THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION. Drin Krasniqi Art Grubi Nderim Xhemajli Njomza Beqiri Enxhi Abazi Fatos Dobroshi Lis Berishaj

Transcription

1 THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION Drin Krasniqi Art Grubi Nderim Xhemajli Njomza Beqiri Enxhi Abazi Fatos Dobroshi Lis Berishaj

2 The history The Maya civilization was a very old culture in Mesoamerica. It is famous because people there knew about writing, art, advanced mathematics, and advanced astronomical (star) systems. Other pre-columbian American civilizations did not have these.

3 In the 8th and 9th century, the cities in the southern lowlands had problems, and declined. At the same time, the Maya stopped making big monuments and inscriptions. Shortly afterwards, these cities were abandoned. Currently, archaeologists are not sure why this happened. There are different theories. Some think ecological factors played a role in this.

4 Social Structure The Maya civilization was certainly never an "empire", inasmuch as one person never ruled the entire region. Kings were hereditary positions, and, at least after they were dead, the kings were sometimes considered gods.

5 Gender differences Ancient Maya women had an important role in society: beyond just propagating culture through the bearing and raising of children, Maya women involved themselves in economic, governmental and farming activities.

6 Although the Maya preferred that rulership pass to sons and not daughters, the eighth ruler of Palenque was a woman. Men and women performed separate but equal tasks: males produced food by agricultural labor, but females processed the products of the field to make them edible.

7 Science Mayan Astrology was a form of Mesoamerican form of astrology that was one of the most advanced forms of astrology of its time.

8 Numerical System

9 Astronomy Astronomy was a very important factor of Mayan culture. They had two calendars the ritual one called Tzolk in that was used for calculating religious ceremonies and festivals and predicting the destiny of people. The second calendar was the solar calendar called Haab containing 18 months of 20 days each plus 5 unlucky days called Uayeb. The two calendars were used on conjunction and the Maya calculations were so accurate that they were able to make exact reckonigs predict eclipses and plot the orbit of the planet Venus.

10 Haab N o. Seq. Name of month Glyph example meaning N o. Seq. Name of month Glyph example meaning 1 Pop mat 10 Yax green storm 2 Wo' black conjunction 11 Sak' white storm 3 Sip red conjunction 12 Keh red storm 4 Sotz' bat 13 Mak enclosed 5 Sek? 14 K'ank'in yellow sun 6 Xul dog 15 Muwan' owl 7 Yaxk'in' new sun 16 Pax planting time 8 Mol water 17 K'ayab turtle 9 Ch'en black storm 18 Kumk'u granary 19 Wayeb' five unlucky days

11 Tzolk in Seq. N o. 1 Day Name 2 Glyph 16th C. example 3 Yucatec 4 01 Imix' Imix reconstruct ed Classic Maya 5 Imix (?) / Ha' (?) Seq. N o. 1 Day Name 2 Glyph 16th C. example 3 Yucatec 4 reconstruct ed Classic Maya 5 11 Chuwen Chuen (unknown) 02 Ik' Ik Ik' 12 Eb' Eb (unknown) 03 Ak'b'al Akbal Ak'b'al (?) 13 B'en Ben (unknown) 04 K'an Kan K'an (?) 14 Ix Ix Hix (?) 05 Chikchan Chicchan (unknown) 15 Men Men (unknown) 06 Kimi Cimi Cham (?) 16 K'ib' Cib (unknown) 07 Manik' Manik Manich' (?) 17 Kab'an Caban Chab' (?) 08 Lamat Lamat Ek' (?) 18 Etz'nab' Etznab (unknown) 09 Muluk Muluc (unknown) 19 Kawak Cauac (unknown) 10 Ok Oc (unknown) 20 Ajaw Ahau Ajaw

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13 Religion The Mayans were very religious people. Their religion regulated almost everything in their life. Priests were the most important people in the tribes. The Mayans believed their gods had destroyed and recreated their earth several times that is why they always tried to please their gods with sacrifices. They believed that if they sacrifice their slaves than their lives will improve by having more rain and sun for their corn and other harvest. They thought that their king is God and at the moment that their lost faith in him everything will go wrong with their lives. Maybe this is the reason was most of the biggest towns were abandoned by the Mayan population.

14 Ruins There were a lot Mayan cities, but unfortunately the were all extinct. However all the people were not extinct! Now they are only old temples left. The Chichen Itza

15 Mayan Ruins, Tulum, Mexico pictures

16 The Mayan city

17 Survivors There are a lot of Mayans, some of them are pure Mayans, and some of them are mixed with Spaniards and some other cultures. So they aren t extinct. The Maya have a long history of traditions and beliefs using natural sources for food, medicine, clothing and ceremonies; today, the Maya continue to follow tradition. The Mayan language exists, and is spoken in some places.

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