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Maya civilization

1 Most of the conquistadores were motivated by the prospects of the great wealth to be had from the seizure of precious metal resources such as ________ or silver; however, the Maya lands themselves were poor in these resources.

2 We have only hints of the advanced painting of the classic Maya; mostly what has survived are ________ pottery and other Maya ceramics, and a building at Bonampak holds ancient murals that survived by chance.

3 Advances such as writing, ________, and the calendar did not originate with the Maya; however, their civilization fully developed them.

4 Published writings of 16th century ________ and writings of 18th century Spanish officials spurred serious investigations of Maya sites by the late 18th century.

5 What does the following picture show?  The ruins of Palenque   Maya numerals   False-color IKONOS image of a bajo (lowland area) in Guatemala. The forest covering sites of Maya ruins appears yellowish, as opposed to the red color of surrounding forest. The more sparsely vegetated bajos appear blue-green.   God K, the god of lightning

6 The latitude of most of their cities being below the ________, these zenial passages would occur twice a year equidistant from the solstice.

7 2000 BC to 250 AD), according to the ________, many Maya cities reached their highest state development during the Classic period (c.

8 Many consider Maya ________ of their Classic Era (c.

9 The modern ________ is even more accurate, accumulating only a day's error in approximately 3257 years.

10 Shortly after the conquest, all of the codices which could be found were ordered to be burnt and destroyed by zealous Spanish ________, notably Bishop Diego de Landa.

đź’ˇ Interesting Facts

  • the Classic Period Maya city of Ixtutz in the Maya Mountains of Guatemala was lost for more than a century after its discovery in 1852?
  • the Classic Period Maya city of Motul de San JosĂ© in Guatemala made tribute payments of high quality ceramics after its military defeat?
  • the Classic Period Maya site of El Zotz, in Guatemala, takes its name from the enormous quantity of bats that live in a cave under the ruins?
  • the Classic period Maya city of Punta de Chimino was one of the last cities to survive the political collapse of the PetexbatĂşn region of Guatemala?
  • the hieroglyphic inscriptions at the Early Classic Maya city of Bejucal in northern Guatemala were all made within a narrow 40 year period?
  • the Mayan ruins in Belize called Nim Li Punit take their name from the "big hat" headdress on an 8th century stela?
  • the Maya archaeological site of Tamarindito was relatively unscathed by looters during the Guatemalan Civil War due to the presence of guerrilla fighters?
  • the Maya archaeological site of Xlapak (pictured) in Mexico features well-preserved examples of the ostentatious Puuc style of architecture?
  • the Maya site of Altar de Sacrificios in Guatemala was one of the first places to be settled in the Maya lowlands?
  • the Classic Maya archaeological site of Yaxchilan, on the Mexican border with Guatemala, is known for its preserved sculpted lintels (example pictured) detailing the dynastic history of the city?
  • the Late Classic Maya archaeological site of La Muerta, in northern Guatemala, is distinguished by its unusual subterranean labyrinth?
  • the origin of the Postclassic K'iche' Maya patron deity Jacawitz has been traced back to a historical event at the city of Seibal?
  • the royal dynasty at the Maya city of Copán (fragment pictured) in Honduras was founded by a warrior sent from the distant city of Tikal?
  • the small Maya city of Itzan in the PetĂ©n region of Guatemala featured an unusually large quantity of sculpted monuments?
  • the monuments of the ancient Maya city of Seibal in Guatemala display an unusual mix of Maya and foreign elements?
  • the history of the ancient Mayan city of Dos Pilas has been reconstructed in more detail than almost any other Mayan site?
  • the Terminal Classic Puuc Maya site of Sayil (pictured) in Mexico is known for its terraced palace that gives the impression of a three-story building?
  • the triadic pyramid complex was an early Maya architectural form based on the Maya creation myth?
  • the ancient city of Tikal (pictured) in Guatemala was one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya civilization?
  • the Maya archaeological site of El Tintal, in the northern PetĂ©n region of Guatemala, includes a triadic-style pyramid estimated to be 30 metres (98 ft) tall?
  • the Mam Maya capital city of Zaculeu (fragment pictured) fell to Spanish conquistador Gonzalo de Alvarado y Chávez after a siege that lasted several months?
  • Jaina Island, a Maya necropolis, contains over 20,000 burials, with every one excavated having one or more ceramic figurines (example pictured)?
  • La Amelia, a small Maya archaeological site in Guatemala, features hieroglyphic panels describing the ritual sacrifice of a bound captive who is rolled into a ball and thrown to his death?
  • potbelly sculpture is a crude non-Maya sculptural style distributed along the Pacific slope of southern Mesoamerica and dating to the Preclassic Period?
  • Gumarcaj, in Guatemala, is archaeologically and ethnohistorically the best known of the Late Postclassic highland Maya capitals?
  • Gukumatz (depiction pictured), one of the Feathered Serpent deities of the K'iche' Maya of Guatemala, was said to carry the sun across the sky in his jaws?
  • Calakmul (pictured) was one of the largest and most powerful Maya cities?
  • Chiquibul National Park surrounds the ancient Mayan site of Caracol?
  • Chitinamit in Guatemala was the first capital of the highland K'iche' Maya?
  • Temple I (pictured), in the Maya ruins of Tikal in Guatemala, is a 47-metre (154 ft) high funerary monument dedicated to king Jasaw Chan K'awiil I who died in AD 734?
  • Temple V (pictured) of the Classic Period Maya archaeological site of Tikal, in Guatemala, was the first pyramid discovered at the site?
  • looters at the Maya archaeological site of Holtun in Guatemala uncovered a series of large stucco masks flanking the main stairway of the principal pyramid?
  • the archaeological site of Topoxte (pictured) has the best surviving example of Postclassic Maya architecture in the PetĂ©n region of Guatemala?
  • the Honduran archaeological site El Puente was founded by the people of Copán to control the crossroads of two Maya trade routes?
  • in Maya mythology, wayob were the powerful spirit forms of lords, priests and gods?
  • a Maya ruler of Ixlu, a small ancient city in Guatemala, claimed to be the lord of the major Maya city of Tikal?
  • Toniná in Mexico (pyramid pictured) was one of the last of the Classic Period Maya cities to fall into ruin?
  • Votan, a legendary figure from Mesoamerica, has been erroneously identified with the Norse god Odin and the Mayan ruler Pacal the Great, among others, despite a lack of evidence?
  • Yohl Ik'nal, queen of the Classic Period Maya city of Palenque in Mexico, was the first known female Mayan ruler?
  • human sacrifices to the K'iche' Maya patron deity Tohil had their severed heads placed on a rack in front of the temple?
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