The Maya

1. The Maya

3. The Maya Classic Period Either 250 BC to 950 AD Or 10 AD to 1190 AD

4. The Mayas • We know they were not called Mayas • When Spaniards arrived, the major city was MAYAPAN (thus the name the Mayas) • The only great civilization to be located in the “jungle” • Primarily the Yucatan peninsula and northern central America

5. MAYAS MAYA KINGDOM

6. Bishop Diego de Landa • Bishop Diego de Landa is best known for two reasons: • 1st – He thought the Maya books were inspired by the devil, so he had them all destroyed • 2nd – Recognizing his mistake, several years later returned to Yucatan and wrote ““Relacion de las Cosas de Yucatan.” • This book based on the three Mayan books that survived

7. Maya Civilization • Expert Astronomers

8. Astronomers • Calculated Lunar and Solar Eclipses • Used that information to have “Festivals” • Understanding of the Solar Position in the sky

9. Maya Civilization • Expert Astronomers • Great Mathematicians

10. Mathematicians • Had a system based on 20 • Recognized the zero (unlike the Romans for instance) • One two • three four five • six eight nine • ten nineteen twenty

11. Maya Civilization • Expert Astronomers • Great Mathematicians • Good architects though were not able to complete the arch

15. Maya Civilization • Expert Astronomers • Great Mathematicians • Good architects though were not able to complete the arch • Great warriors

17. Maya Civilization • Expert Astronomers • Great Mathematicians • Good architects though were not able to complete the arch • Great warriors • Active Merchants (Used Cocoa as currency)

18. Mayan Economy • A trade system existed through which salt, obsidian, jade, cacao, animal pelts, tropical bird feathers, luxury ceramics and other goods flowed. • Goods from the highlands were traded with those of the lowlands. Obsidian was made into tools and weapons. • People either bartered goods directly or exchanged them for cacao beans

19. Commonly Bartered Items

20. Maya Civilization • Expert Astronomers • Great Mathematicians • Good architects though were not able to complete the arch • Great warriors • Active Merchants (Used Cocoa as currency) • Social Structure

21. Social Structure • The Social Pyramid • Priests • nobles wealthy • commoners and low-level govern officers • slaves and servants Priest

22. Maya Civilization • Expert Astronomers • Great Mathematicians • Good architects though were not able to complete the arch • Great warriors • Active Merchants (Used Cocoa as currency) • Advances In Medicine

23. Maya Medicine • 1. ULCERS, GASTRITIS Mineral crystal stone. Put in water and drink the water every day. For sores in the mouth, put directly on affected area. No side effects. For thousands of years the Mayan elders have been using this practice. Prepared by thegreat grand niece of H'me Elijio Panti. $7.50 (US)

24. Maya Medicine • 9. DIABETES, HYPOGLYCEMIA, BLOOD SUGAR STABILIZER Billy Webb Bark Tea. Boil one hand full of bark. Drink 1/2 cup of tea twice daily, until blood sugar stabilizes. $7.50 (US) • 10. DIARRHEA Traveler's Tonic. Take 3 tablespoons every hour for as long as condition persists. $7.50 (US)

25. Maya Civilization • Expert Astronomers • Great Mathematicians • Good architects though were not able to complete the arch • Great warriors • Active Merchants (Used Cocoa as currency) • Advances In Medicine • Games

26. GAME • The Maya had a ball game called Pok-A-Tok. It was played on an odd shaped field. • The object of the game was to move a hard rubber ball without the use of hands or feet through a hoop. • There is debate whether it was the losing team or the winning team that was sacrificed.

27. GAME Decapitation scene at ball court,

28. GAME

29. Mystery Question: • Debate over why several sites are shown to have been abandon? • They left site due to Natural Disasters • They left site due to over crowding • They abandon Commercial and Religion sites but did not move

30. Architects • Build Magnificent Temples and Places for Commerce and Games

31. Demise of the Mayas • Natural • Ecology • Soil Exhaustion (Cook and Sanders) • Water Loss and Erosion (Cooke and Ricketson) • Savana Grass Competition (Cook and Morley) (Continual burning of soil led to end original forest and converted into man-made grass land. Problem, Mayas did not have toil equipment).

32. Demise of the Mayas (continuation) • Catastrophism • Earthquakes (Mackie) • Hurricanes • Evolution (Meggers) • Main idea was that social collapse occurred due to over population and lack of food supply • Disease (Meggers)

33. Demise of the Mayas (continuation) • Social • Demography (Cowgill and Hutchinson) • Higher rate of female to male ratios led to a collapse of social order • Social Structure (Thompson, Altscheler, and Kidder) • Invasion (Adams, Cowgill, Sabloff and Willey)

34. Abandon Commercial and Religious Centers Various Households New CRC Commercial and Religious Center (CRC) New CRC

35. Demise of the Mayas (continuation)

36. Demise of the Mayas (continuation) Economic Trade Collapse led to Rebellion and Invasion Towns in Buffer Zone Maya Buffer Zone Teotihuacan Core Maya Core Teotihuacan Buffer Zone