A short message about the Mayan civilization. See what "Maya" is in other dictionaries

: The Rise and Disappearance of the Maya State

One of the many mysteries is associated with the Maya. An entire people, consisting mainly of city residents, suddenly left their good and strong homes, said goodbye to the streets, squares, temples and palaces and moved to the distant wild north. None of these settlers ever returned to their old place. The cities were deserted, the jungle burst into the streets, weeds ran rampant on the stairs and steps; Forest seeds were carried into the grooves and grooves, where the wind brought the smallest pieces of earth, and they sprout here, destroying the walls. Never again bigger leg a person did not set foot on the stone-paved courtyards, did not climb the steps of the pyramids.

But maybe some catastrophe was to blame? And again we are forced to ask the same question: where are the traces of this catastrophe and what exactly is this catastrophe that could force an entire people to leave their country and their cities and start life in a new place?

Perhaps some terrible epidemic has broken out in the country? But we do not have any data that would indicate that only the pitiful, weak remnants of a once numerous and strong people set off on a long campaign. On the contrary, the people who built cities like Chichen Itza were undoubtedly strong and in the prime of their strength.

Perhaps, finally, the climate in the country suddenly changed, and therefore further life here became impossible? But from the center Ancient kingdom the center of the New Kingdom is no more than four hundred kilometers in a straight line. Climate change, about which, by the way, there is also no data, which could so dramatically affect the structure of the entire state, would hardly have not affected the area to which the Mayans moved.

There are still many secrets of the ancient Mayan civilization, maybe over time many of them will be revealed, or maybe they will remain secrets.

About 10,000 years ago, when the last ice age ended, people from the north moved to explore the southern lands, now known as Latin America. They settled in the territory that later constituted the Mayan region, with mountains and valleys, dense forests and arid plains. The Maya region includes modern Guatemala, Belize, southern Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador. Over the next 6,000 years, the local population transitioned from a semi-nomadic existence as hunter-gatherers to a more sedentary agricultural lifestyle. They learned to grow corn and beans, used a variety of stone tools to grind grain and prepare food. Gradually settlements arose.

Around 1500 BC. e. The widespread construction of rural-type settlements began, which served as a signal for the beginning of the so-called “preclassic period”, from which the countdown of centuries of the glorious Mayan civilization begins.

“PRE-CLASSICAL” PERIOD (1500 BC–250 AD)

People acquired some agricultural skills and learned to increase the productivity of their fields. Throughout the Maya region, densely populated villages of rural type arose. Around 1000 BC. e. The villagers of Cuello (in Belize) made pottery and buried their dead. Following the required ceremony: pieces of green stone and other valuable items were placed in the grave. In Mayan art of this period, the influence of the Olmec civilization, which arose in Mexico on the Gulf Coast and established trade relations with all of Mesoamerica, is noticeable. Some scholars believe that the ancient Maya owe their creation of a hierarchical society and kingship to the Olmec presence in the southern Maya region from 900 to 400 BC. e.

Olmec power ended. The growth and prosperity of the southern Mayan trading cities begins. From 300 BC e. to 250 AD e. such large centers as Nakbe, El Mirador and Tikal emerge. The Mayans achieved significant advances in the field of scientific knowledge. Ritual, solar and lunar calendars are used. They represent complex system interconnected calendars. This system allowed the Mayan Indians to record the most important historical dates, make astronomical forecasts and boldly look into such distant times that even modern experts in the field of cosmology do not dare to judge. Their calculations and records were based on a flexible counting system that included a symbol for zero unknown to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and they surpassed other contemporary civilizations in the accuracy of astronomical calculations.

Of all the ancient cultures that flourished in the Americas, only the Mayans had a developed writing system. And it was at this time that the Mayan hieroglyphic writing began to develop. Mayan hieroglyphs look like miniature drawings squeezed into tiny squares. In reality, these are units of written speech - one of the five original writing systems created independently of one another. Some hieroglyphs are syllabic, but most of them are ideograms, denoting phrases, words or parts of words. Hieroglyphs were carved on steles, on lintels, on vertical planes of stone stairs, on the walls of tombs, and also written on the pages of codices and on pottery. About 800 hieroglyphs have already been read, and scientists with unabated interest are deciphering new ones, as well as giving new interpretations to already known symbols.

During the same period, temples were erected, which were decorated with sculptural images of gods, and then Mayan rulers. Rich offerings are found in the tombs of Mayan rulers from this period.

EARLY “CLASSICAL” PERIOD (250-600 AD)

By 250 AD. Tikal and its neighboring city of Washactun become the main cities in the central lowland zone of Maya territory. Tikal had everything: giant pyramid temples, a palace complex, ball courts, a market, and a steam bath.
Society was divided into the ruling elite and the subordinate working class of farmers, artisans, and traders. Thanks to excavations, we learned that social stratification in Tikal primarily concerned housing. While ordinary members of the community lived in villages scattered here and there among the forests, the ruling elite had at their disposal a more or less clearly defined living space of the Central Acropolis, which by the end of the classical period turned into a real labyrinth of buildings built around six spacious courtyards over an area of ​​about 2.5 square kilometers. The buildings consisted of one or two rows of long rooms, divided by transverse walls into a number of rooms, each room having its own exit. The “palaces” served as homes for important people; in addition, the city administration was probably located here.

Beginning in the 3rd century, rulers with supreme power erected pyramid temples and steles with images and inscriptions designed to perpetuate their rule; The initiation rite consists of a ritual of bloodletting and human sacrifice. The earliest known stele (dated to 292) was found in Tikal, it was erected in honor of one of the heirs of the ruler Yash-Mok-Shok, who founded at the beginning of the century a dynasty that was destined to rule the city for 600 years. In 378, under the ninth ruler of this dynasty, Great Jaguar Paw, Tikal conquered Vashaktun. By that time, Tikal was under the influence of a tribe of warriors and traders from the Mexican center of Teotihuacan, having adopted some methods of warfare from foreigners.

LATE “CLASSICAL” PERIOD (600-900 AD)

The classical Mayan culture, which was characterized by rapid construction of palaces and temples, reached a new level of development in the 7th-8th centuries. Tikal is regaining its former glory, but other, no less influential centers are emerging. In the west of the Mayan region, Palenque flourishes. Which is ruled by Pacal, who came to power in 615 and was buried with the highest honors in 683. The rulers of Palenque were distinguished by great construction zeal and created a large number of temples, palace complexes, a royal tomb and other buildings. But most importantly, the sculptural images and hieroglyphic inscriptions that abound in these buildings give us an idea of ​​what the rulers and the people obedient to them considered important. After studying all the monuments, it seems that during this period there were some changes in the role assigned to the ruler, and these changes indirectly indicate the reason for the collapse of such a seemingly prosperous civilization, which was the Mayan civilization in the “classical period”.

In addition, in four different places in Palenque, Pacal and his successor erected the so-called royal registers - steles with records of the members of the ruling dynasty, tracing its roots back to 431 AD. e. Apparently these two were very concerned about proving their legitimate right to rule, and the reason for this was two cases in the history of the city when the ruler received the right of succession to the throne through his mother's line. This is what happened with Pakal. Since among the Mayans the right to the throne was usually passed on through the paternal line, Pacal and his son were forced to make some adjustments to this rule.

In the 7th century, the southeastern city of Copan also gained fame. Many inscriptions and steles of Copan show that the city was a city for 4 centuries, from the 5th century AD. e., ruled by one dynasty. Thanks to this stability, the city gained weight and influence. The founder of the dynasty, ruler Yash-Kuk-Mo (Blue-Ketual-Parrot), came to power in 426 AD. e. And it can be assumed that his authority was very great, and all subsequent rulers of Copan considered it necessary to count their royal line from him. Of his 15 royal descendants, the longest lived was the energetic Smoke Jaguar, who ascended the throne in 628 and reigned for 67 years. Famed as the Great Instigator, Smoke Jaguar led Copan to unprecedented prosperity, greatly expanding its holdings, possibly through territorial wars. The nobles who served under him probably became rulers of the conquered cities. During the reign of Smoke-Jaguar, the urban population reached approximately 10,000 people.

At that time, wars between cities were common. Despite the fact that the rulers of the cities were related to each other due to interdynastic marriages, and in the culture - art and religion - these cities had much in common.

Art continues to develop, artisans supply the nobility with various exquisite crafts. The construction of ceremonial buildings and numerous steles extolling the personal merits of the rulers continues. However, starting from the 8th century, and especially in the 9th century, the cities of the central lowlands fell into decay. In 822, a political crisis rocked Copan; the last dated inscription at Tikal is from 869.

"POST-CLASSICAL" PERIOD (900-1500 AD)

The depletion of natural resources, the decline of agriculture, urban overcrowding, epidemics, foreign invasions, social upheaval and incessant wars - all of these, both together and separately, could have caused the decline of the Mayan civilization in the southern plains. By 900 AD e. Construction in this area stops, once populous cities, abandoned by residents, turn into ruins. But the Mayan culture still lives in the northern part of Yucatan. Such beautiful cities as Uxmal, Kabah, Sayil, Labna in the hilly Puuc region exist until the year 1000.

Historical chronicles of the eve of the Conquest and archaeological data clearly indicate that in the 10th century AD. The Yucatan was invaded by warlike Central Mexican tribes - the Toltecs. But, despite all this, in the central region of the peninsula the population survived and quickly adapted to new living conditions. And after a short time, a kind of syncretic culture appeared, combining Mayan and Toltec features. A new period began in the history of Yucatan, which received the name “Mexican” in scientific literature. Chronologically, its framework falls on the X – XIII centuries AD.

The city of Chichen Itza becomes the center of this new culture. It was at this time that the city began to prosper, lasting 200 years. Already by 1200, the built-up area was huge (28 square kilometers), majestic architecture and magnificent sculpture indicate that this city was the main cultural center of the Maya of the last period. New sculptural motifs and architectural details reflect the increased influence of Mexican cultures, mainly the Toltec, which developed in Central Mexico before the Aztec. After the sudden and mysterious fall of Chichen Itza, Mayapan becomes the main city in the Yucatan. The Yucatan Maya seem to have waged more brutal wars among themselves than those waged by their brethren to the south. Although detailed descriptions While there are no specific battles, it is known that warriors from Chichen Itza fought against warriors from Uxmal and Coba, and later the Mayapan people attacked and plundered Chichen Itza.

According to scientists, the behavior of the northerners was influenced by the influence of other peoples who invaded the Mayan territory. It is possible that the invasion took place peacefully, although this is unlikely. For example, Bishop de Lande had information about some people who came from the west, whom the Mayans called “Itza”. These people, as the remaining Mayan descendants told Bishop de Lande, attacked Chichen Itza and captured it. After the sudden and mysterious fall of Chichen Itza, Mayapan becomes the main city in the Yucatan.

If the development of Chichen Itza and Uxmal follows other Mayan cities, then Mayapan in this case was quite different from the general scheme. Mayapan, surrounded by a wall, was a chaotic city. Moreover, there were no huge temples here. Main pyramid Mayapana was not a very good replica of the El Castillo pyramid at Chichen Itza. The population in the city reached 12 thousand people. Scientists suggest that Mayapan had a fairly high level of economy, and that Mayan society gradually switched to business relations, paying less and less attention to the ancient gods.

The Cocom dynasty ruled Mayapan for 250 years. They maintained power by holding their potential enemies hostage behind the city's high walls. The Cocomas further strengthened their position when they accepted into their service an entire army of mercenaries from Ah-Kanul (Mexican state of Tabasco), whose loyalty was bought with promises of war booty. The daily life of the dynasty was mostly occupied with amusements, dances, feasts and hunts.

In 1441, Mayapan fell as a result of a bloody uprising raised by the leaders of neighboring cities, the city was sacked and burned.

The fall of Mayapan sounded the death knell of the entire Mayan civilization, which had risen from the jungles of Central America to unprecedented heights and sank into the abyss of oblivion. Mayapan was the last city in the Yucatan that managed to subjugate other cities. After his fall, the confederation broke up into 16 competing mini-states, each of which fought for territorial advantages with its own army. In the constantly flaring up wars, cities were raided: mostly young men were captured to replenish the army or to sacrifice them, fields were set on fire to force farmers to submit. In continuous wars, architecture and art were abandoned as unnecessary.

Shortly after the fall of Mayapan, just a few decades later, the Spaniards landed on the peninsula, and the fate of the Mayans was sealed. Once upon a time, a prophet, whose words are quoted in the Books of Chilam-Balam, predicted the appearance of strangers and its consequences. This is how the prophecy sounded: “Receive your guests, the bearded people who are coming from the east... This is the beginning of destruction.” But the same books also warn that not only external circumstances, but also the Mayans themselves will be to blame for what will happen. "And there was no more happy days“, says the prophecy, “sanity has left us.” One would think that long before this last conquest the Mayans knew that their glory would fade and ancient wisdom will be forgotten. And yet, as if anticipating the future attempts of scientists to call their world out of oblivion, they expressed the hope that someday voices from the past would be heard: “At the end of our blindness and our shame, everything will open again.”

Knowledge of science and medicine.

Medicine. The Mayans' medical knowledge was at a very high level: they knew anatomy very well and trepanned skulls very well. However, their ideas were quite contradictory - they could consider a bad year according to the calendar, or sins, or incorrect sacrifices to be the causes of diseases, but at the same time they recognized a certain way of life of a person as the primary source of diseases. The Mayans knew about contagious diseases; the Mayan vocabulary included many words with which they characterized various painful human conditions. Moreover, many nervous diseases and the mental state of a person were described separately. To stimulate and relieve pain in labor, various medicinal and narcotic herbs were used, which were grown in separate apothecary gardens.
Mathematics. The Mayans used the base 20 number system and also position system recording numbers when the numbers stand one after another from the first order to the subsequent ones. This recording system is also used by us and is called the Arabic digital system. But unlike the Europeans, the Mayans themselves thought of this thousands of years earlier. Only the recording of Mayan numbers is not built horizontally, but vertically (in a column).
Another striking fact of Mayan mathematical knowledge is the use of zero. This marks the greatest progress in the field of abstract thinking.
The amazing knowledge of the Mayan civilization is reflected in the Mayan calendar. It is known throughout the world for its amazing accuracy and rivals the perfection of modern computer calculations.

Mysteries of the Mayans

Mayan artists created their own countless treasures. Ritual objects were supposed to please the gods. Stone, carved, clay, polished or painted in bright colors - they all had symbolic meaning. Thus, a hole in a painted dish shows that the dish has been “killed” and that its freed soul can accompany the deceased in the afterlife.

The Mayans did not know either metal tools or a potter's wheel, but their clay things are elegant and beautiful. Grinding powders and stone tools were used to work with jade, flint, and shells. Craftsmen - the Mayans knew the difference between materials. Beloved by the ancient Maya for its beauty, rarity, and supposed magical power, jade was especially valued by ancient craftsmen, although it required patience and ingenuity to process it. Wooden saws or bone drills were used to make grooves, curls, holes, etc. Polishing was carried out using hard plant fibers extracted from bamboo or pumpkin tree shoots, the cells of which contain microscopic particles of solid minerals. A huge number of jade figurines depicting people and animals are wedge-shaped: ancient stone cutters used such a shape of the product so that they could be used as a tool on occasion. With a little modification, these beautiful stone crafts could turn into amulets or figurines of people and gods. The found elegant green necklace, dating back to the pre-classical era, tells us that he was wearing not an ordinary person, but one endowed with power and standing on the top rung of the social ladder.

In Mayan art, an image often conveys action or emotion. The masters developed an informational style, putting a charge of humor and tenderness or, on the contrary, cruelty into their works. Objects made by the hands of nameless masters still amaze people with their beauty, helping our contemporaries understand the long-vanished world of ancient civilization.

Of the many cities that rose among the Puuc hills in the “late classical period” (700-1000 AD), three cities are especially notable for the splendor of their layout and architecture - Uxmal, Sayil and Labna: massive quadrangles of buildings along the facade are faced with limestone, the door jambs have round columns with square capitals, the upper part of the façade is decorated with elegant stone mosaics made of flint.

The strict organization of space, the splendor and complexity of the architecture, the very panorama of the cities - all this delights connoisseurs. High pyramids, palaces with reliefs and mosaic facades made of pieces of crushed stone tightly fitted to each other, underground reservoirs where drinking water supplies were once stored, wall hieroglyphs - all this splendor was combined with terrible cruelty. “The chief priest held in his hand a large, wide and sharp knife made of flint. Another priest held a wooden collar in the shape of a snake. The doomed, completely naked, were taken in turn up the stairs.” There, having laid the man on a stone, they put a collar on him, and four priests took the victim by the arms and legs. Then the chief priest, with amazing agility, ripped open the victim's chest, tore out the heart and held it out to the sun, offering him both the heart and the steam emanating from it. Then he turned to the idol and threw the heart in his face, after which he pushed the body down the steps, and it rolled down,” Stephens wrote about this sacred rite with horror.

The main archaeological research was carried out in Chichen Itza, the last capital of the Maya. The ruins have been cleared of the jungle, the remains of buildings are visible from all sides, and where at one time it was necessary to cut a road with a machete, a bus with tourists runs; they see the “Temple of the Warriors” with its columns and stairs leading to the pyramids; they see the so-called “Observatory” - a round building, the windows of which are cut in such a way that a specific star is visible from each; They examined large areas for the ancient game of ball, of which the largest is one hundred and sixty meters long and forty meters wide - on these sites the “golden youth” of the Mayans played a game similar to basketball. They finally stop in front of El Castila, the largest of the Chichen Itza pyramids. It has nine ledges, and on the top of it there is a temple of the god Kukulkan - the “Feathered Serpent”.

The sight of all these images of snake heads, gods, and processions of jaguars is terrifying. If you want to penetrate the secrets of ornaments and hieroglyphs, you can find out that there is literally not a single sign, not a single drawing, not a single sculpture that is not associated with astronomical calculations. Two crosses on the brow ridges; the heads of a snake, the claw of a jaguar in the ear of the god Kukulkan, the shape of the gate, the number of dew beads, the shape of repeating staircase motifs - all this expresses time and numbers. Nowhere have numbers and time been expressed in such a bizarre way. But if you want to find at least some traces of life here, you will see that in the magnificent kingdom of Mayan drawings, in the ornamentation of this people who lived among lush and varied vegetation, images of plants are very rarely found - only a few of the huge number flowers and none of the eight hundred species of cacti. Recently, in one ornament we saw a flower of Bombax aquaticum - a tree that grows half in water. Even if this is not really a mistake, the general situation still does not change: there are no plant motifs in Mayan art. Even obelisks, columns, steles, which in almost all countries are a symbolic image of a tree stretching upward, among the Mayans depict the bodies of snakes and writhing reptiles.

Two such serpentine columns stand in front of the “Temple of Warriors”. The heads with horn-like processes are pressed to the ground, the mouths are wide open, the bodies are raised up along with the tails; these tails once supported the roof of the temple.

The Dutchman Guillermo Dupais, who served for many years in the Spanish army in Mexico, was an educated man with a passion for antiquity, and received an order from the Spanish King Charles G. to explore the cultural monuments of Mexico from the pre-Hispanic period.

Having reached Palenque with difficulty, Dupe was indescribably delighted with the architecture and the exterior decoration of the buildings: colorful patterns depicting birds, flowers, bas-reliefs full of drama. “The poses are very dynamic and at the same time majestic. Although the clothes are luxurious, they never cover the body. The head is usually decorated with helmets, crests and flowing feathers.”

Dupe noticed that all the people depicted in the bas-reliefs had a strange, flattened head, from which he concluded that the local Indians, with normal heads, could not possibly be the descendants of the builders of Palenque.

Most likely, according to Dupe, people of an unknown race that disappeared from the face of the earth once lived here, leaving behind majestic and beautiful creations of their own hands.

The Vatican Library contains an interesting testimony about the Coda Rios flood. Ironically, the Catholic clergy, who destroyed the original Mayan manuscripts, preserved their rare copies.

The Codex Rios tells about the creation of the world and the death of the first people. There were children left who were nourished by a wonderful tree. A new race of people was formed. But 40 years later the gods brought a flood to the earth. One couple survived, hiding in a tree.

After the flood, another race was reborn. But 2010 years later, an unusual hurricane destroyed people; the survivors turned into monkeys, which began to be chewed by the jaguar.

And again only one couple escaped: they disappeared among the stones. After 4801 years, people were destroyed by a great fire. Only one couple escaped by sailing out to sea on a boat.

This legend speaks of periodic (repeated every 2-4-8 thousand years) catastrophes, one of which is the flood.

If we look carefully at the map, we will be convinced that the Ancient Kingdom occupied a kind of triangle, the corners of which were formed by Vashak-tun, Palenque and Copan. The fact that on the sides of the corners or directly inside the triangle were the cities of Tikal, Naranjo and Piedras Negras will not escape our attention. Now we can come to the conclusion that, with one exception (Benque Viejo), all the last cities of the Old Kingdom, in particular Ceibal, Ishkun, Flores, were located inside this triangle.

When the Spaniards arrived in Yucatan, the Mayans had thousands of handwritten books made from natural material, but some of them were burned, some ended up in private collections. Inscriptions on the walls of temples and stelae were also discovered. In the 19th century scientists knew about 3 books - codices, named after the city in which each text was discovered (Dresden, Paris and Madrid codes; later the 4th code was found - the Grolier Code). For 14 years, the chief Royal Librarian in Dresden, Ernst Forstemann, studied the Codex and understood the principle of operation of the Mayan calendar. And the research of Yuri Knorozov, Heinrich Berlin and Tatyana Proskuryakova discovered new stage in modern Mayan studies. More than 80 percent of all hieroglyphs have been solved, and archaeologists have made many amazing discoveries.

Thus, Yuri Knorozov came to the conclusion that the writing system of the Mayan Indians is mixed. Some signs must convey morphemes, and some must convey sounds and syllables. This writing system is usually called hieroglyphic.

It was not difficult for scientists to decipher Mayan digital signs. The reason for this is the amazing simplicity and perfected logic of their counting system.

The ancient Mayans used a base-20 number system, or counting. They wrote down their digital signs in the form of dots and dashes, and the dot always meant units of a given order, and the dash always meant fives.

Meeting of the New and Old Worlds

The first contact between the two cultures took place with the participation of Christopher Columbus himself: during his fourth voyage to the supposed India (and he believed that the land he discovered was India), his ship passed the shores of the northern part of modern Honduras and near the island of Guanaia he met a canoe that made from a whole tree trunk, 1.5 m wide. It was a trading boat, and the Europeans were offered copper plates, stone axes, ceramics, cocoa beans, and cotton clothes.

In 1517, three Spanish ships, going to capture slaves, landed on an unknown island. Having repelled the attack of the Mayan warriors, the Spanish soldiers, while dividing the spoils, found jewelry made of gold, and the gold should have belonged to the Spanish crown. Hernan Cortes, having conquered the great Aztec empire in central Mexico, sent one of his captains to the south to conquer new territories (the modern states of Guatemala and El Salvador). By 1547, the conquest of the Mayans was complete, although some tribes took refuge in the dense forests of the central Yucatan Peninsula, where they and their descendants managed to remain unconquered for another 150 years.

Epidemics of smallpox, measles and influenza, to which the indigenous population had no immunity, killed millions of Mayans. The Spaniards brutally eradicated their religion: they destroyed temples, smashed shrines, robbed, and those who were seen in idolatry were stretched on the rack by missionary monks, scalded with a boiling heel, and punished with whips.

At the head of the monks, Franciscan monk Diego de Landa, an extraordinary and complex personality, arrived in Yucatan. He studied the life and customs of the local population, tried to find the key to the secret of Mayan writing, and found a cache in which about 30 hieroglyphic books were stored. These were real works of art: black and red characters were written in calligraphy on light paper made from the bottom layer of fig or mulberry; the paper was smooth due to the gypsum composition applied to its surface; The books themselves were folded like an accordion, and the cover was made of jaguar skin.

This monk decided that the Mayan books contained esoteric knowledge, devilish temptations that confused the soul, and ordered these books to be burned all at once, which “plunged the Mayans into deep sorrow and severe suffering.”

During the three-month Inquisition under his leadership in 1562, about 5,000 Indians were tortured, of whom 158 died. De Landa was requested back to Spain on charges of abuse of power, but was acquitted and returned to Yucatan as a bishop.

Indian culture was destroyed by everyone possible ways. And just a hundred years after the arrival of Europeans, there were no memories left of the glorious Mayan past.

Interesting facts about the Mayans.

1. Numerous representatives of the Mayan culture still live in their former regions. In fact, there are 7 million Mayans, many of whom were able to preserve important evidence of their ancient cultural heritage.
2. The Mayans had strange ideas about beauty. At an early age, a board was placed on the forehead of infants to keep it flat. They also liked squint: they put a large bead on the bridge of children’s noses so that they would constantly squint at it. Another interesting fact is that Mayan children were often named after the day on which they were born.
3. They loved saunas. An important cleansing element for the ancient Mayans was the diaphoretic bath: water was poured onto hot stones to create steam. Such baths were used by everyone, from women who had recently given birth to kings.
4. They also loved to play ball. The Mesoamerican ball game was equated with a ritual and existed for 3,000 years. The modern version of the game, ulama, is still popular among the local indigenous population.
5. The last Mayan country existed until 1697 (the island city of Taya). Nowadays, the lands under the buildings are mainly owned by one family, and the government owns the monuments themselves.
6. The Mayans did not know how to process metal - their weapons were equipped with stone tips or tips made of sharp shells. But! The Mayan warriors used hornet nests (“hornet bombs”) as throwing weapons to create panic in the enemy ranks—resourcefully.
7. They also say that the Mayans were very fond of guinea pigs. Well, how they loved it... They got very tasty meat and magnificent fluff from the poor creatures.

By the way, the Mayans also had a kind of horoscope. The fact is that according to the Tzolkin calendar (aka “Tzolkin”, which was reported above), each day of the year is assigned its own kin - a kind of frequency of cosmic energy (God, what am I talking about?) and, depending on what is your kin (which corresponds to your birthday) - you can judge your character, life goals and blablabla. And depending on what kin is assigned to today, you can judge your luck, well-being and other crap that is usually written in horoscopes.
By the way, quite an entertaining thing. And the Mayan astrological characteristics of Kin personalities are quite consistent with reality, although usually I prefer not to believe in astrology.

Rightfully recognized as one of the brightest. A diverse group of Indian peoples numbering about 2.7 million lived in Mexico. There is a hypothesis that people settled America thirty thousand years ago, coming there from Asia.

Despite the fact that the Maya until the 10th century AD. e. they did not know how to cultivate the land with a plow and did not use artiodactyl animals in their activities, did not have wheeled carts and no idea about metals, they were constantly improving.

In particular, they mastered hieroglyphic writing. Using hieroglyphs, the Mayans wrote codices - books on a kind of paper. It is they who currently help scientists in the study of this civilization. The codes were first translated by the German scientist E. Forstemann into late XIX century.

The Mayans understood the movements of the moon and the sun and predicted eclipses. Their calculations regarding the movements of Venus were also close to correct, the difference being only 14 seconds per year. They are also earlier than representatives Arab countries and Hindus began to use the concept of zero.

The skillful combination of astronomical knowledge and writing helped tribes record time. Their counting systems, called Tzolkin and Tonalamatl, were based on the numbers 20 and 13. The roots of the first of them go back much earlier than the Mayans, however, it was they who perfected the system.

Art flourished in this civilization: they created beautiful sculptures, ceramics, erected majestic buildings and painted.

The art of the Mexican Indians reached its highest degree of development in antiquity in the time period from 250 to 900 AD. e., the so-called classical period. The most beautiful frescoes were found by researchers in the cities of Palenque, Copane and Bonampaque. Now they are equated to cultural monuments of antiquity, because the ancient Mayan images are really not inferior to the latter in beauty. Unfortunately, many of the valuables have not survived to this day, destroyed either by time or by the Inquisition.

Architecture

The main motifs in Mayan architecture are deities, snakes and masks. Religious and mythological themes are reflected both in small ceramics and in sculptures and bas-reliefs. The Mayans created their works of art from stone, mainly using limestone.

The architecture of this people is majestic; it is characterized by massive, soaring facades of palaces and temples, and ridges on the roofs.

Mayan Studies

The Indians created cities using only muscular strength, built temples and palaces under the leadership of kings and priests, and carried out military campaigns. Unfortunately, now most Mayan cities have turned into ruins. They also had their own gods, whom they worshiped, and ritual sacrifices and ceremonies took place.

For a long time, scientists believed that no one lived permanently in the ceremonial centers, and the buildings were used only for performing rituals. But later it was proven that for the most part the palaces of the nobility and priests were built quite close to them.

Thanks to research into ceremonial centers, quite a lot of information was obtained regarding the life activity of the upper strata of Mayan society. In contrast, little was known about the lower classes. For example, the question of the life of farmers has not been sufficiently studied, but it was they who supported the ruling strata with the help of their labor. It is this side of Mayan life that is studied in currently archaeologists.

New research has allowed scientists to create a completely different chronology of this civilization. They found that the Maya are at least 1000 years older than previously thought. This was done thanks to radiocarbon dating of wooden products found by archaeologists. It has been proven that they were made in the period 2750 - 2450. BC e. Accordingly, the Mayan culture turned out to be older than the Olmec, which until that moment was considered the ancestor of the Maya and a number of other civilizations. Thus, the factor of influence of the Olmec culture was excluded and a hypothesis was put forward about a possible reverse influence. Thus, further research into the history of the continent will be required. After all, just one season of excavations could add a thousand years to the existence of the Mayans and more than one and a half to the prehistory of all of Mesoamerica.

The discoveries of archaeologists have made it possible to create a more accurate periodization due to a number of reasons, the main two of which are:

1. Ceramic items were found in large quantities on the territory, making it possible, using the most modern methods, to more accurately date the ancient culture.
2. Thanks to the hieroglyphic writing of the ancient Indians, it was possible to translate most their records, comparing them with chronology, and then with modern calendar. This helped determine, down to the month, the dates of special events for the Mayan civilization, the reigns of rulers and simply important personalities for history, their names, years of life.

Territory and climate

On the impressive territory (an area of ​​325 thousand square kilometers), which is now occupied by various states of Mexico and where the Mayans previously lived, several natural zones are actually distinguished. Each of them has its own climate, its own natural conditions, vegetation, relief, etc. That is, each natural zone represents a certain ecological system. The first of the systems extended in a kind of semicircle to the south, capturing the southwest and southeast, the plateaus and mountain ranges of the Central American Cordillera. The second ecological system conventionally includes the valleys and hills around the Peten Basin in Guatemala, as well as the inland basin itself and the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula. The last zone of Maya dislocation is the plain in the north of Yucatan. Spacious, covered with grass and bushes, it was also inhabited by ancient Indians.

Linguistic features of the Maya

To this day, 24 Mayan languages ​​have survived, the most important of which are united into language families, and these, in turn, into a common linguistic branch.

The Huastec language can still be heard to this day in one of the northern regions of the state of Veracruz, and it remains a mystery why native speakers ended up there. They emigrated to this place around 1200 BC. e. - even before the Mayan civilization arose. In addition to the Huastecs, who were located far beyond the Mayan area, there were other emigrants, but they basically remained in the same territory, as evidenced by the research of modern linguists. In their opinion, 2500 BC. e. in those places there was a community whose members spoke the proto-Mayan language. It was gradually divided into dialects, and their speakers were forced to emigrate. This is how the area of ​​life of the Mayan peoples was determined. And it became possible to divide their history directly into specific periods thanks to data from archaeological excavations.

Maya today

Today, the number of descendants of the ancient civilization on the Yucatan Peninsula is approximately 6.1 million, with approximately 40% of the Mayans living in Guatemala, and around 10% in Belize. The religious preferences of the Mayans have changed over time and now represent a combination of ancient traditions and Christian ones. Each modern Mayan community has its own patron. The form of donations has also changed, now it is candles, spices or Domestic bird. A number of Mayan groups, wishing to stand out from others, have special motifs in their traditional clothing.

The Lecandon Mayans are known as the most preserved traditions of the group. Christianity has had little influence on this community, their clothing is characterized by a cotton composition and decorated with traditional motifs. But nevertheless, more and more Mayans are exposed to progress: they watch TV, drive cars, and dress in modern things. Moreover, the Mayans make money from tourism by talking about the traditions of their civilization.

Of particular note is the Mexican state of Chiapas. There, a number of villages controlled by the Zapatistas achieved autonomy to govern in the recent past.

Habitat.

During the 1st – beginning of the 2nd millennium. The Maya people, speaking various languages ​​of the Maya-Kiche family, settled over a wide area including the southern states of Mexico (Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo), the present-day countries of Belize and Guatemala, and the western regions of El Salvador and Honduras.

These areas, located in the tropical zone, are distinguished by a variety of landscapes. In the mountainous south there is a chain of volcanoes, some of which are active. Once upon a time, powerful coniferous forests grew here on generous volcanic soils. In the north, the volcanoes give way to the limestone Alta Verapaz Mountains, which further north form the Petén limestone plateau, characterized by a hot and humid climate. Here the center of development of the Mayan civilization developed classical era.

The western part of the Petén plateau is drained by the Pasion and Usumacinta rivers, which flow into the Gulf of Mexico, and the eastern part by rivers carrying water to the Caribbean Sea. North of the Petén plateau, humidity decreases with the height of forest cover. In the northern Yucatecan Plains, tropical rainforests give way to shrubby vegetation, and in the Puuc Hills the climate is so arid that in ancient times people settled here along the shores of karst lakes (cenotes) or stored water in underground reservoirs (chultun). On the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, the ancient Mayans mined salt and traded it with the inhabitants of the interior regions.

Early ideas about the ancient Maya.

It was initially believed that the Maya lived in large areas of tropical lowlands in small groups, practicing slash-and-burn agriculture. With the rapid depletion of soils, this forced them to frequently change their settlement sites. The Mayans were peaceful and had a special interest in astronomy, and their cities with tall pyramids and stone buildings also served as priestly ceremonial centers where people gathered to observe unusual celestial phenomena.

By modern estimates, the ancient Mayan people numbered more than 3 million people. In the distant past, their country was the most densely populated tropical zone. The Mayans knew how to maintain soil fertility for several centuries and transform lands unsuitable for agriculture into plantations where they grew maize, beans, pumpkins, cotton, cocoa and various tropical fruits. Mayan writing was based on a strict phonetic and syntactic system. The decipherment of ancient hieroglyphic inscriptions has refuted previous ideas about the peaceful nature of the Mayans: many of these inscriptions report wars between city-states and captives sacrificed to the gods. The only thing that has not been revised from previous ideas is the exceptional interest of the ancient Mayans in the movement of celestial bodies. Their astronomers very accurately calculated the cycles of movement of the Sun, Moon, Venus and some constellations (in particular, milky way). The Mayan civilization, in its characteristics, reveals commonality with the nearest ancient civilizations of the Mexican Highlands, as well as with the distant Mesopotamian, ancient Greek and ancient Chinese civilizations.

Periodization of Mayan history.

During the Archaic (2000–1500 BC) and Early Formative periods (1500–1000 BC) of the Preclassic era, the lowlands of Guatemala were inhabited by small, semi-wandering tribes of hunters and gatherers who subsisted on wild edible roots and fruits, as well as game and fish. They left behind only rare stone tools and several settlements definitely dating from this time. The Middle Formative Period (1000–400 BC) is the first relatively well-documented era of Mayan history. At this time, small agricultural settlements appeared, scattered in the jungle and along the banks of the rivers of the Peten plateau and in the north of Belize (Cuelho, Colha, Kashob). Archaeological evidence suggests that in this era the Mayans did not have pompous architecture, class divisions or centralized power.

However, during the subsequent Late Formative Period of the Preclassic era (400 BC - 250 AD), major changes occurred in Mayan life. At this time, monumental structures were built - stylobotes, pyramids, ball courts, and rapid growth of cities was observed. Impressive architectural complexes are being built in cities such as Calakmul and Zibilchaltun in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), El Mirador, Yashactun, Tikal, Nakbe and Tintal in the jungle of Peten (Guatemala), Cerros, Cuello, Lamanay and Nomul (Belize), Chalchuapa (Salvador). There was a rapid growth of settlements that arose during this period, such as Kashob in northern Belize. At the end of the late formative period, barter trade developed between settlements remote from each other. Products made from jade and obsidian are most valued. sea ​​shells and feathers of the quetzal bird.

At this time, sharp flint tools and the so-called appeared for the first time. eccentrics - stone products of the most bizarre shape, sometimes in the form of a trident or profile human face. At the same time, the practice of consecrating buildings and arranging hiding places where jade products and other valuables were placed was developed.

During the subsequent Early Classic period (250–600 CE) of the Classical era, Maya society developed into a system of rival city-states, each with its own royal dynasty. These political entities showed commonality both in the system of government and in culture (language, writing, astronomical knowledge, calendar, etc.). The beginning of the Early Classic period approximately coincides with one of the oldest dates recorded on the stele of the city of Tikal - 292 AD, which, in accordance with the so-called. The “long count of the Maya” is expressed in numbers 8.12.14.8.5.

The possessions of individual city-states of the classical era extended on average 2000 square meters. km, and some cities, such as Tikal or Calakmul, controlled significantly large areas. Political and cultural centers Each state entity had cities with magnificent buildings, the architecture of which was local or zonal variations of the general style of Mayan architecture. The buildings were located around a vast rectangular central square. Their facades were usually decorated with masks of the main gods and mythological characters, carved from stone or made using the technique of piece relief. The walls of long narrow rooms inside buildings were often painted with frescoes depicting rituals, holidays, and military scenes. Window lintels, lintels, palace staircases, as well as free-standing steles were covered with hieroglyphic texts, sometimes interspersed with portraits, telling about the deeds of the rulers. On lintel 26 at Yaxchilan, the wife of the ruler, Shield of the Jaguar, is depicted helping her husband put on military regalia.

In the centers of Mayan cities of the classical era, pyramids rose up to 15 m high. These structures often served as tombs for revered people, so kings and priests practiced rituals here with the goal of establishing a magical connection with the spirits of their ancestors.

The burial of Pakal, the ruler of Palenque, discovered in the “Temple of the Inscriptions”, provided a lot of valuable information about the practice of honoring the royal ancestors. The inscription on the lid of the sarcophagus says that Pacal was born (according to our chronology) in 603 and died in 683. The deceased was decorated with a jade necklace, massive earrings (a sign of military valor), bracelets, and a mosaic mask made of more than 200 pieces of jade. Pakal was buried in a stone sarcophagus, on which were carved the names and portraits of his illustrious ancestors, such as his great-grandmother Kan-Ik, who had considerable power. Vessels, apparently containing food and drinks, were usually placed in burials, intended to nourish the deceased on his way to the afterlife.

In Mayan cities, the central part stands out, where the rulers lived with their relatives and retinue. These are the palace complex in Palenque, the acropolis of Tikal, and the Sepulturas zone in Copan. The rulers and their closest relatives were exclusively engaged state affairs– organized and led military raids against neighboring city-states, organized magnificent festivities, and took part in rituals. Members of the royal family also became scribes, priests, soothsayers, artists, sculptors and architects. Thus, scribes of the highest rank lived in the House of Bakabs in Copan.

Outside the cities, the population was dispersed in small villages surrounded by gardens and fields. People lived large families in wooden houses covered with reeds or thatch. One of these classical-era villages survives in Serena (El Salvador), where the Laguna Caldera volcano allegedly erupted in the summer of 590. Hot ash covered nearby houses, a kitchen fireplace and a wall niche with painted plates and pumpkin bottles, plants, trees, fields, including a field with corn sprouts. In many ancient settlements, buildings are grouped around a central courtyard, where joint work was carried out. Land ownership was communal in nature.

In the Late Classic Period (650–950), the population of the lowlands of Guatemala reached 3 million people. Increased demands for agricultural products forced farmers to drain swamps and use terrace farming in hilly areas, such as along the banks of the Rio Bec.

In the late classical period, new cities began to emerge from the established city-states. Thus, the city of Himbal left the control of Tikal, which was announced in the language of hieroglyphs on architectural structures. During the period under review, Mayan epigraphy reached the peak of its development, but the content of the inscriptions on the monuments changed. If earlier messages about life path rulers with dates of birth, marriage, accession to the throne, death, then now the focus is on wars, conquests, and the capture of captives for sacrifices.

By 850 many cities in the south of the lowland zone had been abandoned. Construction stops completely in Palenque, Tikal, and Copan. The reasons for what happened are still unclear. The decline of these cities could be caused by uprisings, enemy invasion, epidemic or environmental crisis. The center of development of the Mayan civilization moves to the north of the Yucatan Peninsula and the western highlands - areas that received several waves of Mexican cultural influences. Here the cities of Uxmal, Sayil, Kabah, Labna and Chichen Itza flourish for a short time. These magnificent cities surpassed the previous ones with tall buildings, multi-room palaces, higher and wider stepped vaults, sophisticated stone carvings and mosaic friezes, and huge ball courts.

Mayan ball game.

The prototype of this game with a rubber ball, which requires great dexterity, arose in Mesoamerica as early as two thousand years BC. The Mayan ball game, like similar games of other peoples of Mesoamerica, contained elements of violence and cruelty - it ended with human sacrifice, for which it was started, and the playing fields were framed with stakes with human skulls. Only men participated in the game, divided into two teams, which included from one to four people. The players' task was to prevent the ball from touching the ground and to bring it to the goal, holding it with all parts of the body, with the exception of the hands and feet. The players wore special protective clothing. The ball was more often hollow; sometimes a human skull was hidden behind the rubber shell.

The ball courts consisted of two parallel stepped stands, between which there was a playing field, like a wide paved alley. Such stadiums were built in every city, and in El Tajin there were eleven of them. Apparently, there was a sports and ceremonial center here, where large-scale competitions were held.

The ball game was somewhat reminiscent of gladiator fights, when prisoners, sometimes representatives of the nobility from other cities, fought for their lives so as not to be sacrificed. The losers, tied together, were rolled down the stairs of the pyramids and fell to their deaths.

The last cities of the Maya.

Most northern cities built in the Postclassic era (950–1500) lasted less than 300 years, with the exception of Chichen Itza, which survived until the 13th century. This city shows architectural similarities with Tula, founded by the Toltecs ca. 900, suggesting that Chichen Itza served as an outpost or was an ally of the warlike Toltecs. The name of the city is derived from the Mayan words “chi” (“mouth”) and “itsa” (“wall”), but its architecture is so-called. Puuc style violates classical Mayan canons. For example, stone roofs of buildings are supported on flat beams rather than on stepped vaults. Some stone carvings depict Mayan and Toltec warriors together in battle scenes. Perhaps the Toltecs captured this city and over time turned it into a prosperous state. During the Postclassic period (1200–1450), Chichen Itza was for a time part of a political alliance with nearby Uxmal and Mayapan known as the League of Mayapan. However, even before the arrival of the Spaniards, the League had collapsed, and Chichen Itza, like the cities of the classical era, was swallowed up by the jungle.

In the Postclassic era, maritime trade developed, thanks to which ports emerged on the coast of Yucatan and nearby islands, for example, Tulum or a settlement on the island of Cozumel. During the Late Postclassic period, the Mayans traded slaves, cotton, and bird feathers with the Aztecs.

Ancient Mayan calendar.

According to Mayan mythology, the world was created and destroyed twice before the third, modern era began, which began in European terms on August 13, 3114 BC. From this date, time was counted in two chronology systems - the so-called. long count and calendar circle. The long count was based on a 360-day annual cycle called tun, divided into 18 months of 20 days each. The Mayans used a base-20 rather than a decimal counting system, and the unit of chronology was 20 years (katun). Twenty katuns (i.e. four centuries) made up a baktun. The Mayans simultaneously used two calendar time systems - a 260-day and a 365-day annual cycle. These systems coincided every 18,980 days, or every 52 (365-day) years, indicating important milestone the end of one and the beginning of a new time cycle. The ancient Mayans calculated time forward to 4772, when, in their opinion, the end of the current era would come and the Universe would once again be destroyed.

Mayan customs and social organization.

Rite of bloodletting.

The families of rulers were entrusted with the obligation to perform the ritual of bloodletting every time important event in the life of city-states - be it the consecration of new buildings, the onset of the sowing season, the beginning or end of a military campaign. According to Mayan mythology, human blood nourished and strengthened the gods, who, in turn, gave strength to people. It was believed that the blood of the tongue, earlobes and genitals had the greatest magical power.

During the bloodletting ceremony, thousands of people gathered in the central square of the city, including dancers, musicians, warriors and nobles. At the climax of the ceremonial action, the ruler appeared, often with his wife, and with a plant thorn or an obsidian knife he bled himself, making a cut on the penis. At the same time, the ruler's wife pierced her tongue. After this, they passed a rough agave rope through the wounds to increase the bleeding. Blood dripped onto strips of paper, which were then burned in the fire. Due to blood loss, as well as under the influence of drugs, fasting and other factors, ritual participants saw images of gods and ancestors in puffs of smoke.

Social organization.

Mayan society was built on the model of patriarchy: power and leadership in the family passed from father to son or brother. Classic Maya society was highly stratified. A clear division into social strata was observed in Tikal in the 8th century. At the very top of the social ladder were the ruler and his closest relatives, then came the highest and middle hereditary nobility, who had varying degrees of power, followed by retinues, artisans, architects of various ranks and status, below were rich but humble landowners, then simple farmers - community members, and on the last steps there were orphans and slaves. Although these groups were in contact with each other, they lived in separate city neighborhoods, had special duties and privileges, and cultivated their own customs.

The ancient Mayans did not know the technology of metal smelting. They made tools mainly from stone, but also from wood and shells. With these tools, farmers cut down forests, plowed, sowed, and harvested crops. The Mayans did not even know the potter's wheel. When making ceramic products, they rolled clay into thin flagella and placed them one on top of the other or molded clay plates. Ceramics were fired not in kilns, but on open fires. Both commoners and aristocrats were engaged in pottery. The latter painted vessels with scenes from mythology or palace life.

Writing and visual arts.

The Spanish Franciscan bishop Diego de Landa (1524–1579), who arrived in Yucatan in 1549, worked with a Mayan scribe on a system for transmitting hieroglyphs in the Latin alphabet when translating the catechism. However, ancient Maya writing differed from alphabetic writing because individual characters often represented a syllable rather than a phoneme. As a result of discrepancies between the artificial alphabet of Landa and the Mayan script, the latter was considered indecipherable. It is now known that Mayan scribes freely combined phonetic and semantic signs, especially when such combinations opened up possibilities for wordplay.

The scribes who composed intellectual elite Mayan society produced hundreds of manuscripts. They wrote with bird feathers on sheets of paper made from tree bark, which were folded like an accordion under bindings covered with jaguar skin. Catholic missionaries considered these books heretical and set them on fire. Only four Mayan manuscripts survive, known as the Madrid, Paris, Dresden and Grolier codices. The Dresden Codex contains a section containing something like a farmer's calendar, where predictions are given for next year and the sacrifices necessary to obtain a good harvest are indicated. The prediction of drought is conveyed both in writing and in a drawing of a deer dying from the heat with its tongue hanging out. In addition, the Dresden Codex presents calculations of the movement of the planet Venus. The Madrid Code provides advice on how the best way combine various activities with the calendar cycle, such as hunting or carving masks.

Scribes demonstrated their art not only on paper, but also on stone, shells, and ceramic vessels. Inscriptions made using the stuka technique guaranteed greater safety, and therefore the Mayan royal genealogies preferred to be imprinted on stone. Texts on ceramics, also made by the nobility, were more personal in nature. Pottery often included the name of the owner, the purpose of the item (plate, dish with legs, container for liquid), and even the contents, such as cocoa or maize. Ceramics painted in this way were often given as gifts.

Ceramic artists sometimes worked together with masters of stone writing. The colors used for painting were red, blue, green and black. The best preserved Mayan wall paintings are in the city of Bonampak in what is now Mexico. It depicts preparations for battle, the battle itself and warriors with long spears fighting side by side, the sacrifice of captives and a festive ritual dance.

Religious Beliefs.

The Mayan pantheon represented the gods of the earth, rain, wind, lightning and other natural forces and phenomena. Chaks, the four gods of rain, were associated with the four cardinal points. They had to be cajoled so that they would not send down rain and hail. The Mayan religion did not contain Christian concepts of sin, punishment and atonement - it was intended to maintain the balance of the natural elements and ensure the fertility of the earth. Even in the 20th century. In the north of Yucatan, the Cha Chac religious rite is practiced in order to appease the gods and bring rain during drought.

One of the most famous among ancient civilizations is the Mayan Empire. Until now, for scientists, the Mayan civilization is fraught with much unknown. Researchers are inclined to believe that the Mayan civilization originated in the 1st millennium BC. Their heritage is unusual writing and beautiful architectural structures, advanced mathematics, astronomy, art and, of course, the famous incredibly accurate calendar.

Ruins of Chichen Itza

Society

According to preliminary calculations, the Mayan population was more than 3 million people, who were settled in the tropical zone of modern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, the western regions of Honduras and El Salvador.

The cities of this ancient civilization were built of stones and limestone, and the population was also engaged in agriculture. Today, the descendants of the Mayans are called Indians living in Central America and Mexico.

Main cities

Based on archaeological evidence, it can be argued that the Mayans sacrificed people. From the point of view of their worldview, sacrifice was an opportunity for the victim to get to heaven as a shortcut. Although now even the child knows that he cannot get to Heaven in this way, he must do good deeds and not kill.

Features of civilization

The Mayan tribe and interesting facts that make you think about the level of development of this people.

Baths. Archaeologists have found many stone structures designed for steaming. It is interesting that baths were not only for the nobility, but also for the people. Ancient baths worked on the same principle as modern ones: water was poured onto hot stones, and the Indians cleansed their bodies with steam.

Sailors. Found by scientists in the Mayan codex, it can be concluded that they swam on the sea; there is also an assumption that they came to America from Asia.

Medicine. The Mayan tribes had well-developed medicine, the most skilled doctors performed quite complex operations, their surgical instruments were made of glass of volcanic origin, and sutures were made from human hair. Dentistry has also achieved success; even ancient dentures and dental fillings have been preserved. Doctors used hallucinogens as anesthesia.

Roads. The tribe had an entire road system with a hard, even surface.

Palace in Palenque

Architecture. The Mayans built impressive structures and absolutely smooth roads without using metal tools.

Fashion. An elongated, oval head was in fashion, considered a sign of nobility. This head shape was achieved due to the fact that early childhood Wooden planks were tied to the child's head. This brutal operation was performed only on noble members of society. Another sign of beauty was squint, which was achieved by hanging a rubber ball above the baby's eye level. In addition, fashionistas preferred to grind their teeth so that they were sharp, and then coat them with resin until they turned black. However, only representatives of the nobility could afford to “decorate” themselves in this way.

Sport. Members of the Mayan tribe built special courts on which they played ball games. According to scientists, they had several such games, and they were quite tough and resembled modern football, rugby and basketball. How developed the sport was can be judged by the presence of a prototype sports uniform consisting of protective elements resembling a helmet, elbow pads and knee pads.

Writing sample

Writing. The Mayans are the only tribe in America that had their own written language. Writing was based on glyphs, presented in the form of drawing signs. Today, scientists are still struggling to read the texts; about 90% of the characters have already been deciphered.

Astronomy and calendar

Calendar. The tribe had its own very accurate calendar, not just one, but three:

• Haab consisting of 18 months, each of which had 20 days, the year was 360 days;
• Tzolkin consisting of 20 months, each of which had 13 days, the year was 260 days;
• a single calendar that included both calendars, along with data on the constellations and movements of the planets.

Observatories. The Mayans had extensive astronomical knowledge, as evidenced by the presence of observatories, one of which is the El Caracol building in the city of Chichen Itza with a domed roof, 15 m high, and a huge number of windows.

Astronomical observatory in the city of El Caracol in the city of Chichen Itza

Disappearance

Despite the large number unknown facts The most mysterious question for historians remains: what led to the decline of a developed civilization in a prosperous empire? Moreover, the first signs of the collapse of civilization, according to researchers, began around the 9th century AD.

This decline was expressed in the fact that in the southern parts of the tribal settlement a rapid decline in population began to be observed, and water supply and irrigation systems began to deteriorate. The population began to leave the inhabited region en masse, urban development stopped, which led to the fact that the majestic, developed territory began to turn into disparate tribes fighting among themselves. Actually, this led to the fact that the conquerors who arrived in Yucatan, the Spaniards, were able to completely and very quickly take control of the entire region.

Location of the city of Tayasal, modern city Flores

Some tribes resisted for quite a long time - the last independent city of Tayasal (northern Guatemala) was captured by the Spaniards in 1697, although Cortez wanted to conquer it in 1541. Cortez, like other Spanish conquerors, could not capture this city, since it was located on an island and was an impregnable fortress. Having captured the city, the Spaniards built the city of Flores on the site of Tayasal, which hid the old Indian architecture under its buildings.

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 Mayan Indians. At that time, their civilization was already in serious decline and crisis. But it was not always so...

Pre-classical and classical period

It is believed that the history of the Mayan civilization began in the third millennium BC. e. Traditionally, scientists distinguish the pre-classical, classical and post-classical periods of its development.

In the preclassic period (that is, until about 250 AD), the first city-states appeared in Yucatan, the technologies of shifting 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 Mayans around 700 BC. e. In general, these people had one of the most advanced writing systems. The Mayans 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 Mayan civilization consisted of many large and busy cities, and each of them was ruled by its own ruler. Mayan culture at this time spread to the entire Yucatan Peninsula. Also at this time, new magnificent cities arose - Coba, Chichen Itza, Uxmal, etc.

During the heyday, acropolises were erected in Mayan cities - 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 always built. In some cities there were also observatories - towers with places for observing other planets and stars.

Cities, temples and large cultivated areas were connected by roads, the so-called sakbe. Sakbe was made of crushed stone, pebbles and limestone - that is, these were not just country roads, but something much more advanced and perfect.

Areas in which the Mayans achieved significant success

The Mayans managed to create a truly unique civilization. They did not know the wheel and did not know how to work iron. These Indians also did not succeed in the production of weapons. Over the course of many centuries, their weapon designs did not change much (and this is probably one of the reasons why the Europeans ended up being stronger). But this did not stop the Mayans from understanding mathematics, geometry and astronomy well, and building high pyramids and temples. A significant element of all the buildings was the “Mayan vault” - an original arched narrowing of the roof, not found almost anywhere else.

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

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

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

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

Mayan art during the classical period also amazed with its complexity, sophistication and grace. It found its expression in bas-reliefs, wall paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. The works of art left by the Mayans are distinguished by their affinity for mythological themes and complex grotesque images. Key motifs include anthropomorphic deities, snakes and expressive masks.

Calendar and Mayan counting system

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

And one more fun fact related to the Mayan calendar. One day, scientists in southeastern Mexico found a stele left over from the ancient Indians. According to the inscriptions on this stela, the Mayan calendar ended on December 21, 2012. For some reason, many began to consider this date as the date of the end of the world. In the end, everything turned out to be a farce - nothing special happened on either 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 20-digit. Since ancient times, the Indians of Central America (Mesoamerica) used their fingers and toes simultaneously when counting. Each twenty was further 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 snail shell (infinity was also expressed with the same symbol). Zero is indeed needed in many mathematical calculations, however, for example, in ancient Greece this figure was not used - they simply did not think of it.

Sacrifice and other cruel Mayan customs

The ancient Mayans were indeed very active in the practice of human sacrifice - this is one of the most well-known facts about this Indian civilization. People were sacrificed in truly barbaric ways, including by tearing out the heart from the chest and by burying them 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 come to make a sacrifice and who would be best suited for this role. In this regard, the victims were often their own fellow tribesmen, and not the Aztecs or Olmecs.

In the polytheistic Mayan religion, gods were considered mortal entities. And this is proven by the images of child gods and old gods left by the Indians. And we can conclude that the sacrifices were intended to further extend the life of this or that god.

The Mayans also believed that a person must go through thirteen rounds of trials before getting to heaven. This path was considered very difficult; it was believed that not all souls were able to complete it to the end. However, women who died during childbirth, warriors who died in battle, and ritual victims, according to the beliefs of the ancient Mayans, went to the gods immediately, bypassing all circles.

It was also believed that those who lost in a kind of ball game ended up in a better world without unnecessary trials. This sports game was a mixture of rugby, football and basketball. It was played by men wearing helmets and wearing protection on their 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 with the shoulders, hips and feet. The entire losing team or several of its members were killed at the end of the game.

Postclassical period

Around 850 AD. e. The Mayans began to abandon their majestic cities, one after another, 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 Mayans basically stopped building new tall buildings, holding ceremonies and practicing astronomy.

In less than two centuries the greatness of civilization in to a large extent came to naught. There are some prosperous ones left settlements, but the Mayans were never destined to regain their former greatness. Thus, civilization entered its postclassical period (987 - end XVI century). This time was marked by the adoption of harsh new laws, new styles of art, a mixing of cultures, internecine wars and eventually the arrival of the conquistadors.

Reasons for the decline of civilization

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

Ecological hypotheses are based on the following premise: the Mayans upset the balance with the natural environment in which they lived. That is, the rapidly growing population was faced with a shortage of high-quality soils 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, geologist Gerald Haug). And at the beginning of 2012, scientists from the University of Southampton published the results of their meticulous research, which also confirms this version. According to these studies, the lack fresh water in Yucatan could have been noticeable with a 40 percent decrease in precipitation (and such a decrease probably occurred between 810 and 950 AD). This anomaly led to the fact that there was not enough drinking water, the usual way of life of the Mayans began to collapse and they left their cities en masse.

Non-ecological hypotheses are hypotheses about internecine wars, conquests by other Indian tribes, epidemics, and certain social catastrophes. And, for example, the version of the Mayan conquest is confirmed by some archaeological finds in Yucatan. More specifically, artifacts were found in Mayan settlements that belonged to the Toltecs, another people of Mesoamerica. However, when the Spaniards arrived in Yucatan in 1517, the Mayans were already living primarily in agricultural communities.

The conquistadors arrived with bad intentions, and on top of that, they brought diseases from the Old World to America that were previously unknown to the Mayans (for example, smallpox and measles). And as a result, by the end of the 17th century, the Mayans suffered complete defeat - the last free Mayan city of Tayasal fell in 1697.

Documentary film from the History Channel “Mysteries of the Mayans. Secrets of antiquity."