The magnificent Mayan civilization, formed before our era, left behind many mysteries. It is known for its developed writing and architecture, mathematics, art, astronomy. The well-known Mayan calendar was incredibly accurate. And this is not the whole inheritance that the Indians left behind, who became famous as one of the most developed and cruelest nations in the world.
Who are the Maya?
Ancient Maya - Indian people, who lived at the turn of the 1st millennium BC. - II millennium AD Researchers claim that their number was more than three million people. They settled in the rainforest, built cities of stone and limestone, and for agriculture cultivated a little for this land, where they cultivated maize, pumpkin, beans, cocoa, cotton and fruits. The descendants of the Maya are the Indians of Central America and part of the Hispanic population of the southern states of Mexico.
Where did the ancient Maya live?
A large tribe of Maya settled in the vast territory of present-day Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, the west of Honduras and El Salvador (Central America). The center for the development of civilization was in the North. Since the soils were rapidly depleted, the people were forced to move, to change the settlements. The occupied lands were distinguished by various natural landscapes:
- in the north - limestone plateau Peten, where the hot humid climate reigned, and the Alta Verapaz mountains;
- in the south - a chain of volcanoes and coniferous forests;
- the rivers flowing through the Maya lands carried their waters to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea;
- on the Yucatan peninsula, where salt was extracted, the climate is droughty.
Maya civilization - achievements
Maya culture in many ways has surpassed its time. Already in the 400-250's. BC. people began to build monumental structures and architectural complexes, reached unique heights in the sciences (astronomy, mathematics), agriculture. In the so-called classical period (from 300 to 900 AD), the ancient Maya civilization reached its peak. People improved the art of carving in jade, sculpture and art painting, watched the heavenly stars, developed writing. The achievements of the Maya are still amazing.
Architecture of the ancient Maya
At the dawn of time, not having modern technology at hand, the ancient people built amazing structures. The main material for the construction was limestone, from which the powder was made and a solution resembling cement was prepared. With its help cemented the stone blocks, and the limestone walls were reliably protected from moisture and wind. An important part of all buildings was the so-called "Mayan arch", a false arch - a kind of narrowing of the roof. The architecture was different depending on the period:
- The first buildings were huts, laid on low platforms, protecting from flooding.
- The first Mayan pyramids were assembled from several platforms, mounted one on top of the other.
- In the Golden Age of the development of culture everywhere were built acropolis - ceremonial complexes, consisting of pyramids, palaces, even playgrounds.
- The ancient Mayan pyramids reached 60 meters in height and resembled a mountain in shape. On their tops temples were erected - close, not having windows, square houses.
- In some cities, there were observatories - round towers with a room to observe the moon, the sun and the stars.
Calendar of the Maya civilization
Space played a big role in the life of ancient tribes, and the main achievements of the Maya are closely related to it. Based on two annual cycles, a chronology system was created. For long-term observations of time, the Long Count calendar was used. For short periods, the Maya civilization had several Solar calendars:
- religious (in which the year lasted 260 days) had a ritual significance;
- practical (365 days) was used in everyday life;
- chronological (360 days).
Weapons of the Ancient Maya
As for weapons and armor, the ancient Maya civilization was not able to reach significant heights. Throughout the centuries of existence, they have not changed much, because much more time and effort the Maya devoted to the improvement of military art. In wars and hunting the following weapons were used:
- Spears (long, taller than a man, with a stone tip);
- kop'emetalka - stick with an emphasis;
- dart;
- bows and arrows;
- a wind gun;
- axes;
- knives;
- club;
- sling;
- network.
Figures of the ancient Maya
The system of the numbering of the ancient Maya was based on an unusual system of the modern man in the twentieth system. Its origins are the method of counting, in which all the fingers and toes were used. Indians had a structure of four blocks with five figures in each. Zero was schematically represented in the form of a devastated oyster shell. This sign also denotes infinity. To record the remaining numbers, we used cocoa beans, small pebbles, sticks, since the numbers represented a blending of dots and dashes. With the help of three elements, any number was recorded:
- a point is a unit,
- the feature is five;
- the sink is zero.
Medicine of the ancient Maya
It is known that the ancient Maya created a highly developed civilization and tried to take care of every fellow tribesman. Knowledge of the maintenance of hygiene and health, applied in practice, exalted the Indians over other peoples of the time. The issues of medicine were specially trained people. Doctors very accurately determined many diseases (including tuberculosis, ulcers, asthma, etc.) and fought them with drugs, baths, inhalations. Ingredients of medicines were:
- grass;
- meat, skin, tails, animal horns;
- feathers of birds;
- hand tools - dirt, soot.
High level in the Maya people reached dentistry and surgery. Thanks to the Indian sacrifices, the human anatomy was known, and the doctors could perform operations on the face and body. Affected areas or those where there was a suspicion of swelling were removed with a knife, wounds were sewn with a needle with hair instead of a thread, and narcotic substances were used as anesthesia. Cognition in medicine is a kind of ancient Mayan treasure, which should be admired.
The Art of the Ancient Maya
The many-sided culture of Maya was formed under the influence of the geographical environment of other peoples: the Olmecs and the Toltecs. But she is amazing, unlike any other. What is the uniqueness of the Maya civilization and its art? All subspecies were directed to the ruling elite, that is, they were created to please the kings in order to impress. In more ways it concerns architecture. Another feature: an attempt to create an image of the universe, a reduced copy of it. So the Maya declared their harmony with the world. Features of subspecies of art were expressed in the following:
- Music was closely associated with religion. There were even special gods responsible for music.
- Dramatic art reached its peak, the actors were professionals in their field.
- Painting was mostly wall-painting. The paintings were of a religious or historical nature.
- The main subjects of sculpture are deities, priests, lords. While ordinary people were portrayed in an emphatically humbled manner.
- Weaving was developed in the Maya Empire. Clothing depending on gender and status was very different. With their best fabrics, the people traded with other tribes.
Where did the Mayan civilization disappear?
One of the main questions that historians and researchers are interested in: how and for what reasons did the prosperous empire collapse? The destruction of the Maya civilization began in the 9th century AD. In the southern regions, the population began to decline rapidly, the water supply systems became inadequate. People left their homes, and the construction of new cities stopped. This led to the fact that once the great empire turned into scattered settlements that were at war with each other. In 1528, the Spaniards began the conquest of the Yucatan and by the 17th century completely subjugated the region.
Why did the Maya civilization disappear?
Until now, researchers argue that it was the cause of the death of a great culture. There are two hypotheses:
- Ecological, based on the balance of man with nature. Long-term exploitation of soils led to their depletion, which caused a shortage of food and drinking water.
- Non-ecological. According to this theory, the empire could collapse due to climate change, epidemic, conquest or some kind of catastrophe. For example, some researchers believe that Maya Indians could die even due to a minor climate change (droughts, floods).
Mayan civilization - interesting facts
Not only the disappearance, but also many other riddles of the Mayan civilization still haunt historians. The last place where recorded the life of the tribe: the north of Guatemala. About the history and culture now tell only archaeological excavations and according to them you can collect interesting facts about the ancient civilization:
- People from the Maya tribe liked to steam out in a bathhouse and chase a ball. The games were a mixture of basketball and rugby, but with more serious consequences - the losers were sacrificed.
- Maya had strange concepts of beauty, for example, "in fashion" had slanting eyes, pointed fangs and heads of elongated shape. To do this, mothers from childhood put the child's skull in a wooden vice and hung objects before their eyes to achieve strabismus.
- Studies have shown that the ancestors of the highly advanced Maya civilization are still alive, and there are at least 7 million of them worldwide.
Books about the Maya civilization
The flowering and decline of the empire, undiscovered puzzles tells many works of contemporary authors from Russia and from abroad. To learn more about the disappeared people, you can study the following books about the Maya civilization:
- "The Maya people." Alberto Rus.
- "Mysteries of the lost civilizations". IN AND. Gulyaev.
- "Mayan. Life, religion, culture. " Ralph Whitlock.
- "Mayan. Disappeared civilization. Legends and facts ". Michael Co.
- Encyclopedia "The Lost World of Maya".
The Mayan civilization left behind many cultural achievements and even more unsolved mysteries. While the issue of its occurrence and decline was unanswered. Just put forward assumptions. In an attempt to uncover many mysteries, researchers come across even more mysteries. One of the most majestic ancient civilizations remains the most mysterious and attractive.