Mayan Society


Mayan Society	The Maya were influenced by the OLMEC culture before them. The Olmec are sometimes called the “mother civilization” of Mesoamerica. But the Maya carried the Olmec cultural traits to new heights of refinement. The Maya world, like that of the Olmec, revolved around ceremonial and economic centers in the tropical forest. More than 100 such Maya centers are known. They are often referred to as city-states, because each population center had its own rulers. The center consisted of many stone structures, including pyramids topped by temples, shrines, platforms that served as astronomical observatories, monasteries, palaces, baths, vaulted tombs, ball courts, paved roads, bridges, plazas, terraces, causeways, reservoirs, and aqueducts. Each city-state had distinct social classes. The priests were the keepers of knowledge. The Sun Children were in charge of commerce, taxation, justice, and other civic matters. There were craftsmen, including stoneworkers, jewelers, potters, clothiers, and others. In the countryside surrounding the central complex of buildings lived farmers, in one-room pole-and-thatch houses. They cut down and burned trees to make fields and used irrigation to water their crops—corn, beans, squash, chili peppers, cassava, and many others. Ancient Mayan \| Mayan map \| Mayan cities \| Mayan Government \| culture \| king \| People \| Language \| Religion \| Gods \| Temples \| Pyramids \| Rituals \| Mayan Calendar \| Art \| Ball Game
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