The ancient Maya civilization flourished in Mesoamerica, primarily in present-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. They inhabited lowland plains and highland areas with concentrated settlements. The Maya had a complex society with distinct social classes and a writing system using hundreds of glyphs. They built grand temples that also functioned as astronomical observatories and had an advanced understanding of mathematics, astronomy, and nature. While the Spanish conquered the Maya city-states by the 17th century, the Maya people still occupy the same lands today.

2.  Ancient Civilization in located in the Yucatan Peninsula of
Mexico and parts of Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and
Honduras.
 Lowlands :
*West borders Pacific Ocean, fertile plain
*Yucatan Peninsula
*Cenotes (excavated caverns) for water in east
 Highlands :
*granite and volcanic area of Sierra Madre (Mexican Chiapas,
Guatemala,Honduras)
*Rich land, abundant water
*Concentrated settlement

3.  The Spanish discovered them, the Spanish boatlanded on
the Yucatan Peninsula in 1511.
 They were planning to reach Cuba but the currents made
them go west and they reached the Peninsula of Yucatan
 They were captured by the Mayans and scarified. Only two
were left alive, their names were Geronimo de Aguilarand
Gonzalo Guerrero, they both escaped and probably started
telling people about the Mayans.

4.  Their god is called "God of Maize"
 Priestly blood sacrifice
 Belief in afterlife
 Public temples and household shrines
 Polytheistic and revolved around nature
 The temples were built for the most
important Gods, you could also use them
as “Astronomical Observatories”, They
thought that the gods created
constellations in the sky to show messages

5.  Pierced ears, tattoos,
body painting,
straight black hair,
 Large headdress for
importance (Pacal,
leader of Palenque,
to right)

6.  class society
 Caste (membership
hereditary and
movement rare)
 Little known about
women, but evidence
of city-state queens
Nobility
Priests
Warriors
Craftsmen
TradersFarmers
Workers
Slaves

7.  The Maya were the only Native American society that
hada complete writing system of their own, their
languagefully represents a spoken language
 Writing 800 glyphs (picture/symbol represents an object,
idea, or sound
 Read left to right and top to bottom
 Only elite could read as writing considered to be gift from
the gods
 Wrote many books (destroyed by Spanish)
 we discovered about their languageand writing were
found carved into stones and woodspainted on poetry or
in a paper book called Codex

8.  After the Spanish had conquered the individual city states
by the end of the 17 century the major centers of power all
fallen
 The Mayan people didn’t go anywhere, they still occupy
the same land they have lived in for 1,000 of years
 The Maya civilization didn’t fall as fast as the
( Incas or Aztecs)