MAYA: AN ANCIENT CIVILIZATION UNCOVERED

The endlessly fascinating history of the Maya is a constant draw for travelers to Mexico. Who could resist the grand pyramids, the ancient temples, or the stories of human sacrifice and war?

But who were the ancient Maya? And what happened to their once-mighty ancient civilization? Read through this brief history of the ancient Maya to learn the basics of this captivating civilization.

Who were the ancient Maya?

Although the term “Maya empire” is still sometimes used, the civilization actually consisted of separate city-states, ruled individually from each other. These stood in modern-day Mexico´s Yucatan Peninsula and parts of Chiapas and Tabasco plus Guatemala, Belize, sections of Honduras, and parts of El Salvador.

No one government or royalty ruled over these city-states. Instead, they were connected by shared languages, religion, fashion, and behavior – although differences can be seen from city-state to city-state.

 

History of the Maya: In Brief

The earliest Maya communities started settling from around 1800 BC. In this time, the ancient Maya lived a relatively simple village life, working the land for their food. This early period, which runs until around 250 AD, is known as the Pre-Classic Period and saw great advancements in pyramid building, city development, religion, and math.

The peak of the ancient Maya civilization, known as the Classic Period, is generally considered to have run from 250 AD to 900 AD. In this time, the majority of the grand temples, pyramids, and ball courts that tourists visit today were constructed.

 

WHEN DID THE MAYA DISAPPEAR?

From around 950 AD to 1500 AD, known as the Post-Classic Period, the ancient Maya abandoned their cities. As to why… historians and archeologists are not sure. Plenty of reasons have been put forward, including war, overpopulation, a volcano eruption, and drought. But the true answer probably lies in a combination of factors.

However, the Maya didn’t disappear. There are still an estimated six million descendants of the ancient Maya living today, including around 300,000 Yucatec Maya in the Yucatan Peninsula, 120,000 Tzotzil-Maya, and 80,000 Tzeltal-Maya in the highlands of Chiapas, according to the History Museum of Canada.

 

ANCIENT MAYA RELIGION

The ancient Maya religion was polytheistic, with deities representing different aspects of daily Maya life. Itzamná, for example, was thought to be the ruler of the heavens and to have created writing, while Chaac was known as the god of rain.

Religious ceremonies, which were led by either kings, priests, or shaman, were often held to appease the gods. These varied in nature but could include bloodletting and sacrifices.

DID THE ANCIENT MAYA MAKE HUMAN SACRIFICES?

Yes, the ancient Maya did make human sacrifices. It was believed that human blood served as a form of sustenance for the gods and was therefore viewed as an act of offering. Typically, the victims would be prisoners of war, particularly those from the upper classes. However, children were also sacrificed as their blood was considered of greater value.

Human sacrifice was not a ritual from the beginning, however. Initially, the upper classes would engage in “auto-sacrifice,” in which they would pierce their own bodies and drain the blood before burning it. They would also sacrifice animals as well.

The act of human sacrifice, which appears to begin in the early Classic Period around 250 BC, is thought to have derived from the people who lived in the area of modern-day Mexico City.