Who are the Maya?
The Maya are probably the best known of the classical civilisations of Mesoamerica. Originating in the Yucatán around 2600 BC, they rose to prominence around AD 250 in present-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, northern Belize and western Honduras. The Maya developed astronomy, a calendar system and hieroglyphic writing. They were also noted for elaborate and highly decorated ceremonial architecture, including temple-pyramids, palaces and observatories, all built without metal tools.
Around 300 BC, the Maya adopted a hierarchical system of government ruled by nobles and kings. This civilisation developed into highly structured kingdoms during the classic period, AD 200-900. Their society consisted of many independent states, each with a rural farming community and large urban sites built around ceremonial centres. It started to decline around AD 900 when - for reasons that are still largely a mystery - the southern Maya abandoned their cities. When the northern Maya were integrated into the Toltec society by AD 1200, the Maya dynasty finally came to a close.
As far as physical attributes the traditional Maya were of shorter stature, with dark eyes and a convex aquiline nose. They had very dark skin with straight black hair and their heads were almost round in appearance. Regardless of the social class they fell into, all Maya had a practice of deforming the head at birth to give the appearance of a deeply sloped forehead. Infants were tied on a board, to which another board is attached at an angle, thereby gradually increasing the pressure on the head until the skull is suitably deformed. It was common to have a child die from this deformation, but it was considered an attractive and desired trait. Another desired trait was the appearance of crossed eyes. This was sometimes induced by the hanging of a piece of thread between the eyes with a stone attached that causes the eye to focus on it. The presence of this stone eventually causes the eyes to rotate inwards. Males tattooed their bodies and faces with ink and scars, and women commonly filed their teeth to points to appear attractive.
Xibalba is the underworld in Maya mythology. The complete world is made up of an underworld, a middle (where mortals reside) and an upper world (Paradise). Achieving entrance to paradise is the goal for all Maya, while the underworld (Mitnal) is the place of ultimate fear for those who are banished there. In Xibalba dwell evil demonic gods who live and roam with those trapped souls who dared to challenge the shaman, priests and warriors to combat. The steep road that leads downwards is very dangerous; there are raging torrents of blood, It is flanked by abysses and covered in razor sharp thorns.
Maya Culture
Our knowledge of the ancient Maya and their lives, rituals, beliefs and gods are contained within sacred picture books, called codices. Their writing takes the form of glyphs, which translate into syllable sounds that formed the basis for verbal communication. Only four (Dresden, Paris, Madrid, Grolier) of those many books have survived the centuries and the conquest of the Spanish priests during the 15th century to still be with us today. Yet still the majority of our knowledge has mainly been passed through the ages from generation to generation, and is therefore open to interpretation.
Maya civilisation is mainly noted for its elaborate and highly decorated cities and ceremonial architecture, including temple-pyramids, palaces and observatories. They were skilled architects and engineers, who cleared large sections of tropical rain forest and -where groundwater was scarce- built sizeable underground reservoirs for the storage of rainwater. They were equally skilled as weavers and potters, and they cleared routes through jungles and swamps to foster extensive trade networks with distant people. Another aspect of Maya civilisation that attracts interest is their love of music. The ancient Maya are said to have had magic ocarinas, as well as a variety of whistles and wind instruments, dance was a key part of their ceremonies. In daily life fishing and hunting was common, especially for deer, peccary, and all kinds of small animals.
The Maya were divided socially into several distinct classes. The three most important classes were Shaman, Priests and Warriors. Alongside those worked merchants, artisans and general labourers, consisting of bricklayers, woodcutters, loaders and finally, slaves. The role of the priests was very important and was closely connected to the ancient calendar and astronomy. Priests controlled all learning and ritual, and were also in charge of calculating time, festivals, ceremonies, fateful days and seasons, divination, events and writing. Shaman were equally important and helped priests during events, festivals and ceremonies. They also dealt with medicines and controlling diseases as well as acting as a medium between the visible world and the spirit world. The role of the warriors was just as essential within society. They were charged with protecting their priests and shaman whilst vanquishing enemies and evil beasts roaming the middle world.
The Maya believed the Earth to be flat and four-cornered. Each corner was located at a compass point and had a colour value: red for east, white for north, black for west, and yellow for south. At the centre was the colour green. They believed that the sky was supported by four trees of corresponding colour but differing species, with the Yaxche, (the Tree of Heaven and Life) growing through the centre.
Within the mythological world of the Maya there is an under world, a middle world (where mortals reside) and an upper world. The Tree Yaxche is at the centre of the world, and grows through the nine underworld levels, the middle level and the thirteen upper world regions. Each level or sub region has its own ruler, with the lowest level of Mitnal being ruled by the Death God, Yum Cimil aka Ah Puch, the god of the Underworld.
The Maya believed that when people died the goddess Ixtab would rise through a cave or cenote to collect their souls to take back with her to the underworld. When kings died, they followed the path linked to the cosmic movement of the sun and fell into the Underworld, but because they possessed supernatural powers, they were then reborn into the sky world and became gods. Death from natural causes was universally dreaded among the Maya, particularly because the dead did not automatically go to paradise. To achieve entrance into paradise they had to appease the gods through bloodletting, sacrifice and by slaying mortal men and beasts thereby capturing their souls for Ixtab. Ordinary people were often buried with their mouth filled with food and jade beads, accompanied by religious articles and personal objects. The graves of priests, shaman and warriors also contained personal and religious articles as well as many books and treasures. Other burial rites and rituals surrounding the deceased were similar to those found in the modern world. Mourners wept in overwhelming grief, bodies were cremated and ashes placed within urns then into family shrines.
Around 300 BC, the Maya adopted a hierarchical system of government ruled by nobles and kings. This civilisation developed into highly structured kingdoms during the classic period, AD 200-900. Their society consisted of many independent states, each with a rural farming community and large urban sites built around ceremonial centres. It started to decline around AD 900 when - for reasons that are still largely a mystery - the southern Maya abandoned their cities. When the northern Maya were integrated into the Toltec society by AD 1200, the Maya dynasty finally came to a close.
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