History of the Ancient Mayan Civilization - Essay Example

Evidence about ical people and their civilization, values and society, Politics, and religion The Maya is defined to be a Mesoamerican civilization and it is known for its written language; which is fully developed, its art, architecture as well as astronomical and mathematical systems (Strayer 316). Considering the available evidence, the classical people practiced Maya art, which incorporated pottery, carvings, architecture, wall paintings, ceramic figures, and well illustrated books. These classical people had their culture suffused in an artistic expression; which is an expressive style. The style is complex, extensive, subtle, and more innovative than any other style in America (Strayer 316). For instance, some of this art depicts kings in courts as the centre of life and others depict wealthy merchants, warriors, farming men and women, and musicians among others. Historians rely on archeology and art to know more about the lives of classical people. This essay will use available documents to evaluate civilization of the classical people, their societal values, as well as their religion and politics. Civilization The Mesoamerican chronology analyzes that most of the Maya cities were developed to their highest state during the classical period (250AD- 900AD). This eventually continued throughout the post classic period until the arrival of the Spanish. This civilization shares features with Mesoamerican civilization because of the frequent interactions and diffusion of cultures that existed in the region. Features like epigraphy, writing, and the calendar originated from elsewhere but they were fully developed by the Maya civilization (Barrett and Scherer 106). The influence of Maya can be detected from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and western El- Salvador. The pre-classic period of Maya civilization is carbon dated to around 2600 BC according to Belize and Cuello occupation. This included structural monuments and their first settlements, which were established around 1800 BC in Soconusco at the pacific coast. The period is characterized by sedentary communities as well as the introduction of pottery and fired clay figurines. During the late pre-classic period, mid-sized Maya communities developed in the region of northern Mayaand. The two significant sites of the period include Dzibilchaltun and Komchen. Maya’s first written inscription dates around this period (Barrett and Scherer 109). The classical period, which dates around 250AD-900AD experienced a peak in construction and urbanism both in small-scale and large-scale. The southern lowland regions developed intellectually and musically. Agriculture intensified and there was creation of a city centered empire that comprised of various independent city states like Palenque, Tikal, and Calakmul among others. The Mayas multiplied intensively during this period leading to creation of a multitude of kingdoms, palaces, monuments, and temples. Moreover, the large economic and political inter-societal network formed the social basis of exuberant civilization in the Maya region (Barrett and Scherer 116). For instance, the most notable monuments of the period are the stepped pyramids, which were built in religious centers, including palaces of rulers. The civilization engaged in long distance trade interacting with Mesoamerican cultures like Zapotec. Archeologists also found gold from panama in Sacred Cenote. Trade goods of the period included; salt, cacao, jade, obsidian and seashells. Thereafter, the Maya collapsed and many centers of the southern lowlands collapsed during the 8th and 9th centuries. The Mayas were succeeded by the post classic period that began from the 10th to the 16th century (Lucero 102). Development in the region cropped up and was characterized by diversity of external influences. The cities flourished and Maya grew to its current meaning during the 19th and 20th century. Lucero (103) analyzes that Maya area degenerated into a competing region till the Spanish conquered yucatan, and that it was well known for mythology and historiography during the period. Values and Society Every society has a specific set of customs and ideas which governed them. It also has a certain set of manufactures as well as arts to distinguish it from others. Among the classical people civilization developed intricate cultures like literature, architecture, professional art, religion, and complex customs. The intricate culture spread and influenced other cultures and sometimes assimilated them into civilization. An example is Chinese civilization, which was influenced by Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. The mayas also valued the family institution as depiected by the royal couple in visual source 7.1 (Strayer 317). Mayanists adopted the court paradigm that emphasized that royal households are the centralities of the society. The approach focused on the totality of the spaces of Maya monuments as well as the totality of the diverse activities in the royal households. The approach gives a significant meaning to the role of spaces and places which incorporated the dwellings of royalty, dwellings of nobles, temples, throne rooms, halls and plazas for public meetings. Mayas had social classes whereby scribes held prominent positions in the courts of Mayas and their deity patrons. Politics and religion The Mayas believed in a cycle of time, and they performed ceremonies and rituals which were associated with terrestrial and celestial cycles by ascribing them as separate calendars (Martin and Miller 43). These rituals were mostly performed at night, and they involved a lot of shedding of blood. The Mayas had a priest, who was responsible for interpreting these cycles, and giving prophetic outlook of past or the future. These priests also had the responsibility of evaluating the heavens’ propitiousness for carrying out some specific religious ceremonies (Martin and Miller 44). The Mayas practised some rituals like human sacrifice whereby some people were killed as offerings. The ancient objects like codices, which are pictorial texts, depict these human sacrifices. They believed that cosmos had three planets; the earth, the heavens, and the underworld reached through caves. The sky and the sun were dominated by different gods according to the Maya. Gods of the Mayas had aspects and affinities, which allowed them to interact with one another in unbound ways. The Maya gods consider evil and good traits not to be permanent (Martin and Miller 49). Politically, the mayas were ruled by kingdoms. Each kingdom had its name that did not necessarily correspond to their localities or territories. The identity of the kingdom was that of a political unit and it was associated with a dynasty (Drew 94). For example Naranjo, an archeological site, was the capital of the kingdom of Saal. In conclusion, the classical people were civilized in various fields like astronomy and writing although they had various challenges, like frequent wars. Their civilization was also greatly affected by the axial age when the direction of civilization was changed by reformers from china, Iran, Greece, and India. This period also led to interaction of various groups, which led to interchanging of culture and intermarriages. This contact eventually led to social change, which accelerated all the way from china to Mediterranean. Works Cited Barrett, Jason and Andrew Scherer. “Stones, Bones, and Crowded Plazas: Evidence for Terminal Classic MayaWarfare at Colha, Belize.” Ancient Mesoamerica 16.1(2005): 101-118. Drew David. The Lost Chronicles of the MayaKings. London: Phoenix Press, 2004.Print. Lucero, Joyce. Water and Ritual: The Rise and Fall of Classic MayaRulers. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 2006. Print. Martin, Simon and Mary Miller. Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2004. Print. Strayer, Robert. “Ways of the World.” A Brief Global History with Sources 1 (2011): 316-323. Read More