellow and green.

​Pyramids

Not all Mayan pyramids are constructed alike. The ancient Mayans built two types of pyramids: some to use for sacrificial rituals and some intended for the gods and to remain untouched.

 

 

Those built for sacrifice were meant to be climbed, since the sacrifice, often of humans, took place at the top. 

 

​Pyramids

​Sacrificial Pyramid

Pyramid (home of the god)

Poll

Without a calendar, how could you figure out what day or month it is?

• By using a smartphone app to check the date.
• By looking at the stars to determine the month.
• By asking someone else what day it is.

The pyramids sometimes doubled as astronomical observatories.

Long before telescopes, the Maya created detailed charts of the stars. They viewed the shifting night sky as a story of the gods' activities.

 

Astronomy

Calendars help us keep track of time, but did you know that the Mayas developed one of the most accurate calendar systems of all times?
The Maya, working without scientific tools, calculated that there were 365.2420 days in a year. Modern astronomers used modern technology to measure the year at 365.2422 days!
Highly skilled Mayan astronomers and mathematicians created two accurate calendars that helped them to track the time and plan important events like religious ceremonies.
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​Calendar

The Maya created a solar calendar, or calendar based on the movement of the sun. This calendar is similar to our calendar, but there are some differences. We divide our year into twelve months. The Maya divided their year into eighteen months with names like Pop and Zip. A special five-day “month” completed the 365-day year.

​Besides their 365-day solar calendar, Maya astronomers created another calendar called the Sacred Round. This calendar was 260 days long and was used to keep track of religious holidays and other important events.

​Calendar

We can see the results of Maya astronomy in the placement of their temples and pyramids. These structures were built so the sun would shine directly on key areas on certain days. In Chichén Itzá, for example, the sun of the spring and fall equinoxes casts the shadow of a serpent statue onto the pyramid steps. As the sun rises, the shadow slithers down the stairs.

​Astronomy at Work

Multiple Choice

What mathematical achievements is associated with the Maya?

• The invention of calculus.

• The use of fractions and decimals.

• The development of algebra.

• The concept of zero.

Dropdown

The ​

Select answer

is an example of Maya architecture ?

Multiple Choice

The Maya had advanced scientific knowledge, but they did not develop

• a system of numbers.

• an accurate calendar

• a system of writing

• 
  telescopes

Poll

How many different sports and sporting games played around the world today?

• 8

• 80

• 800

• 8000

According to the World Sports Encyclopedia, there are around 8000 different sports and sporting games played around the world today.
The Maya are well known for their game of Pok-a-tok– a sport invented by the Olmec around 3,500 years ago, making it the oldest organized sports game in history.


What Is Pok-a-tok?

Pok-a-tok is a team sport where players try to hit a heavy rubber ball through a stone hoop using their hips, elbows, and knees. They couldn’t use their hands.

The game was played on a special court shaped like a large "I." The court had stone walls with hoops placed high on the sides.

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Pok-a-tok

Pok-a-tok was more than just a game; it had important religious meanings. It often represented the struggle between good and evil.

Sometimes, the game was played during religious ceremonies or festivals. The outcome could be very significant, with winners often celebrated and losers facing serious consequences (sacrifice.)
The players wore leather protective clothing and sometimes a ritual head dress.

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Purpose of the Game

Lesson: Maya Civilization

38/84

Multiple Choice

What is a similarity between Pok-a-Tok and games we play today?

• Both are played indoors only.
• Both require studded boots.

• Both require a referee.

• Both involve competition and rules.

Poll

What is your favorite type of tortilla?

• Flour

• Corn

• Gordita

• I don't like tortillas

HOW THEY LIVED

Most Maya people made their living as farmers. Their main crop

was maize (corn). One of their staple (main) foods was something you may have eaten—a flat bread called a tortilla. Farmers also

grew beans, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and pumpkins.

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Farmers

In forested areas, the Maya used a technique known as slash and burn. They slashed, or cut down, trees and then burned the area. Then they planted new crops. Ashes left from the fire added nutrients to the soil. After several years, the crops used up the nutrients in the soil. The Maya then repeated the process in another area.

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Farmers

Maya farmer fields were used to grow many kinds of crops, such as maize, beans, squash and chilli. If farmers grew more than they could eat, they traded the leftovers in markets.
The Maya also gathered tree crops. Fruit trees thrived in the rainforest. The Maya also used many rainforest plants for medicine.

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Farmers

Some Maya hunted game in the forests, including deer, rabbits, and other small mammals. They raised turkeys and dogs for food. They raised stingless bees for honey, which they used to sweeten foods and drinks. In coastal communities, the Maya ate fish and turtles as well.

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Farmers

Multiple Choice

What was the major staple of the Maya's diet?

• Maize (corn)
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Wheat

Multiple Choice

What type of technique did Maya farmers use to prepare soil?

• Crop rotation
• Hydroponics
• Terracing
• Slash-and-burn agriculture

Open Ended

What is your favorite chocolate candy?

We have the Maya to thank for chocolate. Maya records are filled with references to cacao. And it all starts with the cacao bean. The Maya would dry, grind, and mix the beans with water to create a drink. Think like hot chocolate but in fact it was quite bitter and frothy, and was often mixed with chili.

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Chocolate!

Maya Beauty

Every culture has practices that seem odd to other people.

 

The Maya did two things that may seem a little strange to you.

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Fashion

When a person is born, their skull isn’t completely
hard yet.

Babies’ skulls are made of soft, bony plates that can move around, which makes being born a lot easier. Those plates move into place and
harden by the time a person is two years old. For the first few months of a baby’s life, those plates can be shaped by outside forces. Today, babies who are born with skulls that are not round are fitted with little helmets to help their skulls become rounder.

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Fashion

The Maya used this same principle when they used wooden boards to shape the backs of their babies’ skulls
to make them flat.

 

The Maya idea of beauty was to look like the corn god.  This meant they favored long heads and flowing hair.

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Fashion

The Maya also considered crossed eyes beautiful.  

Parents would hang objects in front of a newborn’s eyes until the baby’s eyes were permanently crossed.

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Fashion

The Mayas often went to their dentists, but not for fillings or to get a new crown put on. They went to have their teeth beautified with gemstones. 

The process was undeniably painful. A dentist would have likely used a makeshift drill made from obsidian (volcanic glass) to punch a hole in the front of a tooth. 

They would then use a natural adhesive to place the gemstone in the hole.

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Fashion

Headgear varied from locale to locale, but one rule always seemed to hold true: the bigger the hat, the more important the head underneath it.

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Fashion

The Mayan people were short.  The average height of the men was just over five feet.  The women were about four feet eight inches tall.  

Mayans had straight black hair, and many painted their bodies black, red or blue.  They also often had tattoos.
Their process for receiving a tattoo involved getting painted on and then cut into, and then applying another coat of paint over the open wound.

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Fashion

Everyday clothes included a loincloth or short skirt for men and a long skirt for women. 

These outfits would often be accessorized with jewelry such as bracelets and anklets, necklaces, and ear jewelry. 

Jewelry was made from shark and crocodile and wood.

Hairstyles were given much attention, and would be tied up (almost never left loose) and decorated with bands of fabric and long feathers. 

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Fashion

Multiple Select

Which of the following body modifications was practiced by the Maya? SELECT 3 ANSWERS

• Tattoos

• Piercing

• Cranial (head) shaping

• foot binding

Multiple Choice

How did Maya men typically style their hair?

• Maya men typically shaved their heads completely bald.
• Maya men wore their hair short.

• Maya men styled their hair in elaborate braids

• Maya men typically styled their hair long, often tied back or in a topknot, and decorated it with feathers and beads.

The Maya used a variety of methods for trading:

Markets: Each city had a central market where people would gather to buy and sell goods. Markets were lively places where people exchanged not just items but also news and stories.

Barter System: Instead of using money like we do today, the Maya practiced bartering. This means they traded goods directly. For example, if someone wanted maize, they might trade it for a piece of pottery. This is also known as a traditional economy.
What did they trade? Foods, Textiles, Pottery, Luxury goods (obsidian, jade, feathers from exotic birds)

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Economy

GOVERNMENT

The Maya were not ruled by a single ruler. The Maya lived in city-states scattered across the land. Some of these city-states were larger than others. Each was ruled by a unlimited powerful monarch who governed his own city and surrounding areas. The city-states both traded and fought with one another.

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​Maya Kings

Maya society was divided into classes with kings in the highest class.
In Maya society, each city had its own monarch or king who were unlimited in power. The Maya believed that their kings were chosen by the gods.

Maya kings lived in grand palaces and wore beautiful clothes made of jade and feathers.

The kings also played a big role in Maya warfare. They would lead their armies into battle to capture enemies. Being a king meant both being a strong warrior and a wise ruler.

​Class Society

Well educated priests were also among the noble, or highest, classes. Both kings and priests lived in palaces close to city centers.
Priests were very important in Maya society as it was believed that they could communicate directly with the gods. The priests were responsible for leading rituals of worship and sacrifices, and telling the people what the gods want them to do. They would tell the people when to plant crops, who to marry and what sacrifices they should make. The people did all these things because they believed that the priest was speaking the wishes of the gods.

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​Priests

The middle class was made up of the craftsmen, traders, and warriors.

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​Middle Class

Finally, at the bottom, came the common workers.  They enjoyed few luxuries in life.

They lived in simple mud houses and worked hard all day.

The men were either planting and harvesting crops, or building pyramids and roadways.

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​Lower Class

Multiple Choice

What type of government did the Maya civilization have?

• Theocracy

• Monarchy

• Democracy

• Oligarchy

Dropdown

The Maya monarch was ​

Select answer

in power.

Religion

Religion was important to most aspects of Maya life. The Maya were polytheistic meaning they believed in many gods. The Maya’s belief in gods and goddesses helped them explain the mystery of life itself. They believed that gods controlled everything. The gods were responsible for the rising and setting of the sun and the phases of the moon. They were responsible for floods and droughts as well as sickness and health.

Ancestor worship was important to them as well. Maya households buried their dead underneath the floors so they could protect the living.







These gods had to be pleased so Maya communities made regular offerings to them, in the form of animal (and sometimes human) sacrifices.

​Many gods

These gods had to be pleased so Maya communities made regular offerings to them. They prayed and made offerings of food, flowers,  incense, and danced

Dance: The Maya loved to dance. Some scholars believe the Maya might have known a thousand different dances. Dance costumes were colorful, and headdresses were huge! .  

Music: The Maya played drums. They rattled turtle shells and played pottery flutes. 

​Many gods

They also offered their gods blood  sacrifices in exchange for favors.

The Maya usually sacrificed animals like dogs, turkeys, squirrels, and iguanas.

Sacrfice

But humans were sacrificed during large community ceremonies held for important requests like good crops.

Perhaps the Maya spilled blood so easily because they believed their gods had done so first.  

According to Maya legend, the first humans were created when the gods mixed their blood with maize.

Sacrifice

The Mayans had three methods of giving the human sacrifices.  

Often, the priests took the victim to the altar at the temple.  Then the priests cut the heart out of the living victim and presented it to the god.

Sacrifice

Or the priests tied the victim to a wooden pole and threw spears and arrows at the victim’s chest in the area of the heart.

Sacrifice

In the third type of sacrifice, they threw the victim into a sacred well

I

Sacrifice

They also pierced their bodies with sharp needles and offered their blood, believing that this would nourish the gods.

They would pierce their ears or tongues with thorns or stingray spines

I

Sacrifice

Multiple Choice

The Mayans believed in more than one god. This is called _____________.

• polytheism
• atheism
• Buddhism

• monotheism

Multiple Select

To please the gods, the Maya offered: (SELECT 3 ANSWERS)

• animal sacrifice

• human sacrifice

• dances and prayers

• communion

Multiple Choice

Social class that led rituals  and offered sacrifices

• kings

• nobles

• priests

• commoners

Mayans had many stories and myths that helped them explain how the world came to be, the actions of gods and heroes, and the mysteries of life and death. Maya myths and legends are full of adventure, heroes, and powerful gods. They teach lessons about courage, intelligence, the importance of nature (especially maize), and the afterlife. These stories helped the ancient Maya understand their world and make sense of the mysteries of life.

I

Myths and Legends

Until the Spaniards came, the Maya were among the mightiest people in the area.  They fought one another from time to time, but joined forces when threatened by an outside enemy.

I

Warriors

Weapons included shields, spears, clubs, axes, knives, slings and dart-throwers.

War paint was used to frighten the enemy, as was loud shouting and hissing.

I

Warriors

WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO?

The ancient Maya were amazing people who built a great civilization. That fact alone is a reason to find them interesting.
But one of the most fascinating questions about ancient Maya
civilization is what happened to cause it to end.

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​MYSTERY?

The Mayas abandoned their cities sometime between 800 and 900.

Until the 900s, the Maya kept careful historical records. They used their hieroglyphs to carve names and dates on pyramids and temples.

Then in the 900s, the writing mysteriously stopped. The temples and pyramids began to fall into disrepair.

So what happened? Archaeologists have theories, but they can’t find clear proof for any one of them.

​MYSTERY?

Did disaster strike the Maya? Did drought or heavy rainfall bring famine? Was there an earthquake? Could invaders have toppled the civilization?
No one knows for sure.

​We only know that the once-great Maya cities were abandoned and swallowed up by the rain forest. The Maya scattered. But the people themselves did not disappear.

Diasaster?

Though their grand cities have been abandoned, the Maya people have not disappeared.

Today, around 10 million Maya and perhaps more, live in the same regions of Mexico as their ancestors.

​Maya Today

Even based on what little we know of them, the Maya were a remarkably advanced society. Despite their lack of technology, they made advancements in science and mathematics that are as good as those made hundreds of years later by peoples with far more sophisticated technology.

​The Maya

Multiple Choice

How do experts know that the Maya left some cities during the 900s?

• They let the surrounding tribes know they were leaving.

• They painted pictures of them leaving.

• Maya stopped all their writing at that time.

• There are maps that showed where the people moved.

Multiple Choice

What happened to most Maya cities by the time the Spanish arrived?

• They were abandoned and overgrown by jungle

• They were thriving trade centers

• They were transformed into military bases

• They were converted into Spanish colonie