Mayan civilisation

Main thing

The Mayan civilization, a group of people who lived in Mesoamerica, began around 2000 BC and lasted until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. They were known for their advanced knowledge in many areas like art, architecture, mathematics, and astronomy. They built impressive cities with large stone buildings and temples. They also developed a complex writing system and calendar. For example, if you visit the ancient city of Tikal in Guatemala today, you can see the grand temples and palaces they built, which date back to the Classic period from 250 to 900 AD.

Terms

• Mayan civilization: This was a group of people who lived in Mesoamerica from around 2000 BC to the 16th century. They were known for their advanced knowledge in many areas. Example: The Mayan civilization built the city of Tikal, which dates back to the Classic period from 250 to 900 AD.

• Mesoamerica: This is a region that includes parts of Mexico and Central America. It's where the Mayan civilization lived from around 2000 BC to the 16th century. Example: The Mayan civilization was located in Mesoamerica.

• Tikal: This is an ancient city built by the Mayan civilization in what is now Guatemala. It dates back to the Classic period from 250 to 900 AD. Example: You can visit the ruins of Tikal to see the architecture of the Mayan civilization.

An analogy

Think of the Mayan civilization like a large, advanced city today. They had their own architects who designed and built large buildings. They had scholars who studied the stars and developed a calendar. They had artists who created beautiful works of art. And they had leaders who made laws and decisions for the city.

A main misconception

A common misconception is that the Mayan civilization disappeared or died out. In reality, while their large cities were abandoned, the people themselves continued to live in the area. They still practiced their traditions and spoke their language. For example, there are millions of people today who are descendants of the Mayans and still speak Mayan languages.

The history

The Mayan civilization began around 2000 BC and lasted until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. They went through different periods, including the Preclassic, Classic, and Postclassic periods. The Classic period, from 250 to 900 AD, was when they built their large cities and made many of their greatest achievements. For example, the city of Tikal was built during the Classic period. The famous Mayan scholar J. Eric S. Thompson once said, "The Maya of the Classic period were the most literate pre-Columbian people."

Three cases how to use it right now

1. If you're an architect, you can study the buildings of the Mayan civilization for inspiration. The main benefits of using this knowledge are: you can learn from their techniques and incorporate their style into your designs. For example, you might design a building with a stepped pyramid shape, like the temples at Tikal.

2. If you're an astronomer, you can study the Mayan calendar and their astronomical observations. The main benefits of using this knowledge are: you can see how they understood the movements of the stars and planets. For example, you might use their method of tracking the cycles of the moon.

3. If you're a linguist, you can study the Mayan writing system. The main benefits of using this knowledge are: you can learn about their language and how they expressed their thoughts in writing. For example, you might study the glyphs they used to write their history and stories.

Interesting facts

1. The Mayans were one of the few civilizations that developed a writing system independently. They didn't learn it from another civilization.

2. The city of Tikal had over 3,000 structures and could have housed up to 90,000 people.

3. The Mayans used a base-20 number system, unlike our base-10 system.

4. The Mayan calendar was more accurate than the European calendars of the time.

5. The Mayans believed in a cyclical view of time, where events would repeat themselves after a certain period.