maya kings and cities chapter 16 section 2. key terms tikal glyph codes popol vuh
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Maya Kings and CitiesChapter 16 section 2
Key Terms Tikal Glyph Codes Popol Vuh
Maya Create City-States Southern Mexico to
Central America Highland and lowland
regions Dry scrub to steamy
jungles Mountains stretch
from Mexico to El Salvador
Olmec 1200-400 BC
Urban Centers 250-900 Classic Period
of Maya civilization Tikal-a major center in
northern Guatemala Chichen Itza major city Each ruled by a god
king Center of religious
ceremonies and trade
Urban Centers Mayan cities featured
Giant pyramids, temples, palaces
Elaborate stone carvings
Tens of thousands lived in residential areas around the city
Archaeologists have identified 50 major sites
Urban Centers Temple IV in Tikal
stretched 212 feet into the sky
Ball court Stone sided field The game played
religious and political significance
Game maintains the sun and the moon and life giving rains
Agriculture and Trade Support Cities City-States
independent City-States linked by
alliances and trade Cities exchanged
Salt Flint Feathers Shells and honey Cacao (chocolate
beans were currency)
Agriculture and Trade Support Cities Traded craft goods
Cotton Textiles and jade
Mesoamerica had agriculture Maize Beans Squash
Agriculture and Trade Support Cities Slash and burn
agriculture Planted on raised
beds above swamps and on hillside terraces
Kingdom Built on Dynasties Successful farming
led to wealth Social classes
Noble priests and leading warriors
Merchants with specialized knowledge and skilled artisans
Bottom was the peasants
Religion Shapes Maya Life Polytheistic
Gods for weather Gods for crops Gods of good and evil Different directions
different colors Each day was a living
god whose behavior could be predicted
System of calendars
Religious Practices Prayed, offerings of
flowers, food , and incense
Pierced and cut their bodies
Offered blood to nourish the gods
Human sacrifice Usually captured
enemies
Religious Practices Chichen Itza- threw
captives down a deep sinkhole lake (cenote)
Also gold and other offerings
Believed human sacrifice pleased the gods
Never reached extremes of other Mesoamericans
Math and Religion Calendar,
mathematics, and astronomy
Time was a burden carried on the back of a god
End of day, month or year one good laid it down and another picked it up
Math and Religion 260 day religious
calendar (13, 20 day months)
Second 365 day calendar (18, 20 day months)
Separate period of 5 days at the end
Linked by mesh gears
Math and Religion Identified
Best time to plant crops
Attack enemies Crown leaders
Based on observation of the planets, sun and moon
Solar year 365.2420 They were only .0002
of a day short
Math and Religion Used the concept of
Zero Used a shell symbol
for zero Dots for numbers one
to four A bar for five Base 20 system Used numbers for
calendar and astronomical work
Written Language Preserves History Mayan had must
advanced writing system
Glyphs-800 hieroglyphic symbols Some glyphs were
words Some syllables
Used writing to record historic events Carving into stone
Written Language Preserves History Codex- glyphs
recorded on bark paper Only three ancient
books survived Popol Vuh- famous
book recounts Highland Maya version of creation
Calm and silence were the kings that ruled (pre-creation)
Mysterious Maya Decline 800’s Maya abandon
their cities 700’s warfare broke
out Trade disrupted,
economic hardship Growing population Over farming, famine 1500’s Spanish arrive
small weak city-states
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