Rosey

=__**The**__ __**Classic Mayan Civilization**__= The Mayan were indigenous people who inhabited several countries Central America.

**__Language__**
The Mayan language was spoken in southern Mexico in countries such as: El Salvador, Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala. Around the years of 200-300 BCE, the Mayans used a complex language known as hieroglyphics, which they were best known for. The Maya are the only known Pre-Colombian civilization to have a fully developed language. The first discovered Mayan script was found on the Pacific coast in Guatemala in late first century AD. When discovered, members of the Catholic church would destroy Mayan writings. However, there are three known pieces surviving. They are the //Madrid Codex//, the //Dresden Codex// and the //Paris Codex.//


 * Hieroglyphics: a writing system that uses symbols to represent entire words. The most basic element of hieroglyphics is the glyph block, which when completed represents a whole idea. Individual glyphs will make up one whole block. Glyph blocks are arranged in grid form and are organized alphabetically and numerically. Historically the Mayan used conch sells to write their language.



**__Religion and Spiritual Beliefs__**
The Maya believed in the supernatural world. In their beliefs, that world was inhabited by several deities. The Mayan also believed in the cosmos. They thought that Heaven had thirteen different levels, while there was nine levels in the underworld. The Maya also commonly practiced religions ceremonies. During religions ceremonies, offerings were given to their deities. Sacrificing a strong living creature's blood was a sufficient offering to their gods. However, the ultimate sacrifice to the gods was the life of a human. Typically only war prisoners who possessed a high standing were used a sacrifices, and the lower citizens were only used for labor. Only certain events called for the sacrifice of a human life. The dedication of new and important buildings, and the coming of a new ruler called for this practice. Kings of other tribes were preferred for the sacrifices. Decapitation was the most common form of sacrifice, usually to the maize god. __Deities__ The Maya had multiple deities, each were intrinsically related to their calendar, astronomy, and worldview. Each was associated with a specific direction and had a color that was identified with them. The most common deities were as follows:
 * 1) Itzamna: The creator god that lived in the cosmos.
 * 2) K'inich Ahau: The day sun god. Most Mayan kings felt that they could identify with this god.
 * 3) Night Jaguar: The night sun god, who represented the sun on its way to the underworld.
 * 4) Pawatuns and Bacabs: Gods that existed in the mortal world and supported each "corner."
 * 5) Caacs: Gods that controlled the natural phenomenon, such as storms.

__**Agriculture**__
Agriculture was an extremely important part of the Mayan civilization. Irrigation was used where important buildings and temples were. They used the common technique of slash and burn. Along with slash and burn, the Mayans used the practice of multi-cropping. Multi-cropping consisted of planting and harvesting the same piece of land several times a year. However, this method reduced the lifespan of yielding crops in that area, but it helped meet the food needs of the people. __Common Crops__ The Maya yielded crops such as beans, squash, tomatoes, avocado, pumpkins and other fruits and vegetables. However the main crop was maize (corn). Corn was the most abundant of their crops, and was stored away in bins (chultunes) and were to be saved for later. Corn was extremely important to this group of people. Their creation myth even included the corn god was also the creator god. Cacao beans were also a key crop in their society. The beans made the chocolate of today, and were made into a drink that was favored by the kings. The beans as well as copper could also be traded as currency. The Mayan had very little meat in their diet, despite the fact that they were very skilled hunters and fishermen. Meat was typically only consumed at special ceremonial feasts.

**__The use of Art__**
The ancient Mayan civilization used art in many different ways. They covered many of their buildings, pyramid stairways, and slabs of limestone with pictures of their rulers and small facts and characteristics about them using hieroglyphics. The most common material for their art was stone. However, art was discovered on jade, clay, wood, silver and textiles. Mayan rulers usually possessed many pieces of art. They would commission artists to create small statues, portraits, and other ornamental pieces. The amount of art one had helped establish their rank as a ruler. Many tombs of the elite had pieces of artwork in them. The artist that made these pieces did not have to come from a certain social class. Artists came from the elites all the way down to the poor. Most artists came from a family in the business of art, and every member would play a role in that business. __Body Mortification/tattoos__ The Mayans commonly deformed the head of a newborn by strapping the head to a board. This practice made the infant's head become elongated. They would create crossed eyes, fill teeth and place jade in them, tattoo and give piercings. These forms of mortification were done to please the gods, increase their social rank and to make themselves more physically appealing. Although mainly the elites would do the extreme mortification, as to increase respect and social standing. Common and poor Mayans would also practice body mortification. Mayans liked to get tattoos. The women tended to get smaller tattoos on their upper chest, while the men enjoyed getting them on their back and legs. The method of tattooing was very painful. The artist would paint the desired design on, and then cut the design with a knife. The scar of the cut would be the tattoo. The process was very painful and dangerous, so respect was earned.



__**Entertainment**__
The Maya were very big on games. The Maya used sports, but particularly The Great Ball court of Chichen Itza. They would build courts 545 feet long and 225 feet wide. The goal of this game was to get a ball into a stone loop. However, the ball could not be picked up or touch the ground. It would be bounced off leather sheaths that were attached to the players body. A "yoke" was worn on the player's waist to direct the ball in the desired direction. The game was not easy. The ball used was 8lbs and was roughly the size of a watermelon. The Maya did enjoy playing this game for fun, but at times the loser would be sacrificed, due to the importance placed of human sacrifices. On the other hand, the winner of the game was thrown a feast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCzhtTjzWvU Summary: This video is a reenactment of ancient Mayan men playing "The Ball Game." The ball is to be kept off the ground and hit back in forth from team to team using shields of their bodies. The arm in the video is used the most in the video.

__**Gender Roles**__
Like most every civilization, there is a difference in the roles of men and women. The Mayan differences are as follows:
 * 1) Government: Men were typically the rulers in this society. However, the women close to the ruler (wife and daughters) were able to influence government decisions. Due to their power, these women were popular to the public, and were influential and wealthy. In the Mayan society, women were also respected.
 * 2) War: Every male in the tribe was to learn the basics of war and to serve under their ruler if war was declared. The women were to help prepare the men for battle. Often wives would cut themselves and pray to the gods that their husbands would return from war safely.
 * 3) Rituals: The men typically led the religious ceremonies and sacrificed humans to the gods. The elite women of the tribe would practice bloodletting along side the males in the tribe, as an offering to their gods.
 * 4) Hunting and gathering: The men would hunt for their tribe together and taught the young boys the basic skills needed. Like most civilizations, the women were gatherers. They forged for berries, and other natural food sources. However, in the harvest season, men and women would work side by side with the crops.
 * 5) The home: Since the men hunted and did more physical labor, they were not expected to perform any household chores. The women would prepare meals, raise and take care of children, sew and clean. [[image:https://sites.google.com/site/mayansurvivor/mayat4.jpg width="450" height="280" align="left" caption="Mayan men "]]

__Social Stratification__
Religion played a major role in the social classes in Mayan culture. The Upper Class: The Maya believed in "The Divine Theory of State," which states that the gods chose a class to rule. The upper class were to be the messengers of the gods. If the other classes did not follow their orders it was as if they were disobeying the gods. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGPobqZ3ybE Summary: this video is informing the viewer about the Mayan hierarchy. The video explains the different roles members of each social class performs.
 * 1) Upper Class: kings, priests and nobles
 * 2) Middle Class: professionals, merchants, artisans and commoners
 * 3) Lower Class: workers, servants and slaves

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