Where is the state of the Maya. Ancient Mayan figures

One of the most mysterious civilizations that existed on the planet is the Mayan civilization. The high level of development of medicine, science, architecture strikes the minds of our contemporaries. One and a half thousand years before the discovery of the American continent by Columbus, the Mayan people already used their hieroglyphic writing, invented the calendar system, were the first to use the concept of zero in mathematics, and the counting system in many respects surpassed that used by their contemporaries in Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece.

Secrets of the Mayan Civilization

The ancient Indians possessed amazing information about space for that era. Scientists still cannot understand how the Mayan tribes received such accurate knowledge in astronomy long before the invention of the telescope. The artifacts discovered by scientists raise new questions, the answers to which have not yet been found. Consider the most amazing of the finds related to this great civilization:

The most amazing feature of this architectural monument is the visual effect that is created 2 times a year, exactly on the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes. As a result of the play of sunlight and shadow, an image appears huge snake, whose body ends with a stone statue of a snake's head at the base of a 25-meter pyramid. Such a visual effect could only be achieved by carefully calculating the location of the building and having accurate knowledge of astronomy and topography.

Another interesting and mysterious feature of the pyramids is that they are a huge sound resonator. Such effects are known as: the sounds of the steps of people going to the top are heard at the base of the pyramid, like the sounds of rain; people who are at a distance of 150 meters from each other at different sites can clearly hear each other, while not hearing the sounds made next to them. To create such an acoustic effect, the ancient architects had to produce the most accurate calculations wall thickness.

Mayan culture

Unfortunately, one can learn about the culture, history, religion of the Indian tribes only from the preserved architectural and cultural material values. Due to the barbaric attitude of the Spanish conquerors, who destroyed most of the cultural heritage of the ancient Indians, there are very few sources for descendants to gain knowledge about the origin, development and reasons for the decline of this majestic civilization!

Possessing a developed written language, during their heyday, the Maya left a huge amount of information about themselves. However, most of the historical heritage was destroyed by the Spanish priests, who planted the Christian religion among the Indians of Central America during its colonization.

Only inscriptions on stone slabs have survived. But the key to deciphering the writing remained unsolved. Only a third of the signs are accessible to the understanding of modern scientists.

• Architecture: Maya erected stone cities, striking in their majesty. Temples and palaces were built in the center of cities. The pyramids are amazing. Without metal tools, the ancient Indians somehow amazingly created pyramids that were not inferior in their majesty to the famous Egyptian ones. The pyramids had to be built every 52 years. This is due to religious canons. A distinctive feature of these pyramids is that around the existing one, the construction of a new one began.
• Art: on the walls of stone structures, traces of painting and stone sculptures, mostly of a religious nature, have survived to this day.
• Life: the ancient Indians were engaged in gathering, hunting, farming, growing beans, maize, cocoa, cotton. The irrigation system was widely used. Some tribes mined salt, then exchanging it for other goods, which served as the development of trade, which was in the nature of barter. Stretchers or boats were used to move goods, cargo, and to move along rivers.
• Religion: Maya were pagans. The priests had knowledge in the field of mathematics and astronomy, predicting lunar and solar eclipses. Religious rites contained rituals of suicide.
• The science: The Indians had developed writing, had knowledge in the field of mathematics and, as noted above, had amazing knowledge in the field of astronomy.

Why did the Maya disappear?

The beginning of the Maya civilization dates back to the second millennium BC. The heyday of culture occurred at the end of the first millennium - 200-900 years. BC. The most important achievements are:

• Fully designed calendar that accurately reflects the changing seasons;
• Hieroglyphic writing, which scientists have not yet fully deciphered;
• The use of the concept of zero in mathematics, which was absent in others advanced civilizations ancient world;
• Use of the number system;
• Discoveries in the field of astronomy and mathematics - Mayan scientists were hundreds of years ahead of their contemporaries. Their discoveries surpassed all the achievements of the Europeans who lived at that time.

The civilization of the New World reached its peak without such important technical achievements as the invention of the potter's wheel, the wheel, the smelting of iron and steel, the use of domestic animals in agriculture and other achievements that gave impetus to the development of other peoples.

After the 10th century, the Maya civilization fades away.

The reason for the decline of one of the greatest nations modern scientists still cannot name antiquity.

Exists several versions of the reasons for the disappearance of a great civilization. Consider the most likely of them:

The nationality was a group of disparate city-states, often at war with each other. The reason for the enmity was the gradual depletion of the soil and the decline of agriculture. The rulers, in order to maintain power, pursued a policy of capture and destruction. The surviving images from the end of the eighth century tell that the number of internecine wars increased. In most cities, an economic crisis developed. The scale of the ruin was so great that it led to the decline and further disappearance of the greatest civilization.

Where did the Mayan peoples live?

The Maya inhabited most of the territory of Central America, modern Mexico. The vast territory occupied by the tribes was distinguished by an abundance of flora and fauna, a variety natural areas- mountains and rivers, deserts and coastal zones. This was of no small importance in the development of this civilization. The Maya lived in city-states such as Tikal, Kamaknul, Uxmal, and others. The population of each of these cities was more than 20,000 people. Merging into one administrative entity did not occur. Having common culture, a similar system of management, customs, these mini-states formed a civilization.

Modern Maya - who are they and where do they live?

The modern Maya are Indian tribes inhabiting the territory of South America. Their number is over three million. Modern descendants have the same distinctive anthropological features as their distant ancestors: short stature, low wide skull.

Until now, the tribes live apart, only partially accepting the achievements of modern civilization.

The ancient Mayan people were far ahead of their contemporaries in the development of science and culture.

They had excellent knowledge in astronomy - they had an idea about the movement pattern of the sun, moon and other planets and stars. Written language and exact sciences were very developed. Unlike their distant ancestors, modern Indians do not have any achievements in the development of the culture of their people.

Video about the Mayan civilization

This documentary will cover mysterious peoples Maya, what mysteries they left behind, which of their prophecies came true, from what they died:

The greatest interest among scientists, historians and archaeologists around the world is the ancient civilization of the Maya. For many years, people have been trying to unravel the mysteries that the Mayan people left behind. also causes ordinary inhabitants of the planet, because of the secrets and assumptions that scientists put forward regarding the end of the world. The Mayan people compiled a calendar according to which conclusions are drawn about the impending end of life on Earth.

But no one has fully learned everything about the Mayan tribe. For the first time, this people is mentioned in the 1st millennium. Scientists have found out where they lived. They inhabited Central America. Today it is the southern states of Mexico. Also, traces of this were found in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Belize. The resettlement of the tribe began from the Peten plateau. The climate was relatively humid and warm. Then the Mayan people developed new territories along the rivers and on the shores of lakes.

The Maya civilization is considered one of the most advanced. They were way ahead of their time. Mastering new lands, they immediately began to cultivate them. In places of settlements, the Mayan people built cities of stone. Their agriculture was well developed. These tribes grew cotton, cocoa, maize, beans, fruits, pumpkins. Some tribes mined salt.

The development of the Maya civilization is evidenced by the data on writing, which was well mastered by the tribes. It is presented in the form of hieroglyphs. The Mayan calendar, which still surprises with its high accuracy of compilation, is evidence of deep knowledge in the field of astronomy.
Despite the high level of civilization, the Mayan people have never been united. They were divided into separate states. The number of inhabitants of such states was about ten thousand people. By the second half of the first millennium AD, there were a lot of such small states. But at that time, this population was significant. All these small separate associations made up the Maya civilization.

Basic provisions state structure, in all parts of civilization were the same. Each individual state was ruled by a dynasty of kings. Then noble inhabitants and priests went up the hierarchical ladder. Below them were warriors and merchants. At the last stage of social differentiation were peasants, commoners and artisans.

The main architectural structure of each city was a pyramid. Its height reached 15-20 meters. It was the burial place of the nobility. Near the pyramid were other residential buildings. The Mayan people built buildings from limestone. They had small rooms and narrow corridors.

The Mayan tribes paid great attention to religion. Priestesses were equated with the most noble people of the state. Worship of the gods and sacrifices were traditional. The purpose of these rituals was to increase the life span of the gods, who in the concept of these peoples were mortal. The patronage of the gods was the main thing for them, and for this the blood of animals and innocent people was shed.
At the end of the first millennium of our era, the tribes began to suddenly leave their homes. This fact has not yet been found an exact definition. According to various hypotheses, the people were looking for new fertile lands or they were overtaken by an epidemic.

In 1517, the Spanish conquistadors visited the peninsula. They took over the tribes and their lands. The Mayan people did not cease to exist. Their descendants still live in

The Spanish conquerors destroyed the Mayan civilization. Those priceless manuscripts and calendars that have survived to this day are just a small fraction of the artifacts of civilization. A lot of valuable material perished in the fire or was simply destroyed along with the Mayan cities.

When the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernandez de Cordoba arrived on the Yucatan Peninsula in Central America at the beginning of the 16th century, they met here with the legendary Maya Indians. At that time, their civilization was already in serious decline and crisis. But it was not always so...

Preclassic and Classic period

It is believed that the history of the Maya civilization began in the third millennium BC. e. Traditionally, scientists distinguish preclassical, classical and postclassical periods of its development.

In the preclassic period (that is, until about 250 AD), the first city-states arose in the Yucatan, the technologies of slash-and-burn agriculture, technologies for creating fabrics, tools, tools, etc. were mastered. As examples of large cities of the preclassic period, it is worth mentioning Nakbe and El Mirador. It was in El Mirador that the largest Mayan pyramid was discovered. Its height was 72 meters.

As for writing, it appeared among the Maya around 700 BC. e. In general, this people had one of the most advanced writing systems. The Maya left inscriptions everywhere, including on the walls of their buildings. These inscriptions later helped shed light on many aspects of their lives.

In the classical period, the Maya civilization was a set of large and busy cities, and each of them had its own ruler. Maya culture at this time spread to the entire Yucatan Peninsula. Also at this time, new magnificent cities arose - Coba, Chichen Itza, Uxmal, etc.

In the heyday of the Mayan cities, acropolises were erected - ceremonial complexes tens of meters high, including pyramids, palaces and other objects. And at the very top of the acropolises, small square temples without windows were necessarily built. In some cities, there were also observatories - turrets with places to observe other planets and stars.

Cities, temples and large crop fields were interconnected by roads, the so-called sakbe. Sakbe was made from crushed stone, pebbles and limestone - that is, they were not just country roads, but something much more advanced and perfect.

Areas in which the Maya achieved significant success

The Maya Indians managed to create a truly unique civilization. They did not know the wheel and did not know how to process iron. In the production of weapons, these Indians also did not succeed. Over the centuries, their weapons have not changed much (and this is probably one of the reasons why the Europeans turned out to be stronger in the end). But this did not prevent the Mayans from understanding mathematics, geometry and astronomy well, from building high pyramids and temples. A significant element of all buildings was the "Mayan vault" - the original arched narrowing of the roof, which is not found almost anywhere else.

The ancient Maya also knew how to make complex hydraulic irrigation systems. Thanks to this, they grew useful agricultural crops on rather difficult soils from the point of view of agriculture.

Medicine among the ancient Maya was also excellently developed. They were treated by people who had undergone certain training. Local healers accurately identified many ailments (including asthma, tuberculosis, ulcers, etc.) and fought them through inhalations, potions prepared from natural ingredients of medicines.

The Maya Indians knew the human anatomy in detail, and therefore local doctors were able to perform the most complex operations. Affected areas of the body or areas where a tumor developed were removed with knives, wounds were sewn up with a needle and hair, and substances with a narcotic effect were used for anesthesia.

The Mayan physicians had instruments made of volcanic glass and stones at their disposal. By the way, not only medical, but also many other tools and devices, the Maya created precisely from these materials. And some of them, according to modern scientists, were even more perfect than European metal counterparts.

Mayan art in the classical period was also striking in its complexity, sophistication and grace. It found its expression in bas-reliefs, wall paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. The works of art left by the Maya are distinguished by their attraction to mythological themes, complex grotesque images. Key motifs are anthropomorphic deities, snakes and expressive masks.

Calendar and Mayan counting system

The calendar created by the Maya is worthy of a separate discussion - it was really very intricate and long. The year, according to this calendar, was divided into eighteen months of twenty days. However, the Maya did not have such concepts as “beginning of the year” or “end of the year” - the Indians simply calculated the cycles and rhythms of the planets. Time for the Maya moved in a circle, everything repeated again and again. This is amazing accurate calendar also contained detailed information about the movements of celestial bodies.

And one more fun fact related to the Mayan calendar. Once, scientists in the southeast of Mexico found a stele left over from the ancient Indians. According to the inscriptions on this stele, the Mayan calendar ended on December 21, 2012. For some reason, many began to consider this date the date of the end of the world. As a result, everything turned into a farce - nothing special happened either on December 21 or 22, 2012.

The fact that the Mayan year was divided into months of 20 days is not accidental. The local counting system was precisely twenty. When counting, the Indians of Central America (Mesoamerica) from ancient times used their fingers and hands and feet at the same time. Each twenty was additionally divided into fives, which corresponds to the number of fingers.

For the convenience of calculations, the Mayans even introduced the designation zero. It was represented as a hollow shell from a snail (infinity was also expressed by the same symbol). Zero is really needed in many mathematical calculations, however, for example, in ancient Greece this figure was not used - they simply did not think of it.

Sacrifices and other cruel practices of the Maya

The ancient Maya really practiced human sacrifice very actively - this is one of the most known facts about this Indian civilization. People were sacrificed in truly barbaric ways, including by tearing the heart out of the chest and by burying it alive.

It was believed that the person who was chosen as a victim was given the highest honor - he received the status of a messenger to the deities. Mathematicians and astronomers made special calculations to find out when the best time would be to make a sacrifice and who would be best suited for this role. In this regard, the victims were often their own tribesmen, and not the Aztecs and not the Olmecs.

In the polytheistic religion of the Maya, the gods were considered mortal entities. And this is proved by the images of gods-children and gods-old men left by the Indians. And we can conclude that the sacrifices were designed to further extend the life of a particular god.

The Maya also believed that a person must go through thirteen rounds of trials before entering heaven. This path was considered very difficult, it was believed that not all souls were able to go through it to the end. However, women who died during childbirth, warriors who died in battle, and ritual sacrifices fell, according to the beliefs of the ancient Maya, to the gods at once, bypassing all circles.

It was also believed that those who lost in a kind of ball game turned out to be in a better world without unnecessary trials. This sports game was a mixture of rugby, football and basketball. It was played by men in helmets and in protection on the elbows and knees. The goal of the game was extremely simple - it was necessary to throw a rubber ball into a hoop located at a height of six meters. The ball could only be touched by the shoulders, hips and feet. The entire team of losers or several of its members were killed at the end of the game.

Postclassic period

Approximately 850 AD. e. The Maya began to leave their majestic cities, one by one, and the reasons for this phenomenon are still not clear. Complex buildings and water supply systems began to fall into disrepair. After some time, the Maya, in principle, stopped building new high buildings, hold solemn ceremonies and engage in astronomy.

In less than two centuries, the greatness of civilization has largely vanished. There were separate prosperous settlements, but the Mayans were never destined to return to their former greatness. So civilization entered its postclassical period (987 - the end of the 16th century). This time was marked by the adoption of new harsh laws, new styles in art, the mixing of cultures, internecine wars and, finally, the arrival of the conquistadors.

Reasons for the decline of civilization

Researchers are still arguing about the reasons why the Mayan civilization degraded so quickly. All hypotheses about the actual disappearance of the Mayan civilization are divided into two groups - ecological and non-ecological.

Ecological hypotheses are based on the following message: the Maya were out of balance with the natural environment in which they lived. That is, the rapidly growing population is faced with a lack of quality soil suitable for agriculture, as well as drought and a shortage of drinking water.

There are scientists who very actively defend the version of a terrible drought that forced the Mayans to leave the cities (in particular, the geologist Gerald Haug). And in early 2012, scientists from the University of Southampton published the results of their rigorous research, which also confirm this version. According to these studies, the shortage of fresh water in the Yucatan could become noticeable with a drop in precipitation of 40 percent (and such a drop probably took place between 810 and 950 AD). This anomaly led to the fact that there was not enough drinking water, the habitual way of life of the Maya began to collapse, and they left their cities en masse.

Non-environmental hypotheses are hypotheses about internecine wars, conquests by other Indian tribes, epidemics, and some social catastrophes. And, for example, the version of the Mayan conquest is confirmed by some archaeological finds in the Yucatan. More specifically, artifacts belonging to the Toltecs, another people of Mesoamerica, were found in Mayan settlements. Be that as it may, when the Spaniards arrived in the Yucatan in 1517, the Maya already lived predominantly in agricultural communities.

The conquistadors sailed with bad intentions, and in addition to everything, they brought diseases from the Old World to America that the Maya had not known before (for example, smallpox and measles). And in the end, by the end of the 17th century, the Mayans suffered a complete defeat - the last free Mayan city of Tayasal fell in 1697.

Documentary from the History Channel "Mysteries of the Maya. Secrets of antiquity.

The Mayan civilization is one of the few empires of the ancient world that managed to accomplish an unthinkable number of cultural and scientific discoveries. Thus, the Mayan period, the era of the dominance of this civilization in the territories of South and Central America, was marked by the invention of a writing system, complex architecture, a calendar system, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, astrology, religion and a number of other [...]

The Mayan city was not only a fortress for the locals, but also a repository of historical heritage. Mayan and Aztec cities were and are the richest source of knowledge about the ancient world. The Maya civilization itself, along with the Sumerians, is one of the most famous empires of the ancient world, widely spread in research circles, thanks to highly developed art, mathematics, architecture and astronomy. Excavations [...]

Tikal (Tik’al in the Maya language) is today the largest archaeological site in South America, and a thousand years ago it was a religious, trading and Cultural Center Maya civilization. The ancient city is located in the archaeological area of ​​the Pitin Basin in the northern part of modern Guatemala, where the Maya and Incas used to live. Today, the part of the city located in the [...]

Epic in every sense, the culture of the Mayan Indians, which reached its peak in the 2nd-9th centuries of our era on the territory of such states as Belize, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, attracted and attracts the attention of not only researchers and scientists. The widest circle of people of various specialties who are interested in architecture, history and the development of disappeared civilizations continuously follows the latest news and publications about ancient [...]

Mayan cosmology, the mythology of the ancient inhabitants of Yucatan, is based on the experience and knowledge accumulated by the ancestors. Many information, in particular Mayan mythology, has survived to this day in the form of legends and tales. Some data (the worldview of the Incas, Aztecs, and again the mythology of the ancient Maya) were obtained thanks to the Spanish chronicles of the 16th century, which have been preserved in small numbers. But in any case, as if [...]

The mythology of the ancient world, such as Sumerian mythology, is captivating and captivating. Legends and tales of ancient civilizations contain many incredible, but at the same time close to reality stories. This is due to the fact that the mythology of the Aztecs, the Inca people and other ancient empires, was based on scientific knowledge in astronomy and mathematics accumulated over a long history. Thanks to the developing [...]

The pantheon of the ancient Indians of the Mayan tribe, which included the main Mayan gods, as well as local, less significant deities who were worshiped either in individual regions or certain groups of people, for example, artisans, consisted of an incredible number of creatures. According to the chronicles of the Spanish conquistadors and records belonging to the Aztecs, Incas and Maya, the total number of deities reached 200. Deities such as the god [...]

Mayan Indians The Mayan Indians are probably the most well-known of all the classical civilizations of Mesoamerica. Mayan history, Maya culture, Maya religion begins in the Yucatan Peninsula around 2600 BC, Mayan history became known around 250 AD in modern southern Mexico, Guatemala, western Honduras, El Salvador and northern Belize. Building on the legacy of earlier civilizations such as the Olmecs, Indians [...]

classical period Mayan civilization in the lowland forests of Central America is marked by the emergence of such innovations in Mayan culture as: hieroglyphic writing, which includes inscriptions on reliefs, steles, ceramics and frescoes, lintels; the Mayan calendar, the so-called Long Count calendar, running from 3113 BC; monumental architecture with a stepped vault; specific style in ceramics and [...]

The ancient priesthood was a significant social stratum in the Maya civilization. As in most states, the Mayans had a strict church, religious, hierarchy, headed by high priests Maya - ah kins in the language of the Mayan Indians. A step below were the ceremonial assistants who performed the Mayan rites, and the priests of a special specialization. The latter primarily included: nakoms, [...]

Despite the fact that the Mayan civilization disappeared centuries before the arrival of the conquistadors, information about some of the religious customs of the Maya still survived to this day. This happened thanks to the Indians of Yucatan, close to the Mayans and who managed to preserve the most important customs of the Indians. The information recorded by the pioneers in the middle of the 16th century allowed scientists today to get an idea of ​​all [...]

A typical day on the Yucatan Peninsula, where the Mayan people lived, began long before sunrise: at this time, women woke up, made a fire and started cooking breakfast. The Maya are a practical people. Fire for cooking was obtained by ancient, ancient methods: the Maya Indians rotated a stick with a wooden tip. The stick was inserted into a recess in the soft wood, which served as tinder. [...]

The Maya got married early age: boys around eight years old, girls at 12-14 years old. Immediately after the girls and boys reached maturity, at the age of 12 and 14, respectively, parents thought about finding a partner for their child. The Mayans were limited in their choice of husband or wife; I had to choose from fellow tribesmen who also bore a generic name. How [...]

Copan is the largest archaeological site in Honduras. The city is located in the west of the state, in the center of the valley of the river of the same name, a few kilometers from the border with Guatemala. The ancient cities of the Maya civilization are famous for their history, architecture, scientific and literary heritage. Copan is no exception. The city was built in the 1-2 centuries BC and existed until the heyday of the Maya [...]

Nowadays, products such as chocolate and cocoa drink have practically entered the daily diet. Chocolate plays an important role in the lives of people who have devoted themselves to flying. However, few people know that we owe the Indians of Mesoamerica the discovery of cocoa and chocolate recipes. The wild precursors of cultivated cocoa sprout throughout Central and South America - [...]

Cocoa and Chocolate are Mayan heritage. Thousands of years ago, the Maya Indians settled on the lands of the Yucatan Peninsula. This land was the beginning of Mayan science and the rich heritage of the Maya. Here, for themselves, they discovered cocoa trees, which were subsequently cultivated, and the Indians discovered the divine power and wonderful taste of the drink from the seeds of this tree. The drink was bitter [...]

The basis of any empire, and the Mayan civilization is no exception, are large cities. There were not a small number of them on the Yucatan Peninsula, and the population of some of them reached 100 thousand people. However, in the ninth century AD, the Maya civilization fell into decline, for reasons that remain unclear to this day - the Mayan era ended. In recent years [...]

Modern scientists and researchers continue to be disturbed by the countless mysteries and mysteries of the ancient Mayan civilization, in particular the Temple of the Inscriptions, which is famous for ancient city Maya - Palenque. More and more research teams are sent to uncover the secrets of a nation that has sunk into oblivion. So it turned out that the ruler, who headed the Mayan city of Palenque, Pacal the Great, had another, second son, about [...]

Indian music is an integral part of Mexican rituals. One of the first Europeans who managed to immerse themselves in the sounds of Aztec music that accompanies religious rites, including sacrifice rituals, was Bernal Diaz Castillo. However, as a person accustomed to more melodic European, Christian melodies, the sounds of Aztec songs, the music of the Indians and their compositions were alien to him. Those who are fully [...]

When planning a tourist route for countries such as Guatemala and Mexico, the ruins of the cities of the ancient peoples of Central America will certainly fall into the sightseeing program. In particular, the most popular points are the ancient cities of Tikal, Palenque, Copan and Chichen Itza, where the art of the Indians once flourished. However educated people do not stop at viewing monuments alone - you always want to return home with [...]

According to the assumptions of modern scientists, Chichen Itza was founded in the 5th-6th centuries AD and was one of the largest Mayan settlements. However, by the end of the 10th century, for inexplicable reasons, life had practically left Chichen Itza. Buildings that support this theory, dating back to the 10th century AD, are mostly located in the southern part of Chichen Itza. Years later, the city was repopulated, but [...]

Without a doubt, the true heroes of the Popol Vuh are the Quiche Indians. This is directly hinted at by the final phrase of the narrative: “I have nothing more to say about the Maya-Kiche people.” The author wanted to create nothing more than a story about the glorious past of his people. Of course, this glory is perceived by him in a peculiar way and is also displayed in a peculiar way in Mayan writings. The author deliberately eliminated everything that, [...]

The literature of the Mayan civilization is an extraordinary phenomenon not only within the framework of the New World. Many hieroglyphic records and writings of the Maya contain calendar and mythological themes, commemorative and military texts. Military texts, by the way, are the oldest examples of Mayan poetic art. The dominant size, which is not surprising, is the trochee. The most common type of narration and prose among the late Maya, among Maya [...]

Symbolism and components. Maya Indians expressed their cosmic vision in architecture. Mayan architecture was unique. The Maya designed buildings in such a way that they were both practical and symbolic, fulfilling both a practical purpose and a religious one. A significant part of the religious, astronomical structures were conceived by the Maya as gigantic devices for holding and concentrating divine energies. Many buildings, according to the ideas of the Maya Indians, were [...]

The hut is the home of the Mayan Indian. Before the arrival of the Spaniards to their lands, the houses of the Mayan Indians were made of organic materials - this is the main reason why examples of the then “domestic” architecture have not survived to this day. Most researchers agree that Mayan houses were not much different from modern rural buildings. Spanish conquistadors visiting the home of an Indian, [...]

The history of the Maya is full of events. For many centuries before the Europeans, much earlier than all other scientists in the world, the Maya Indians managed to predict, calculate lunar and solar eclipses, and make the most accurate mathematical calculations. They were and remain brilliant astronomers - the Mayans managed to calculate the movement of Venus, its orbit with an error of only 14 seconds, Mayan mathematics was the first in the history of the Earth [...]

The oldest of the settlements on the site of modern excavations, where the city of Tikal was located, dates back to 800 BC. The ancient Maya settled on a small hill, around which they later built their future capital. The name of the city of Tikal, which in translation is “Place of Sounds”, was given to the settlement later, in ancient times the city bore the name Yashmutul and was located in the center of the kingdom of Mutul. City [...]

The legacy of the Mayan civilization The legacy of the Mayan civilization, and indeed the entire Mayan civilization every year becomes more and more a mystery to history, and the disclosure of truths is an impossible task. We have at our disposal only a small, small part of the information and knowledge about the civilization of the ancient Maya, the heritage of the Mayan civilization, however, what is already known for certain is completely derived from descriptions and [...]

According to the Maya, the Yok Cub universe is worlds located one on top of the other. Above the kingdom of the earth, according to Mayan mythology, is the heavenly world. By the way, according to Mayan beliefs, the heavenly world consisted of 13 celestial layers, and under it there were 9 more underground or underworld worlds. In the center of the earth was the tree of life, the original tree. According to the four parties [...]

The second question remains on the agenda: where, from what lands could the Maya Indians come from ?! There is no doubt that at one time they left a highly developed and more ancient civilization than the Maya itself, as evidenced by the Mayan religion, like the whole culture. As it turns out, such a civilization really existed. It was found in the territories of modern Mexico. Right here [...]

The Mayan civilization, the Mayan people, is not the indigenous people of the lands of Honduras and Guatemala, according to many researchers, the Maya came to these lands from the north: scientists find it difficult to answer where exactly they came from or when the Mayans settled Yucatan. One thing is known for sure, it was made no later than the first millennium BC. And from that moment on, [...]

The name of the ancient cities of the Mayans can make you laugh modern man, however, this does not take away their importance for history. Such “funny” and mysterious cities of the Mayans were the embodiment of a mighty ancient empire. One of such centers of Mayan civilization and Mayan culture, but in this case the religious center, was the city of Uxmal (Uxmal - Uxmal). The ruins of ancient Mayan Uxmal are located in the [...]

Ancient Mayan cities were built throughout the Yucatan. It was a huge empire. And another, albeit not central, but no less important Mayan city is the city of Tulum - a residential city that became famous for its landscapes of incredible beauty. Tulum, like many other ancient Mayan cities erected in the postclassical Maya era, served as a port for another ancient Mayan city, Coba, [...]

Perhaps the largest Mayan city is Palenque, located on the Mexican-Guatemalan border, easily accessible from the modern city of Villa Hermosa. In the seventh century AD. this Mayan city was on the western frontier of the Mayan empire. Europeans learned about its existence only in 1773, and the excavations and study of its temples and palaces, as well as the study of the rich heritage of Palenque began [...]

The land that unites the Maya of the city, stretching across the entire northern part of the Yucatan, is popular not only among archaeologists, but also among millions of tourists. Uxmal, the Mayan city of Tulum, Mayapan, Chichen Itza are all popular tourist destinations. These are just the largest and most important of them. Almost all Mayan cities, nationalities, tribes played a significant role in the history of the Mayan civilization. Mayapan, city [...]

Palenque, like many pyramid cities, was located on the western border of the “Mayan” plain. The very name of the city of Palenque, the pyramid city, comes from the name of the neighboring village of Santo Domingo de Palenque, the village, in turn, is named after the ancient city of Bahlam (the sun of the jaguar is the place where the sun descends into underworld). Archaeological finds in the form of pottery show that [...]

The astrological and astronomical knowledge of the ancient Maya was preserved in stone, such as moon calendar Mayan. Carved on the steles that adorn Mayan ruins and slabs, they are the basis for numerous temples and pyramids today. On one of these engravings of the Mayan ruins, it was possible to find calendar calculations extraordinary accuracy, the error was only 0.02% in relation to modern measurements. [...]

From an interview with James. A. McBride II. All the knowledge we have about the Mayan civilization was not acquired by our generation alone, much less by more than one person. These are hundreds of scientists and archaeologists, artists, thinkers and just researchers who have studied existing information or searched for new information on the Mayan ruins, and, of course, those who still [...]

Limestone structures and stucco finishes are the main hallmarks of Mayan culture and architecture. During their short history, the Maya Indians managed to introduce several unique building innovations at once. For example: false arch or cornice. Another interesting feature: some graves and burials were located on the lower floors, in basements or even in the foundations of residential buildings. Often, on the site of such burials, [...]

One of the most common artistic themes in Mayan art is the theme of a royal audience. Sometimes Mayan art was accompanied by engravings describing the people, place, or event depicted. The most interesting and significant details were always especially decorative, for example, faces and masks could be painted in catchy colors, and gestures or postures of people could be highlighted with beads [...]

Mayan art, like the art of any other civilization, is a reflection of lifestyle and culture. The art of the Indians is drawings on paper and bark, various figurines made of clay and stone, images carved on slabs and in wood, on pottery and plaster, ceramic figurines and sculptures, and much, much more. From a technical point of view, the manufacturing process [...]

The traditional garments of the Mayan Indians, sewn mainly by women, are widely known throughout the world. Most beautiful samples that the Mayan culture created were found in Chiapas, Mexico. The Maya women who lived in this region always wore huipil. This is a kind of decorative blouse, rectangular in shape, with a loose silhouette and made of light cotton. Huipil is a very common female attire in civilization [...]

As Mayan legends say, when life was just emerging on Mayan land, the Dziú bird had multi-colored feathers, and its eyes did not yet glow red like fire. Dziú, like all birds, built a nest and laid eggs in the spring, and in the summer she raised her children and prepared them for future difficulties. Once the god of water and fertility Yuum Chaac, [...]

Some facts: First information: 250 AD (rise of the Mayan civilization) Historical territory: Central America (southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize) Followers: Once up to two million. Today, most of the local population practices Catholicism, but a small part of the population still remains Old Believers. Texts: Dresden, Madrid, and Paris manuscripts; Books: Chilam Balam; Popul Vuh; Rituals of Bacabs Major Mayan gods: Itzamná; Kukulcán (Quetzalcóatl); Bolon Tzacab; Chac Fundamentals of Religion: Astronomy, divination, human sacrifice, polytheism, ritual [...]

Some facts: First information: 250 AD (rise of the Mayan civilization) Historical territory: Central America (southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize) Followers: Once up to two million worshipers of the Mayan rites. Today, most of the local population practices Catholicism, but a small part of the population still remains Old Believers. Texts: Dresden, Madrid, and Paris manuscripts; Books: Chilam Balam; Popul Vuh; Rituals of Bacabs Major Mayan gods: Itzamná; Kukulcán (Quetzalcóatl); Bolon Tzacab; Chac Fundamentals of Religion: Astronomy, divination, Mayan rites, human sacrifice, [...]

Some facts: First information: 250 AD (rise of the Mayan civilization) Historical territory: Central America (southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize) Followers: Once upon a time, the Mayan religion numbered up to two million admirers. Today, most of the local population practices Catholicism, but a small part of the population still remains Old Believers. Texts: Dresden, Madrid, and Paris manuscripts; Books: Chilam Balam; Popul Vuh; Rituals of Bacabs Major Mayan gods: Itzamná; Kukulcán (Quetzalcóatl); Bolon Tzacab; Chac Fundamentals of Religion: Astronomy, divination, Mayan rites, human sacrifice, [...]

Some facts: First information: 250 AD (rise of the Mayan civilization) Historical territory: Central America (southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize) Followers: Once upon a time, the Mayan religion numbered up to two million admirers. Today, most of the local population practices Catholicism, but a small part of the population still remains Old Believers. Texts: Dresden, Madrid, and Paris manuscripts; Books: Chilam Balam; Popul Vuh; Rituals of Bacabs Major Mayan gods: Itzamná; Kukulcán (Quetzalcóatl); Bolon Tzacab; Chac Fundamentals of Religion: Astronomy, divination, Mayan rites, human sacrifice, polytheism, ritual [...]

Some facts: First information: 250 AD (rise of the Mayan civilization) Historical territory: Central America (southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize) Followers: Once the Mayan beliefs numbered up to two million admirers. Today, most of the local population practices Catholicism, but a small part of the population still remains Old Believers. Texts: Dresden, Madrid, and Paris manuscripts; Books: Chilam Balam; Popul Vuh; Rituals of Bacabs Major Mayan gods: Itzamná; Kukulcán (Quetzalcóatl); Bolon Tzacab; Chac Fundamentals of Religion: Astronomy, divination, Mayan rites, human sacrifice, polytheism, [...]

Comalcalco is the name of a modern city in Mexico and also the name of an ancient Mayan ruin. Mexican Mayan cities are unique and have their own unique charm. Literally Comalcalco translates as "House of comal". Comal - A pot and pan mix for making corn tortilla. The names of the Mayan cities are amazing, but more amazing is their architecture and heritage. So Comalcalco, like many Mayan cities, meets [...]

Calakmul (the names of the ancient Mayan cities are likely to surprise modern man), was located in the very center of the historical and geographical area once occupied by the Maya Indians. The first Mayan cities began to appear here before our era. Due to its location in the center of the region ("Petén"), the city had a huge impact on the northern and southern regions. Calakmul along with such Mayan cities as [...]

Oxkintok is an ancient city, the Mayan tribes and their descendants lived there for several centuries. Oxyntok is also the site of an ancient city excavation in the Yucatán Peninsula, located at the northern end of Puuc, near Maxcanú and about 40 miles from Mérida, between Uxmal and Ruta Puuc. The ancient city, the Mayan tribes who lived there are huge and the excavation site [...]

Ceibal (Seibal) or Seibal (the locals use this name) is the Spanish word for "place of the Ceiba tree." Seibal, like many mysterious ancient Mayan cities, was located in Guatemala in the Pasión River, the main tributary of the Usumacinta River. Seibal is a city where the Mayan calendar rested for many hundreds of years - once a thriving settlement of the Maya Indians (Preclassical Period approximately [...]

Like other civilizations, the Maya created Mayan stories, legends and fables in which they interpreted, in their own unique way, the creation of the universe and the laws of life. Today, these stories will allow us to get closer to one of the greatest civilizations that ever lived on our planet. It happened a long time ago, in those days when the leader of the Mishtek tribe, Dikanyu, or as he was called Big [...]

Like other civilizations, the Maya created stories, Mayan legends and fables in which they interpreted, in their own unique way, the creation of the universe and the laws of life. Today, these stories will allow us to get closer to one of the greatest civilizations that ever lived on our planet. In one village, a hen lived happily with her husband, a rooster. They had many children - [...]

Like other civilizations, the Maya Indians created Mayan stories, legends and fables in which they interpreted, in their own unique way, the creation of the universe and the laws of life. Today, these stories, the stories of the Maya, will allow us to approach one of the greatest civilizations that ever lived on our planet. The Maya were famous for their hunting skills, and one day the most famous hunter in his tribe started [...]

Mayan astronomy and astrology, expressed in a calendar, also includes the lunar count - the calendar of Mayan lunar days. The lunar period was calculated as 2 cycles of 29 or 30 days, respectively (these cycles alternate). Thus, the average lunar period in Mayan astrology is 29.5 days, with the help of an accurate calculation of alternating cycles, the Moon was carefully caught in [...]

In Mayan astronomy, and indeed in ancient astronomy, the planet Venus played an important role. Mayan astronomers observed Venus and made records of this planet. Dresden Codex contains tables and astronomical data full cycle Venus. Maya astronomy was able to calculate the cycle of Venus, five cycles of 584 days each, five components of a complete cycle of Venus. This corresponds to 2 [...]

The Maya Indians were extremely good astronomers, observing and recording about the Moon, the Sun and other celestial bodies, they managed to reach unprecedented heights in Maya astronomy. Since the first millennium of our era, the Mayan civilization used an annual calendar that includes 360 days, this calendar is extremely accurate and measures long periods of time. The ancient Maya are also known for [...]

The Maya civilization, which created the Maya writing, did not last long by historical standards, but it was a unique people, with its own unique traditions and knowledge of the world. The Maya Indians, like most ancient civilizations, had their own unique Mayan language and script. According to modern scientists, the Maya language originated around 250 BC [...]

Temple XII. Temple XII is rightfully considered the main attraction and the first place to visit among tourists in Palenque. The Mayan temple is also known as the Temple of the Skull and the Temple of the Dead Moon. During the period of primary archaeological excavations in 1992-94, it was on the territory of the temple that the most valuable exhibits were found, in total about 500 objects. Next to the temple of the moon, [...]

The architecture of Palenque was truly extraordinary. By reducing the weight of the cornice arch and minimizing the load on the load-bearing wall, the Palenque builders were able to build houses with front doorways in order to increase the amount of fresh air and natural light in the house. The attic roofs, adorned with stucco carvings and stucco decorations, gave the Palenque structures a pleasing aesthetic appearance. The most famous [...]

Palenque, like most Mayan cities, is located in a mountainous area, the Mayan city is located in the foothills of the Tumbala cliffs in Mexico, the Palenque mountain ledge overlooks marshy plains that extend far north up to the coast of the bay. Perhaps it is the peculiar location of Palenque between the two worlds that gives the Mayan city its mystical charm, which attracts scientists and tourists [...]

Mayapan, like many cities in the jungle, was located on the Yucatan Peninsula, forty-seven kilometers southeast of Merida, the capital of the Yucatan. The ruins, dating back to the Postclassic period of Mayan history, include all the latest achievements of the Mayan civilization in architecture, developing up to the Spanish occupation. Mayapan, like many later jungle cities, was founded in 1007 [...]

Bul (better known as "Bull") is an ancient Mayan strategic board game. Yes, Mayan customs included games. This dice game is also called HAXBIL-BUL, HAXBIL (training) and BUL (game). Stuart Kulin, an ethnologist and curator at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, has included the game of Bul not only in Mayan customs, but [...]

The Maya, as Mayan customs say, were excellent athletes, they built the most magnificent stadiums for their games. For example, consider the stadium in the city of Chichen Itza, 545 feet long and 225 feet wide in all directions. According to Mayan customs, the stadium has no foundation and fastening partitions between the walls, the stadium also has no roof, it is completely open to [...]

Like other civilizations, the Maya created stories, legends and fables in which they interpreted, in their own unique way, the creation of the universe and the laws of life. Mayan mythology was created. Today, these stories will allow us to get closer to one of the greatest civilizations that ever lived on our planet. One day, the Rabbit decided to leave his hole in order to find food for himself. Unfortunately, it started to rain, [...]

And the gods gathered in Teotihuacan, the city of the gods, in order to discuss which of them would become the next Sun. Darkness surrounded them, the dawn was far away. And the gods asked if there were any volunteers among them?! And he wished to become a sim of Tecusitztecatl, but one volunteer was clearly not enough, especially since Tecusitztecatl, as the Mayan legends say, was frightened. And then the gods asked [...]

The post-classical Mayan territory is Uxmal ("oosh-mahl", translated as "thrice built"), a city that was formed on the Yucatan Peninsula at the turn of the 9/10 centuries. Uxmal is considered one of the most complex and beautiful examples Puuc architecture, and for numerous tourists and travelers Uxmal is the highlight of their journey. Puuc means "hilly side", the name of a hilly area in which [...]

A city perched spectacularly on a cliff overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. Tulum is a Mayan city that flourished until 1200 (the arrival of the Spaniards). The ruins of an ancient Mayan settlement, Tulum is the third most visited Mayan city in Mexico, after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itzi. The ruins of the city are located just 120 km from the popular resort of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula. [...]

Kabah is a Mayan city in the Yucatan Peninsula, connected to the neighboring city of Uxmal by a ceremonial road. Its construction began around the 9th century AD (most of the buildings in the city are made in the Puuc style). The Kabah is best known for its palace, which is completely covered in rain god masks and hawk face paintings. The area around the town of Kabah began to be settled around [...]

Caracol is the most important city in the Mayan civilization, flourishing until the 7th century AD, today lying in ruins in west-central Belize on the border with Guatemala. The Mayan city, hidden in the jungle until 1938 (discovery of Caracol), contains numerous pyramids, royal burials, residences and other structures. Caracol is the largest Mayan settlement in Belize. Once the city [...]

Like other civilizations, the Maya created stories, Mayan legends and fables in which they interpreted, in their own unique way, the creation of the universe and the laws of life. Today, these stories will allow us to get closer to one of the greatest civilizations that ever lived on our planet. Once upon a time, Sac Muyal stole a young girl and disappeared with her. To save her, [...]

Like other civilizations, the Mayans created stories, Indian myths and fables in which they interpreted, in their own unique way, the creation of the universe and the laws of life. Today, these stories will allow us to get closer to one of the greatest civilizations that ever lived on our planet. Once upon a time, a brave and strong warrior lived in this world. He loved to hunt and often walked [...]

Like other civilizations, the Maya Indians created stories, legends and tales of the Indians, in which they interpreted, in their own unique way, the creation of the universe and the laws of life. Today, these stories will allow us to get closer to one of the greatest civilizations that ever lived on our planet. Once upon a time there lived a man so poor that he was always in a bad mood and mistreated [...]

Like other civilizations, the Mayan Indians, the mythology of the Indians created stories, legends and fables in which they interpreted, in their own unique way, the creation of the universe and the laws of life. Today, these stories will allow us to get closer to one of the greatest civilizations that ever lived on our planet. As Indian mythology says, once upon a time a kind but unfortunate man decided to sell his soul to the [...]

Mayan discoveries were numerous. Thus, the introduction of the symbol zero into calculations is one of the greatest achievements of the Maya civilization in its entire history. The role of zero cannot be overestimated, because while carrying the meaning of an empty set, at the same time it carries the meaning of infinity. The Mayan equivalent of the Arabic zero (0), allowed the Mayans to express any value of an integer using [...]

The city of Copan is one of the largest archaeological sites on the territory of Honduras and the most important political center of the disappeared Maya empire. The city of Copan is located in the west of Honduras, in the central part of the valley of the river of the same name (Copan), a kilometer from the town of the same name and 14 kilometers from the border with Guatemala. Copan is an ancient Mayan city, founded in the middle of the second century AD, [...]

The culture of the Mayan civilization is full of contrasts and mysteries, American myths and legends: great mathematicians and astronomers, primitive farmers, friendly merchants and bloodthirsty warriors. Like other civilizations, the peoples of Central America also had their own myths of America, legends, fairy tales. They described both the life of mere mortals and mythical creatures- gods or animals. Great attention [...]

More recently, the National Institute of Anthropology and History told the world that archaeologists from Mexico have begun excavations of Mayan cities, in particular the study of a certain large Mayan city, protected for hundreds of years by the jungle, and hidden deep underground. The city was first discovered by locals in 1995 and reported to the archaeologists of Luz Evelia Campagna. Approximate [...]

It is assumed that the Mayan religion was the most cruel in the history of mankind. All of you must have heard about the bloody atrocities that took place in the Mayan civilization, I mean sacrifices, both human and not. In the numerous rituals of the Mayan religion, to tenderness to the gods, hundreds of thousands of animals and an incalculable number of human lives were sacrificed. But is it [...]

The heritage of the Mayan civilization has hundreds of thousands of samples of a highly developed culture, the ancient Indian cities were an example of majestic architecture, but the Spaniards did everything to destroy them. The heritage of the fortified cities of the Indians, which had protected the locals for hundreds of years, did not save them either. In July 1562, in Mani, Bishop Diego de Landa ordered that all Maya manuscripts and works of art be collected and burned. Tenderloin [...]

The gods of the Indians for the Indians themselves were not just idols. God Vitsliputsli - Huitzilopochtli (Huitzilopochtli, Vislipuzli) - “God of the southern hummingbird”, “hummingbird of the left side”. Initially, he was the god of the Aztec tribe (a hummingbird in Aztec and Mayan mythology, often personified the sun). According to the legends of the Aztecs, one day Huitzilopochtli was supposed to come to earth and take all the people to a blessed place where they [...]

The culture of the Mayan civilization is full of contrasts and mysteries, American tales and legends: great mathematicians and astronomers, primitive farmers, friendly merchants and bloodthirsty warriors. Like other civilizations, the peoples of Central America also had their own myths, legends, tales of America. They described both the life of ordinary mortals and mythical creatures - gods or animals. Great attention [...]

The culture of the Mayan civilization is full of contrasts and mysteries: Yucatan myths and fairy tales, great mathematicians and astronomers, primitive farmers, friendly merchants and bloodthirsty warriors. Like other civilizations, the peoples of Central America also had their own Yucatan myths, legends, fairy tales. They described both the life of ordinary mortals and mythical creatures - gods or animals. Great attention [...]

Not so long ago, a hypothesis appeared, according to which the Mayan civilization originated in Altai. Researchers were skeptical about such a theory, but not everything is so simple. Yes, yes, you were not mistaken precisely in Altai, here is such a Mayan tribe of geography. And every step in Central America only confirms this theory. Even the elders of the descendants of the Mayan civilization, without the slightest irony, [...]

In the ancient city of Waka (Waka), modern Mayan ruins, a joint expedition of archaeologists from Guatemala and the United States managed to discover a burial, possibly belonging to the founder of the local dynasty of Mayan monarchs who ruled in the third century AD. Scientists do not yet have full confidence in the belonging of the Mayan tomb, however, as the Los Angeles Times notes, the finds at the entrance to the burial chamber indicate [...]

Translations of hieroglyphs depicted on the stairs of the pyramid in Guatemala showed that at the peak of its development in the Mayan civilization of Yucatan, there was a prolonged armed conflict between the two city-states. Mayan writings and texts in Mexico. The hieroglyphs of 1300 years ago support the theories of scientists that the world of the ancient Maya, the Maya in Mexico was split by battles between two dominant rulers, and not clashes [...]

Traveling through Mayan cities and ruins is one of the most inspiring trips you will ever take. The excavations of the Mayan city, its ruins are both an incredible sight and a memory for life. Visiting ancient Mayan cities is a great way to spend your holidays. Places such as the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza, Palenque, Merida, Tulum, Tikal and [...]

One of the most revered gods in the Mayan civilization, in the Mayan pantheon, was Quetzalcoatl (Kukul-kan), the god of the wind, the god of the planet Venus, etc. In addition to the main deities, local gods and faith in deified ancestors and heroes. Among the numerous female deities, the "red goddess" Ish-Chebel-Yash was especially revered. She was often depicted with the paws of a predatory [...]

The Mayan gods played an important role in Everyday life native americans. The Mayans were a deeply spiritual people, like all other peoples of the Mesoamerican continent. The Mayan pantheon of gods was based on the knowledge acquired over the long existence of this ancient civilization. Thoughts of the Mayan people and their actions for many millennia were determined by ideas and concepts about space and time, about the creation of man, faith [...]

Farming has played an important role throughout the history of the ancient civilization that was built by the Mayan Indians, in the history of a civilization that left behind many questions and mysteries, such as the Mayan calendar or the 2012 apocalypse according to Mayan predictions. Basically, the fields of ancient farmers were sown with numerous grains, for the most part it was corn. Legumes were also often grown, [...]

Central America where the Maya lived literally of the word, is littered with pyramids and ruins left by the ancient Mayan civilization, whose finest hour fell between 250 and 900 AD, and covered the territory of modern Honduras and part of central Mexico. Archaeologists were ordered to excavate in the area of ​​El Zotz, where the Maya lived, (El Zotz translated [...]

In May of this year, in Guatemala, researchers managed to discover a burial room, a Mayan tomb, but the discovery was made public only a couple of days ago, as it became known, the grave was found in the Peten region, where vast thickets and impenetrable jungle hid the great secret of the Mayan civilization over many hundreds of years. The tomb, a Mayan tomb, is dated 300 - 600 years [...]

Of all the empires of the ancient world, it is worth highlighting the Maya civilization, aggregating knowledge in mathematics that is in no way inferior to ours. It is believed that it was in the mathematics of the ancient Maya that the concept of the number zero was first used. The priests of the Mayan civilization, who spread the knowledge of the Maya, are the first people on our planet to use the concept of an empty set in their calculations. Also, don't forget about [...]

Tikal (or Tik'al according to modern spelling Maya) is the largest archaeological site and the center of the Mayan civilization before the Columbus era. It is located in the archaeological area of ​​the Petén Basin in present-day northern Guatemala, where the Mayans and Incas used to live. Now part of Tikal located in the Petén basin is the National Park of Guatemala, and since 1979, thanks to UNESCO, it [...]

On November 15, 1533, the first Spanish soldiers set foot in the ancient Mayan city. Later, on March 23, 1534, Francisco Pizarro, who arrived in Cusco on an official visit, renames the city “Noble City of Cusco.” The ancient city, once belonging to the Maya, was rebuilt under the control of Europeans. big [...]

For more than 3,000 years, the meaning of Mayan symbols has remained a mystery to scientists around the world. The Maya was one of the few ancient civilizations that had its own writing system, the Mayan script. Their Maya symbols and hieroglyphs are original, most of the civilizations borrowed the writing system from pre-existing empires. The hieroglyphs were discovered by an American, John Lloyd Stevens, and an Englishman, Frederick Catherwood in [...]

Welcome to our corner of Mayan art. Architecture and sculpture of the ancient Indians, Maya painting, Inca architecture, memorial plaques, statues, sculptures and wall carvings (believe the Maya - this is not only fortune-telling of the Mayan Indians). About all this, including Maya painting, and not only you can read here, and not only read, but also watch. For your consideration [...]

Mysterious Maya and extraterrestrial civilizations, rumors about possible connection ancient Indians with a more developed form of life have long been wandering the web, and even before the advent of the Internet this topic has been discussed extensively by many people. Some of them believe that the multi-level stone pyramids located in Central America are nothing more than star portals built by the Mayans and their extraterrestrial [...]

Mayan epochs, chronology: BC: 3000-2000, Olmec Empire. 1800-900, Early Preclassic Maya. 900-300, Middle Preclassic Maya civilization. 300 BC-250 AD, Late Preclassic Mayan period. Our era: 250-600, Early classical Mayan civilization. 600-900, Late Classic Maya period. 900-1500, Preclassic Maya civilization. 1521-1821, Colonial period. 1821, To this day, independent Mexico. Maya history, detailed chronology: BC: 11,000 BC, The first hunter-gatherers [...]

Maya beliefs, the religion of ancient American cultures, are characterized by complex, sophisticated rites, rituals, the fundamental purpose of which was to receive indulgence from the gods in the form of all kinds of benefits. The Mayan religion boasted a huge variety of rituals from the incense of fragrant resins, cult dances and chants to vigils, fasts and prayers. The religion of the ancient Maya was arranged in such a way that a special place in it was occupied [...]

The city of Chichen Itza, Tikal, Mayapan, Palenque are all little-studied settlements of the Mayan civilization. The whole history of the Mayan civilization is shrouded in riddles and mysteries. Even now, endless archaeological excavations of ancient cities and research operations do not provide all the answers to all Maya riddles. How did such an ancient civilization, which did not know the wheel, manage to build such majestic temples and pyramids? What [...]

The Maya people are a homogeneous group of people that have settled in the same territory for a thousand years. The Maya Indians spoke about thirty languages ​​​​(the writing of the Mayan Indians also included about 30 dialects), so similar that linguists suggested the existence of a proto-Mayan language, from which the rest later appeared, this language existed about 7 thousand years ago. [...]

Ancient Maya, Mayan culture, the secrets of Mayan architects Deep in the tropical forests of Central America are majestic monoliths, the ruins of Mayan culture, Mayan civilization, this is a whole Mayan wiki or if you want a storehouse of knowledge. Names so unfamiliar to modern man as Copan, Tikal, Chichen Itza, Monte Alban - the names of abandoned cities of the disappeared Mayan civilization, captivate our imagination. Mayan civilization, Mayan culture - [...]

The Maya heritage is rich, as is the history of this people. At its peak, the Maya civilization occupied a vast area covering southeastern Mexico and the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Mayan culture, Maya religion, Maya civilization developed over a fairly long period of time, starting from the preclassic period, approximately 1000 BC. until the coming of the Spanish [...]

The ancient Maya civilization and its history. The Maya, the Maya civilization, is an ancient American civilization that possessed the only known and ideally developed written language of the Americas before Columbus, as well as its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Originally erected during the Preclassic period (c. 2000 BC to 250 AD), according to Mayan history, the chronology of the Maya civilization, many [...]

Mayan civilization full of mysteries and mysteries. To date, the descendants of the Indians - who do not particularly stand out among other races and peoples. But ancient history Maya haunts many researchers. Where did the ordinary farmers, who were the Mayan tribes, get amazing knowledge in mathematics, astronomy, writing and physics? How were they able to make incredibly complex objects or install huge megaliths? Secrets have always captivated the minds of people. Let's take an exciting journey into the mysterious Mayan history.

Stone head - a symbol of the Almecs

Archaeologists find artifacts that indicate that the territory of Mexico was inhabited for several millennia BC. Historians differ on the exact dating of these finds. In any case, it is obvious that the ancient peoples moved to the North American mainland in ancient times.

Officially recognized history considers the first Indian civilization of the Olmecs, who lived on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico from the 2nd millennium BC. to 5th century AD They are credited with the invention of complex writing, a solar calendar, a twenty-year countdown, a sports and religious ball game, etc. It is also believed that the Olmecs were able to build pyramids and carve the famous five-meter heads of warriors out of stone.

The Indian civilization of the Zapotecs is little studied. Historians suggest that it originated in the 5th century BC. The capital was located in Monte Alban, famous for its amazing Temple of the Dancers with inscriptions still undeciphered. The mysterious Izapa culture, traces of which are found in the state of Chiapas, has left many artifacts for historians to study. Among them are unusual steles with images of deities and people, monuments, altars.

The culture of the Aztecs belongs to the later period of the history of Mexico until its conquest by the Spaniards. The capital of the Aztec state was Tenochtitlan, which later became the city of Mexico City. The Aztecs worshiped various deities, the main of which was the god of war, Huitzilopochtli. This tribe was very warlike: many thousands of sacrifices of people were in the order of things. They constantly fought with the tribes surrounding them and raided foreign territories. Cuautemoc, the last ruler of the Aztecs, was overthrown by conquistadors in 1521.

Among the many other Indian tribes that inhabited Mexico, one can distinguish Tarascos, Mixtecs, Toltecs, Totonacs, Chichimecs. The tribes of the Mayan civilization have earned a special position among their brethren thanks to the incredibly complex historical monuments and highly developed culture that official history ascribes to them.

Mayan history

Considering the history of the Mayan peoples, it should be noted that there are several theories of the development of this civilization. According to the official one - the one that is taught in universities and published in textbooks - the Mayan culture appeared about 3 thousand years ago. She had so much high level technologies, scientific knowledge and development, which surpassed the current civilization several times.

There is another theory, alternative, but gaining all more supporters. According to this theory, in ancient times there was a certain highly developed civilization, which disappeared for several millennia BC. She left behind amazing historical monuments, letters and artifacts that testify to an incredible level of development. This, by the way, is consistent with the biblical chronology of times before Flood. It appears that this civilization was destroyed in the Flood.

The Maya Indians appeared in the territories of the ancient civilization much later. They began to master, as best they could, the found buildings and use calendars, statues and other objects of prehistoric culture in their everyday life. The Maya themselves admit that they received their knowledge from the "gods", and did not acquire it on their own. And what could be expected from a civilization whose main occupation was the cultivation of corn? Why would the Indians need deep knowledge of astronomy if they did not make space flights? How could the Maya build huge pyramids if they didn't even have a wheel?

Which theory to follow is up to you. Let's look at some official dates from Maya history.

1000-400 BC - the appearance of minor Mayan settlements in the northern part of Belize.

400-250 BC - the rapid growth of cities in the vast territories of the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala, Belize and El Salvador. Archaeologists find big number works of jade, obsidian and precious metals.

250 BC – 600 AD - Maya peoples are formed into city-states, constantly at war with each other for territory.

600-950 AD - the rise and subsequent decline of many Mayan cities. For historians, the reasons for this desolation are still unclear. Some cite some kind of explanation disaster such as severe drought. Others argue that it could have been wars of conquest or epidemics.

950-1500 AD - new cities appear in the north of Yucatan, special meaning attached to maritime trade with the Aztecs.

1517 - the first documented contact of the Mayan tribes with Europeans in the Yucatan Peninsula. Then the Indians were defeated in battle with the well-armed Spaniards. But for several decades they fought desperately for independence from the invaders.

During the Spanish conquest, the colonialists mercilessly destroyed cultural characteristics Maya, seeking to convert them into catholic faith. It is known that the Catholic priest Diego de Landa burned a collection of Maya books in order to combat shamanism.

Mayan mysteries

In the territories where the Mayan peoples lived, a huge number of objects have been found that amaze modern researchers. Some can be seen in museums in Mexico, such as the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, others are scattered in museums around the world. And how many have not yet received general publicity!

According to archaeologists, multicolored quartz skulls were not uncommon among Mayan treasures. It is not yet possible to establish their exact date. It is even more difficult to determine how they were carried out and, most importantly, for what. One such skull is the legendary Mitchells-Hedges skull. It was found according to the reports of the researcher himself, after whom he received his name, during excavations in the jungle of the Yucatan Peninsula. The skull strikes with perfection of lines. It has an amazing property: when rays of light hit it at a certain angle, the eye sockets of the skull begin to glow. Was this skull used in the worship of deities during some religious rituals, or did it simply serve as an interior decoration? There are no exact answers yet, but there are many assumptions.

Modern researchers are like African natives who found a glass bottle in the desert and are trying to determine its purpose by directing the sun's rays at it. Most likely, the ancients used crystal skulls in ways we can't even imagine.

AT modern world there is no technology that could replicate such a masterpiece. But on the ancient crystal skull there is not a single trace of tools. So for now, this amazing item remains one of the biggest mysteries of the past.

The famous archaeological site of Palenque is located in the Mexican state of Chiapas. A mysterious sarcophagus was found in the Temple of the Inscriptions located in it. Scientists attribute its existence to the Mayan ruler Pakal, who was buried in it. Amazing images on the lid of the sarcophagus still cause controversy in scientific circles. Some see Pacal himself in the drawing, resurrected from the realm of the dead. Others suggest that this is not Pacal at all, but some kind of prehistoric astronaut in the cockpit of a spaceship. It is impossible to say anything for sure. Therefore, the sarcophagus is shrouded in mystery.

Not only the stone lid is interesting, but also the sarcophagus itself. It's just huge. Its dimensions are 3.8 m by 2.2 m. The sarcophagus is carved from solid stone weighing 15 tons and has an exact rectangular shape. The lid weighs 5 and a half tons. How could it be done? It is difficult to imagine the ancient Indians breaking a block of stone with primitive tools. It is even more difficult to guess how and who installed this giant in the pyramid.

The calendar attributed to the Mayan culture amazes scientists with its complexity and accuracy. According to researchers, it consists of two calendars: solar and sacred (galactic). The first included 365 days, the second - 260. The sacred calendar (tsolkin) is a number system of 13 numbers and 20 characters. Many claim to decipher the Mayan calendar. As soon as they do not explain the meaning of its symbols and numbers. Someone associates the calendar with predictions of future events. Someone sees in his calculations the movement of the sun around the center of the galaxy. Remains a mystery exact origin and the appointment of the Mayan calendar. One thing is obvious, that for its creation a very deep knowledge of mathematics and astronomy was required.
The most important Mayan monuments

The Maya culture left behind numerous archaeological monuments: pyramids, temples, frescoes, steles, sculptures, etc. Their research is a very exciting activity. It's worth making the trip yourself when the opportunity presents itself. Simply breathtaking from the beauty and mystery of these structures.

In fact, this is a pyramid with a small building on its top. The pyramid got its name from the three plates with hieroglyphs on the walls of the temple. Several groups of scientists were engaged in deciphering the inscriptions, but it was not possible to read them to the end. A tunnel was discovered in the pyramid leading to a secret room. There, archaeologists found a sarcophagus with the Mayan ruler Pacal buried in it, which was discussed above.

This is a unique pyramid 30 meters high. At its top is a temple in which the ancient Mayan priests made sacrifices to their supreme deity Kukulkan. The pyramids are famous for their unusual construction: twice a year on the equinoxes, the shadow from the ledges of the pyramid falls on the steps, giving the impression of a crawling snake. Surely, for the Indians, this picture looked intimidating. Inside the temple is a "jaguar throne" decorated with shells and jade. It is believed that rulers sat on it. The size of this "throne" is small and its exact purpose is unknown.

The height of the pyramid is 36 meters. This pyramid is famous for the fact that its base is not square, but oval. According to an ancient Mayan legend, it was built in one night by a sorcerer who knew how to rearrange stones with spells. The pyramid has several platforms, at the top there is a temple dedicated to the rain god Chaak. The Pyramid of the Wizard itself is decorated with images of this deity, as well as snakes and people.

- the only Mayan port city that has survived to this day. Its name translates as "wall". Indeed, part of the city's defensive wall testifies to its former greatness. Here you can also see several impressive palaces and temples.

- This is an ancient Mayan city, the territory of which cannot be bypassed in one day. The city has an area of ​​70 sq. km. To walk along it, you can rent a bicycle or ride a bicycle taxi. Koba is famous for its huge pyramids, 100 km road and many other mysterious buildings.

On the territory of the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza there is a mysterious sacred cenote or a natural karst well. A three-hundred-meter road leads to it from the pyramid of Kukulkan. The Mayan Indians used the cenote during religious rituals. In order to achieve the favor of their fictional deities, they sacrificed not only gems, gold items and weapons, but also people. They were simply thrown to the bottom of the well in the hope that the deity would send the long-awaited rain in response.

History of discoveries and mysteries of Mexico

Very meager information of the Spanish colonialists about the ancient Mayan cities that they found has come down to us. In addition, they are more like fairy tales about cities of gold.
For many years, Mayan treasures have been lost in the impenetrable jungle. The beginning of a purposeful study of the monuments of the ancient Maya culture was laid by the American John Stephens in 1839. He was able to discover such cities as Palenque, Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Copan, etc. He described his observations in a book that made a splash in the scientific world of America and Europe. Following Stephenson, many researchers from different countries went deep into the jungle, eager for new discoveries and mysteries. The leading role in archaeological excavations was taken by several research institutes USA.

At first, the main attention was paid to the study of buildings, inscriptions, bas-reliefs, stelae and frescoes, i.e. external attributes. Over time, scientists delved into the study of small objects and details, as well as what is hidden underground.

So, for example, at the end of the 19th century, the American E. Thompson arrived on the Yucatan Peninsula. Earlier, Diego de Landa's testimonies came to him that untold riches were stored at the bottom of the sacred well in Chichen Itza. The American decided to test this statement and, armed necessary tools, took out real treasures from the bottom of the well. These were jewels made of jade, gold, copper, and the remains of more than 40 people were also found.

Another sensational discovery occurred in 1949 in the archaeological complex of Palenque. Archaeologist A. Rus noticed that one of the slabs on the floor in the Temple of Inscriptions had holes covered with corks. He decided to lift this slab and found the entrance to the tunnel. The tunnel needed to be cleared of stones and earth, which took several years. In June 1952, an archaeologist was able to get into an underground room under the pyramid. There he discovered the famous sarcophagus with the Mayan ruler Pacal buried in it, as they say. In addition to the sarcophagus, the remains of people, jewelry and jewelry were found. Scientists are still trying to explain the meaning of the image on the five-ton cover of the sarcophagus.

To date, only a small part of the cultural heritage of the ancient civilization has been discovered and studied. In addition, much is simply inaccessible to ordinary lovers of antiquities. Who knows how many more ancient treasures are waiting to be discovered...