the mayan civilization
DESCRIPTION
The Mayan Civilization. By Saul Tobias Raul Chaidez Zach Hill Giselle Tejeda. City-States. Homeland stretched from southern Mexico into northern Central America. Highlands : cool, cloud-wreathed mountains Lowlands : dry scrub forest of the Yucatan and jungles of southeastern Mexico. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
BySaul Tobias Raul Chaidez
Zach HillGiselle Tejeda
The Mayan Civilization
Homeland stretched from southern Mexico into northern Central America.
Highlands : cool, cloud-wreathed mountainsLowlands : dry scrub forest of the Yucatan
and jungles of southeastern Mexico.They were independent.
City-States
One of the major centers of the Mayans is the city of Tikal located in northern Guatemala.
Ruled by God Kings.They served as centers of religious
ceremonies and trade.
Urban Centers
Between city-states they exchanged salt, flint, feathers, shells, and honey, cotton textiles, and jade ornaments.
Farmed corn, beans, and squash.
Agriculture and Trade
Mayan Society
Made offerings to their Gods with food, flowers, and incense.
Carried out human sacrifices.Believed that human sacrifices kept the world
in balance.Also believed in the afterlife.
Religious Practices
Their religion led to the development of the calendar, mathematics, and astronomy.
They calculated the solar year at 365.2420 days.
It’s only .0002 of a day short from what we have today.
Math and Religion
Maya writing has about 800 glyphs (hieroglyphic symbols).
Recorded historical events in a bark paper book known as a codex.
Popol Vuh is one of the most famous books of their writings.
Written Language
United cultureLoyalty to the kingWealthy and prosperous cultureProduction of more food feeds a larger
population
Rise of the Maya
Physical and human resources funneled into religious activities
Frequent warfare between kingdomsPopulation growth created need for more
land
Weaknesses Leading to Decline