A vast number of people around the world are interested in the mysteries and secrets of ancient civilizations, one of which was the Maya. The astonishing structures erected by the indigenous people centuries ago not only impress with their grandiose scale but also with the technologies used in their construction.
Today, the territory once belonging to the ancient Maya civilization is located within the borders of several countries – Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras.
Maya Religion
Religion played a significant role in the lives of the Maya. Gods worshipped by the Indians were constantly offered human sacrifices. Interestingly, sacrifices were not only chosen from captives of enemy tribes but also from their own people, including individuals from the upper echelons of society. However, the principle of selecting specific victims by the Indians, as well as the timing and sequence of sacrifices, remains unclear to this day.
In the territory of modern-day Mexico, among many of the Maya’s cultic structures, so-called cenotes were discovered – natural sinkholes in which priests of the Maya civilization offered sacrifices to their gods.
The Temple of Kukulkan, located at the top of the pyramid, is also infamous for these multiple sacrifices. Additionally, according to some researchers, this pyramid could have been used as a calendar. Its four staircases have 91 steps each (adding up to 364), plus one shared platform.
Today, thousands of tourists are drawn to the incredible spectacle that can be seen on the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes. From five o’clock in the evening, the shadow of a creeping serpent appears on the walls of the pyramid. In spring, the shadow moves upward, while in autumn, it moves downward. This fascinating illusion lasts for about three hours.
The internal structure of the pyramid is also unique. It resembles a kind of matryoshka doll, with a hidden chamber in the smallest part. Not long ago, researchers discovered an underground lake 20 meters below the pyramid, which could well be one of the Maya’s cenotes.
Strange Customs of the Maya
One of the numerous blood-based rituals among the ancient Maya was bloodletting. People would have their tongues, lips, and palms pierced to let blood flow. The hallucinations resulting from significant blood loss were considered messages from the gods by the ancient Maya.
However, representatives of the Maya civilization had extensive knowledge in the field of medicine. They could not only treat simple diseases but also skillfully treat and suture wounds, place dental fillings, and even make prosthetics. Furthermore, the examination of Maya fossil remains revealed that they quite successfully performed cranial surgeries on humans.
Yet, alongside these practices, the Maya had some rather peculiar methods for altering their appearance. For instance, among the Maya, having crossed eyes was considered a distinctive trait of high-status individuals. Therefore, objects were hung in front of infants in a way that, when swinging in a certain manner, would induce crossed eyes in the child.
Similarly, sharp teeth and an entirely flat forehead were regarded as peculiar features of the aristocracy. To achieve the latter, a small child’s head was tightly bound with a board, which prevented the protrusion of the forehead.
Maya Calendars
Maya priests surprisingly accurately determined planetary cycles. The calendars created by them were even used by other peoples of Central America and still amaze scientists around the world. Any date in both Maya calendars (solar and ritual) is necessarily closely linked to the positions of certain celestial bodies.
Until now, it remains inexplicable why the ancient Maya chose 3113 BCE as their starting point, a time when the Indians had not yet appeared in the Yucatan Peninsula, where their first settlements were found.
Interestingly, none of the calendars created by Maya priests predict the end of the world. Modern scientists have learned that the longest of the Maya calendars is calculated for approximately 2,800,000 days, after which it simply resets, starting a new count. It was this reset, not the end of time, that was supposed to occur in 2012.
Scientists cannot pinpoint exactly when the Maya civilization began to decline. However, by the 9th century CE, a rapid and significant reduction in Maya populations began throughout their territory. For reasons that are unclear today, the indigenous people began to abandon their cities, which quickly fell into complete degradation.
Ancient Maya Mysteries
Among the most interesting archaeological finds associated with the Maya civilization for a long time were the Crystal Skulls and Stone Heads from Guatemala. However, modern research has not proven their belonging to the ancient Maya.
Also, to this day, scientists have not deciphered the meanings of most hieroglyphs and frescoes in the Maya temple in Palenque. But this did not stop the famous ufologist Erich von Däniken, after studying the sarcophagus lid found in the temple, from concluding that the Maya communicated with extraterrestrial beings. He believed that the ancient artifact depicted a person sitting in a spaceship.
Contrary to common belief, the Maya Indians did not become extinct or disappear. Today, their descendants number around three million people.
They live on the ancestral lands of the Maya and even adhere to some traditions and beliefs of their predecessors. Moreover, some descendants of the Maya, having adopted Christianity, combine biblical commandments with the traditions of the ancient teachings.
However, scientists have still not been able to determine where the ancient Maya came from, why they abandoned their cities, and how they managed to achieve such a level of development.
Interesting facts about the Maya:
- The first structures of the Maya tribes were discovered by archaeologists in Belize and are approximately dated to 2000 BCE. It was from this region that the Maya Indians further dispersed northward to the Gulf of Mexico.
- By the time the conquistadors arrived in Central America, the Maya civilization was already in decline. Many of their stone cities had been abandoned long before the arrival of Europeans, although some still remained inhabited.
- The ancient Maya used a hieroglyphic writing system, which remains only partially deciphered to this day. Additionally, the Maya Indians had profound knowledge of astronomy and developed quite efficient agriculture practices.
- Primarily, the Maya grew maize and engaged in hunting. However, they did not wear animal skins. The main item of clothing for men was a loincloth made from a piece of woven fabric. Only noble Maya men wore long shirts and scented skirts, and sometimes a cloak, while military leaders and some rulers covered themselves with jaguar skin instead.
- Women’s clothing consisted of two items: a long dress and an underskirt. According to depictions from that time, some women wore only one skirt, which, according to experts, could indicate their low social status.
- Most Maya lived in structures resembling clay-walled huts. The roofs of these houses were covered with palm leaves. Although it seems quite strange, the Maya Indians did not have domestic animals.
- An especially interesting fact is that the ancient Maya did not know the wheel or metal. Even their weapons had obsidian blades. It was only after the 15th century that the Maya had blades for battle axes made of a copper and gold alloy, which, however, did not give them significant strength.