The Maya civilization was led by kings and priests and consisted of independent city-states. They believed in gods like Hunab Ku, Ixchel, and Kinich Ahau and practiced rituals including human sacrifice. The Maya had advanced achievements in calendars, writing systems, and agriculture and viewed time cynically based on celestial and terrestrial cycles interpreted by priests.

1. Ancient America: Maya
By Randi Vian

2. Key Figures:
- Hunab Ku
- Ixchel
- Kinich Ahau
Government
-Kings
-priests
-independent city-states
Religious Beliefs:
- Cynical nature of time
- Human Sacrifice
- The Maya Underworld
Cultural/Scientific Achievements:
- calendars
- written languages
- farming
Graphic Organizer

3. - Hunab Ku: “Only God”
- appeared in the 16th century
- he is the Christian God
- was close to an indigenous creator god, Itzamna
- Ixchel: “The goddess of making children”
- 16th century
- “Jaguar goddess of midwifery and medicine in ancient Maya culture”
- Earth and war goddess
- Rain goddess
- Kinich Ahau: “Sun god”
- “God G” when referring to codices
- “In rituals introducing this year war dances were executed”
- was a ruler in the classic period
Key Figures

4. -They were ruled by Kings and Priests
- They lived in independent city-states
- There were no standing armies
- War did play an important role in religion,prestige, and power
Government

5. -Cynical nature of time:
- Rituals and ceremonies were closely associated with celestial and terrestrial cycles
- Maya priest had the job of interpreting these cycles and giving an outlook on the future or
past.
- also had to find out if the heavens were favorable for performing certain religious
ceremonies
-Human Sacrifice:
- practiced Human sacrifice to an extent
- in some rituals they would use this
- they would be killed by having their limbs held down while someone cut open their chest
- The Maya Underworld:
- “Place of fear”
- you can reach it by dark caves and deep tunnels
- they thought it was dominated by the aged Maya gods of death
Religious Beliefs

6. - they learned how to make buildings without todays machinery
- they figured out how to grow different types of food that we use today
like beans, corn, squash, etc.
- the Maya civilization also had one of the first written languages
- The Mayan people also had created their calendar
Cultural and Scientific Achievements

7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization
http://www.history.com/topics/mayan-scientific-achievements
Sources