Interesting facts about the Mayan civilization. Mayan civilization. History of the Empire Mysteries of Mayan history

Date December 10, 36 BC. e. is inextricably linked with the mysterious culture of the Mayans. The first stela with the date of the Mayan calendar, discovered during excavations in Mexico, dates back to this day. Scientists are still struggling with the solution to the calendar. Why is there only 260 days in it, why did the Mayans call it “Traces of God”, and most importantly, is it true that it contains the exact date of the end of the world? There are no answers to these questions yet. The calendar became just one of the many Mayan secrets, the most interesting of which are in the RG collection.

Man-made skulls

The Mayan Indians are credited with the authorship of the amazing skulls discovered by archaeologists, carved from quartz, amethyst and crystal. One of the artifacts, known as the “Skull of Fate,” is kept in a New York museum. The skull has unusual optical properties. By placing any light source under it, you can see how the eye sockets of the skull begin to glow. If you place a small object under the skull in place of the light source, then by peering into the eye sockets you can discern this object inside the skull itself. Scientists cannot yet explain how the Indians carved these skulls with pinpoint precision and optical surprises. By the way, the German Nazis believed that whoever collected 13 of these skulls would gain power over the world.

Cenotes

One of the Mayan secrets is kept at the bottom of wells. Special holes in the ground in which underground water flowed were considered sacred by the Indians. Sacrifices were left there, and through the Maya wells they maintained contact with the mystical underworld. According to another version, from these failures the Indians - famous lovers of astronomy - observed the sun at its zenith. At the same time, a column of sunlight sank vertically into the water. It is noteworthy that now tourists can visit cenotes. Some of them are open for diving.

Bloodletting

The Mayan Indians remained in legends as a very bloodthirsty people. It is known that they performed human sacrifices, tore out the hearts of victims and even, it seems, did not disdain cannibalism. And there is another Indian secret in this. Since modern scientists suggest that the Mayans were not cruel at all, but released blood to people for sacred purposes, releasing and freeing the soul of the deceased. Another version, sacred - bloodletting changed the functioning of the brain, hallucinations appeared, which the Mayans considered visions from above.

Game for life

The football passions of the Mayan Indians are well known. However, scientists suspect it was more than sport. According to one version, the Mayans drove a skin-covered human skull across the field, symbolizing the epic struggle of the forces of Light with the evil gods. Moreover, the losers of the whole team were sacrificed. This gave rise to the second version, according to which the Mayans had a kind of gladiator fights. And at the same time, Indian captives came out onto the field. The losers were tied together and rolled down the many steps of the temples. At the same time, little of anything reached the bottom of the temple.

Talking crosses

Another Mayan mystery is related to Christianity. Symbols of the cross were discovered in Indian temple buildings in Palenque. According to legend, the wooden crosses spoke to the Mayans and gave valuable instructions. For example, fight with pale-faced people. Now these same crosses are located in the Mexican Quitana Roo and are still an object of worship. They just don't say anything yet.

Indian astronauts

In the same temple in Palenque, a sarcophagus lid was found, which provided rich food for the research of the famous ufologist Erich von Däniken. The fact is that on the lid the Mayans depicted a man (presumably) sitting in something similar to a spaceship (presumably). The ufologist himself believed that this was a representative of the disappeared Atlantean civilization in the cockpit of an aircraft of that time. Daniken even saw a seat belt on the pilot. Some prefer a more prosaic explanation: on the lid of the sarcophagus is the priest-ruler Pacal on the way to Xibalba - the underworld.

Origin of the Maya

The origins of the Maya Indians have always remained a headache for anthropologists. When the tombs of the Indians were partially explored, it turned out that the Mayans buried their fellow tribesmen in sarcophagi, according to the principle of the Egyptians. Rich jewelry, symbolic objects, and carefully crafted death masks have led scientists to believe that the Maya's ancestors may have been Egyptian. Which radically changes the version about the origin of the tribe from Atlantis. This means that relatives of the Indians still live somewhere.

The history of the Mayan civilization is full of mysteries. One of them is the reason for the sudden disappearance of this ancient people, who had reached an amazingly high level of cultural development.

Origin and habitat

The Maya, one of the civilizations of Mesoamerica, began to form around 2000 BC. e. It developed in the Mexican states of Yucatan and Tabasco, the countries of Guatemala and Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. The area where these ancient tribes lived is divided into three climatic zones: rocky and arid mountainous territory, tropical jungle and areas with rich fauna.

There are several theories about the origin of the people, as well as where the Mayans disappeared to. There is a version that they came from Asia, and even a fantastic assumption that they are the descendants of the inhabitants of the mythical Atlantis. Another theory claims that they came from Palestine. As evidence, they cite the fact that many elements are similar to Christian ones (the idea of ​​the coming of the Messiah, the symbol of the cross). In addition, the people are very similar to the Egyptian ones, and this suggests that they are somehow connected with Ancient Egypt.

Mayan Indians: the history of a great civilization

Researchers are lucky - many sources have been preserved from which they can draw a picture of the life of this ancient people. Its history is divided into several large periods.

In the pre-classical era, the Indians were small tribes that obtained food by hunting and gathering. Around 1000 BC e. Many small settlements of farmers appear. El Mirador is one of the first Mayan cities, now famous for its huge pyramidal complex 72 meters high. It was the largest metropolis of the pre-classical period.

The next era (400 BC - 250 AD) is characterized by great changes in the life of the Indians. Cities are growing rapidly and monumental architectural complexes are being built.

250-600 n. e. - the time of the classical era of the development of the people of Mesoamerica. During this period, rival city-states emerged. Their architecture was represented by magnificent architectural structures. Typically, buildings were located around a rectangular central square and were decorated with masks of gods and mythological figures carved in stone. The history of the Mayan tribe says that a feature of their settlements was the presence of pyramids up to 15 meters high in the center of the cities.

By the end of the Classic period, the population of the lowlands of Guatemala had reached an impressive 3 million people.

The late classical period is the time of the highest flowering of the culture of the ancient people of Mesoamerica. Then the great cities were founded - Uxmal, Chichen Itza and Coba. The population of each of them ranged from 10 to 25 thousand people. The history of the Mayan tribe cannot but surprise - at the same time, there were no such large settlements in medieval Europe.

Mayan occupations and crafts

The main occupations of the Indians were agriculture (slash-and-burn and irrigation), beekeeping and crafts. They grew maize (the main crop), beans, tomatoes, pumpkins, various types of peppers, tobacco, cotton, sweet potatoes and a variety of seasonings. An important crop was cocoa.

The Mayans were also involved in fruit cultivation. Now it is difficult to say which of the fruit trees were cultivated. Residents used papaya, avocado, ramon, chicosapote, nance, and marañon for food.

Despite their high level of development, the Mayans never stopped collecting. Palm leaves were used as roofing material and raw material for weaving baskets, the collected resin was used as incense, and coroso was used to make flour.

Hunting and fishing were also among the main activities of the Indians.

From archaeological research it is clear that skilled artisans lived in Yucatan and Guatemala: gunsmiths, weavers, jewelers, sculptors and architects.

Architecture

The Mayans are known for their majestic buildings: pyramidal complexes and palaces of rulers. In addition, they created beautiful sculptures and bas-reliefs, the main motifs of which were anthropomorphic deities.

Sacrifices

Among the buildings that have survived to this day, the main part is occupied by buildings of a religious nature. This fact and other sources allow us to conclude that religion occupied a central place in Mayan life. They are known for their bloodletting rituals and human sacrifices offered to the gods. The most cruel of the rituals was burying the victim alive, as well as ripping open the stomach and tearing out the heart from the body of a still living person. Not only prisoners, but also fellow tribesmen were sacrificed.

The mystery of the disappearance of the people

The question of where the Mayans disappeared continues to interest many researchers. It is known that by the 9th century the southern territories of the Indians began to empty out. For some reason, residents began to leave the cities. This process soon spread to central Yucatan. Where did the Mayans go and for what reason did they leave their homes? There is no answer to this question yet. There are hypotheses that try to explain the sudden disappearance of one of the peoples of Mesoamerica. Researchers name the following reasons: enemy invasions, bloody uprisings, epidemics and environmental disaster. Perhaps the Mayans upset the balance between nature and man. The rapidly growing population has completely exhausted natural resources and began to experience serious problems with a lack of fertile soil and drinking water.

The latest hypothesis about the decline of the Mayan civilization suggests that this was due to severe drought, which led to the devastation of the cities.

None of these theories has received serious confirmation, and the question of where the Mayans disappeared is still open.

Modern Maya

The ancient people of Mesoamerica did not disappear without a trace. It was preserved in its descendants - the modern Mayans. They continue to live in the homeland of their famous ancestors - in Guatemala and Mexico, preserving the language, customs and way of life.

The Mayans lived in one of the most comfortable parts of our planet. They did not need warm clothing; they were content with thick and long strips of fabric, which they wrapped around their bodies in a special manner. They ate mainly corn and what they got in the jungle, cocoa, fruits, and game. They did not keep domestic animals either for transportation or for food. The wheel was not used. According to modern concepts, it was the most primitive of the Stone Age civilizations; they were far from Greece and Rome. However, the fact remains that archaeologists have confirmed that during the mentioned period, these people managed to build several dozen amazing cities over a fairly large area, far from each other. The basis of these cities is usually a complex of pyramids and powerful stone buildings, completely dotted with strange mask-like icons and various lines.

The tallest of the Mayan pyramids are no lower than the Egyptian ones. It still remains a mystery to scientists: how these structures were built!

And why were the cities of pre-Columbian civilization, so perfect in beauty and sophistication, suddenly abandoned, as if on command, by their inhabitants at the turn of 830 AD?

At this very time, the center of civilization went out, the peasants who lived around these cities scattered in the jungle, and all priestly traditions suddenly degenerated sharply. All subsequent surges of civilization in this region were characterized by sharp forms of power.

However, let's return to our topic. The same ones Mayan who left their cities, fifteen centuries before Columbus, invented an accurate solar calendar and developed hieroglyphic writing, and used the concept of zero in mathematics. The Classic Mayans confidently predicted solar and lunar eclipses and even predicted the Day of Judgment.

How did they do it?

To answer this question, you and I will have to look beyond what is allowed by established prejudices and doubt the correctness of the official interpretation of some historical events.

Maya - Geniuses of the pre-Columbian era

During his fourth American voyage in 1502, Columbus landed on a small island located off the coast of what is now the Republic of Honduras. Here Columbus met Indian merchants sailing on a large ship. He asked where they were from, and they, as Columbus recorded, answered: “From Mayan Province" It is believed that the generally accepted name of the civilization “Maya” is derived from the name of this province, which, like the word “Indian,” is, in essence, an invention of the great admiral.

The name of the main tribal territory of the Maya proper - the Yucatan Peninsula - is of similar origin. Having dropped anchor off the coast of the peninsula for the first time, the conquistadors asked the local inhabitants what the name of their land was. The Indians answered all questions: “Siu tan,” which meant “I don’t understand you.” From then on, the Spaniards began to call this large peninsula Siugan, and later Siutan became Yucatan. In addition to Yucatan (during the conquest, the main territory of this people), the Mayans lived in the mountainous region of the Central American Cordillera and in the tropical jungle of the so-called Meten, a lowland located in what is now Guatemala and Honduras. The Mayan culture probably originated in this area. Here, in the Usumasinta River basin, the first Mayan pyramids were erected and the first magnificent cities of this civilization were built.

Mayan territory

By the beginning of the Spanish conquest in the 16th century Mayan culture occupied a vast and diverse territory in terms of natural conditions, which included the modern Mexican states of Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo, as well as all of Guatemala, Belize (former British Honduras), the western regions of El Salvador and Honduras Borders of the Mayan civilization area in I millennia, apparently, more or less coincided with those mentioned above. Currently, most scientists distinguish within this territory three large cultural-geographical regions, or zones: Northern, Central and Southern.

Map of the location of the Mayan civilization

The northern region includes the entire Yucatan Peninsula - a flat limestone plain with shrubby vegetation, intersected here and there by chains of low rocky hills. The poor and thin soils of the peninsula, especially along the coast, are not very favorable for maize farming. In addition, there are no rivers, lakes or streams; The only source of water (except for rain) are natural karst wells - senates.

The central region occupies the territory of modern Guatemala (Peten Department), the southern Mexican states of Tabasco, Chiapas (eastern) and Campeche, as well as Belize and a small area in western Honduras. It is an area of ​​tropical rainforest, low rocky hills, limestone plains and extensive seasonal wetlands. There are many large rivers and lakes: rivers - Usumacinta, Grijalva, Belize, Chamelekon, etc., lakes - Isabel, Peten Itza, etc. The climate is warm, tropical, with an average annual temperature of 25 above zero Celsius. The year is divided into two seasons: the dry season (lasts from the end of January to the end of May) and the rainy season. In total, precipitation falls here from 100 to 300 cm per year. Fertile soils and the lush splendor of tropical flora and fauna greatly distinguish the Central Region from the Yucatan.

The Central Maya region is not only central geographically. This is at the same time the very territory where Mayan civilization reached the peak of its development in the 1st millennium. Most of the largest urban centers were then located here: Tikal, Palenque, Yaxchilan, Naranjo, Piedras Negras, Copan, Quiriguaidre.

The Southern region includes the mountainous regions and the Pacific coast of Guatemala, the Mexican state of Chiapas (its mountainous part), and certain areas of El Salvador. This territory is distinguished by an unusual diversity of ethnic composition, a variety of natural and climatic conditions and significant cultural specificity, which significantly distinguishes it from other Mayan regions.

These three areas differ not only geographically. They are also different from each other in their historical destinies.

Although all of them were inhabited from very early times, there certainly was a kind of passing of the baton of cultural leadership between them: the Southern (mountain) region apparently gave a powerful impetus to the development of classical Maya culture in the Central region, and the last glimpse of the great Mayan civilization is associated with the Northern region (Yucatan).

With all the power of modern man and his striving forward, the need to become acquainted with the previous moments of the development of civilization cannot but arise. If the already relatively well-known ancient times arouse considerable interest, what can we say about the poorly studied Mayan tribe.

The Mayan tribe is a mysterious civilization

We hasten to disappoint fans of sensations. The mystery of the Maya is due either to the lack of knowledge of specific people about it, or to the poor knowledge of some point. In fact, enough is known to archaeologists and other researchers today about the Maya to say that it was one of a large number of ancient civilizations. Finding mystical components in her and her fate is inappropriate.

The Mayans built luxurious palaces and large cities with large areas. Their civilizational achievements allowed them to dominate for about one thousand five hundred years.

Disappearance of the Maya

Let's start from the end. Ninth century AD, territory of modern Guatemala. The Indians are experiencing a shortage of water and food, epidemics are literally mowing down people. Cities quickly emptied and civilization collapsed. Archaeologists were able to find out: the image of the “wise, peaceful Mayans” is a little less than in no way consistent with reality. Their city-states (analogous to the Greek city-states) fought among themselves.

The emergence of the Mayan civilization dates back to the second millennium BC. After one and a half thousand years, they became so numerous that they began to control almost all of Central America. Around 250 AD, city-states emerged. Between these formations and their rulers there was a continuous struggle, sometimes armed. Of course, the rulers and priesthood represented these wars solely as the will of the gods. Human sacrifice was an everyday occurrence. None of the cities had clear leadership.

Mayan Tribe - Incredible Facts

Contrary to popular myths, the Mayans were a Stone Age civilization. The tools with which their buildings were erected were appropriate. There were no metal tools or draft animals. The wheel and metal were known in principle, but the majestic “pyramids” were built without them - apparently, this was a cultural feature: the more complex the work, the more valuable the result.

The mathematical achievements of this civilization were almost higher than those of any of its contemporaries. This is where the zero symbol first appears. It is believed that the Mayans also knew the square root. Mayan engineers created an excellent drainage system and aqueducts that were in no way inferior to the Roman ones.

How did all this prosperity collapse? There are several versions. One – depletion of reserves and environmental disaster – seems to be the most adequate. People fled cities where it became impossible to live. According to another, the main factor was the raids of nomadic tribes.

Mayan magic stone

In the Villaeromas Museum there is a stone on which the “ominous” date is inscribed - December 21, 2012. Today we know for sure, 100%: there is nothing serious behind this prophecy. But it is all the more interesting to truly comprehend the cultural meanings that are hidden in these inscriptions.

Mayan clothing Over the past centuries, it has practically not changed, at least among old people it is the same as in ancient times. Their concept of beauty is emphatically non-European - for example, it was widely believed that squint and a flattened forehead, as well as an aquiline nose, were beautiful. Clothes were made from white and brown cotton, as well as from wood fibers. Later they began to use silk and wool. Organic and mineral dyes were used.

Mayan version of the creation of the world, like other layers of their culture, reveals the systemic unity of the peoples of pre-Columbian America. The basis of Mayan mythology is the cyclical nature of the universe with periods of 5000 years. Each period is divided into thirteen parts and, according to ideas, invariably ends in disaster. The goal of people is to perform tasks pleasing to the gods, such as crafts and agriculture. Each policy had its own legends.

: The Rise and Disappearance of the Maya State

One of the many mysteries is associated with the Maya. An entire people, consisting mainly of city residents, suddenly left their good and strong homes, said goodbye to the streets, squares, temples and palaces and moved to the distant wild north. None of these settlers ever returned to their old place. The cities were deserted, the jungle burst into the streets, weeds ran rampant on the stairs and steps; Forest seeds were carried into the grooves and grooves, where the wind brought the smallest pieces of earth, and they sprout here, destroying the walls. Never again did a person set foot on stone-paved courtyards or climb the steps of the pyramids.

But maybe some catastrophe was to blame? And again we are forced to ask the same question: where are the traces of this catastrophe and what exactly is this catastrophe that could force an entire people to leave their country and their cities and start life in a new place?

Perhaps some terrible epidemic has broken out in the country? But we do not have any data that would indicate that only the pitiful, weak remnants of a once numerous and strong people set off on a long campaign. On the contrary, the people who built cities like Chichen Itza were undoubtedly strong and in the prime of their strength.

Perhaps, finally, the climate in the country suddenly changed, and therefore further life here became impossible? But from the center of the Old Kingdom to the center of the New Kingdom in a straight line is no more than four hundred kilometers. Climate change, about which, by the way, there is also no data, which could so dramatically affect the structure of the entire state, would hardly have not affected the area to which the Mayans moved.

There are still many secrets of the ancient Mayan civilization, maybe over time many of them will be revealed, or maybe they will remain secrets.

About 10,000 years ago, when the last ice age ended, people from the north moved to explore the southern lands, now known as Latin America. They settled in the territory that later constituted the Mayan region, with mountains and valleys, dense forests and arid plains. The Maya region includes modern Guatemala, Belize, southern Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador. Over the next 6,000 years, the local population transitioned from a semi-nomadic existence as hunter-gatherers to a more sedentary agricultural lifestyle. They learned to grow corn and beans, used a variety of stone tools to grind grain and prepare food. Gradually settlements arose.

Around 1500 BC. e. The widespread construction of rural-type settlements began, which served as a signal for the beginning of the so-called “Preclassic period”, from which the countdown of centuries of the glorious Mayan civilization begins.

“PRE-CLASSICAL” PERIOD (1500 BC–250 AD)

People acquired some agricultural skills and learned to increase the yield of their fields. Throughout the Maya region, densely populated villages of rural type arose. Around 1000 BC. e. The villagers of Cuello (in Belize) made pottery and buried their dead. Following the required ceremony: pieces of green stone and other valuable items were placed in the grave. In Mayan art of this period, the influence of the Olmec civilization, which arose in Mexico on the Gulf Coast and established trade relations with all of Mesoamerica, is noticeable. Some scholars believe that the ancient Maya owe their creation of a hierarchical society and kingship to the Olmec presence in the southern Maya region from 900 to 400 BC. e.

Olmec power ended. The growth and prosperity of the southern Mayan trading cities begins. From 300 BC e. to 250 AD e. such large centers as Nakbe, El Mirador and Tikal emerge. The Mayans achieved significant advances in the field of scientific knowledge. Ritual, solar and lunar calendars are used. They represent a complex system of interconnected calendars. This system allowed the Maya Indians to record the most important historical dates, make astronomical forecasts and boldly look into such distant times that even modern experts in the field of cosmology do not dare to judge. Their calculations and records were based on a flexible counting system that included a symbol for zero unknown to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and they surpassed other contemporary civilizations in the accuracy of astronomical calculations.

Of all the ancient cultures that flourished in the Americas, only the Mayans had a developed writing system. And it was at this time that the Mayan hieroglyphic writing began to develop. Mayan hieroglyphs look like miniature drawings squeezed into tiny squares. In reality, these are units of written speech - one of the five original writing systems created independently of one another. Some hieroglyphs are syllabic, but most of them are ideograms, denoting phrases, words or parts of words. Hieroglyphs were carved on steles, on lintels, on vertical planes of stone stairs, on the walls of tombs, and also written on the pages of codices and on pottery. About 800 hieroglyphs have already been read, and scientists with unabated interest are deciphering new ones, as well as giving new interpretations to already known symbols.

During the same period, temples were erected, which were decorated with sculptural images of gods, and then Mayan rulers. Rich offerings are found in the tombs of Mayan rulers from this period.

EARLY “CLASSICAL” PERIOD (250-600 AD)

By 250 AD. Tikal and its neighboring city of Washactun become the main cities in the central lowland zone of Maya territory. Tikal had everything: giant pyramid temples, a palace complex, ball courts, a market, and a steam bath.
Society was divided into the ruling elite and the subordinate working class of farmers, artisans, and traders. Thanks to excavations, we learned that social stratification in Tikal primarily concerned housing. While ordinary members of the community lived in villages scattered here and there among the forests, the ruling elite had at their disposal a more or less clearly defined living space of the Central Acropolis, which by the end of the classical period turned into a real labyrinth of buildings built around six spacious courtyards over an area of ​​about 2.5 square kilometers. The buildings consisted of one or two rows of long rooms, divided by transverse walls into a number of rooms, each room having its own exit. The “palaces” served as homes for important people, in addition, the city administration was probably located here.

Beginning in the 3rd century, rulers with supreme power erected pyramid temples and steles with images and inscriptions designed to perpetuate their rule; The initiation rite consists of a ritual of bloodletting and human sacrifice. The earliest known stele (dated to 292) was found in Tikal, it was erected in honor of one of the heirs of the ruler Yash-Mok-Shok, who founded at the beginning of the century a dynasty that was destined to rule the city for 600 years. In 378, under the ninth ruler of this dynasty, Great Jaguar Paw, Tikal conquered Vashaktun. By that time, Tikal was under the influence of a tribe of warriors and traders from the Mexican center of Teotihuacan, having adopted some methods of warfare from foreigners.

LATE “CLASSICAL” PERIOD (600-900 AD)

The classical Mayan culture, which was characterized by rapid construction of palaces and temples, reached a new level of development in the 7th-8th centuries. Tikal is regaining its former glory, but other, no less influential centers are emerging. In the west of the Mayan region, Palenque flourishes. Which is ruled by Pacal, who came to power in 615 and was buried with the highest honors in 683. The rulers of Palenque were distinguished by great construction zeal and created a large number of temples, palace complexes, a royal tomb and other buildings. But most importantly, the sculptural images and hieroglyphic inscriptions that abound in these buildings give us an idea of ​​what the rulers and the people obedient to them considered important. After studying all the monuments, it seems that during this period there were some changes in the role assigned to the ruler, and these changes indirectly indicate the reason for the collapse of such a seemingly prosperous civilization, which was the Mayan civilization in the “classical period”.

In addition, in four different places in Palenque, Pacal and his successor erected the so-called royal registers - steles with records of the members of the ruling dynasty, tracing its roots back to 431 AD. e. Apparently these two were very concerned about proving their legitimate right to rule, and the reason for this was two cases in the history of the city when the ruler received the right of succession to the throne through his mother's line. This is what happened with Pakal. Since among the Mayans the right to the throne was usually passed on through the paternal line, Pacal and his son were forced to make some adjustments to this rule.

In the 7th century, the southeastern city of Copan also gained fame. Many inscriptions and steles of Copan show that the city was a city for 4 centuries, from the 5th century AD. e., ruled by one dynasty. Thanks to this stability, the city gained weight and influence. The founder of the dynasty, ruler Yash-Kuk-Mo (Blue-Ketual-Parrot), came to power in 426 AD. e. And it can be assumed that his authority was very great, and all subsequent rulers of Copan considered it necessary to count their royal line from him. Of his 15 royal descendants, the longest lived was the energetic Smoke Jaguar, who ascended the throne in 628 and reigned for 67 years. Famed as the Great Instigator, Smoke Jaguar led Copan to unprecedented prosperity, greatly expanding its holdings, possibly through territorial wars. The nobles who served under him probably became rulers of the conquered cities. During the reign of Smoke-Jaguar, the urban population reached approximately 10,000 people.

At that time, wars between cities were common. Despite the fact that the rulers of the cities were related to each other due to interdynastic marriages, and in the culture - art and religion - these cities had much in common.

Art continues to develop, artisans supply the nobility with various exquisite crafts. The construction of ceremonial buildings and numerous steles extolling the personal merits of the rulers continues. However, starting from the 8th century, and especially in the 9th century, the cities of the central lowlands fell into decline. In 822, a political crisis rocked Copan; the last dated inscription at Tikal is from 869.

"POST-CLASSICAL" PERIOD (900-1500 AD)

Depletion of natural resources, agricultural decline, urban overcrowding, epidemics, foreign invasions, social upheaval and incessant wars - all of these, together or individually, could have contributed to the decline of the Mayan civilization in the southern plains. By 900 AD e. Construction in this area stops, once populous cities, abandoned by residents, turn into ruins. But the Mayan culture still lives in the northern part of Yucatan. Such beautiful cities as Uxmal, Kabah, Sayil, Labna in the hilly Puuc region exist until the year 1000.

Historical chronicles of the eve of the Conquest and archaeological data clearly indicate that in the 10th century AD. The Yucatan was invaded by warlike Central Mexican tribes - the Toltecs. But, despite all this, in the central region of the peninsula the population survived and quickly adapted to new living conditions. And after a short time, a kind of syncretic culture appeared, combining Mayan and Toltec traits. A new period began in the history of Yucatan, which received the name “Mexican” in scientific literature. Chronologically, its framework falls on the X – XIII centuries AD.

The city of Chichen Itza becomes the center of this new culture. It was at this time that the city began to prosper, lasting 200 years. Already by 1200, the built-up area was huge (28 square kilometers), majestic architecture and magnificent sculpture indicate that this city was the main cultural center of the Maya of the last period. New sculptural motifs and architectural details reflect the increased influence of Mexican cultures, mainly the Toltec, which developed in Central Mexico before the Aztec. After the sudden and mysterious fall of Chichen Itza, Mayapan becomes the main city in the Yucatan. The Yucatan Maya appear to have waged more brutal wars among themselves than those waged by their brethren to the south. Although detailed descriptions of specific battles are lacking, it is known that warriors from Chichen Itza fought against warriors from Uxmal and Cobá, and that Mayapan's men later attacked and sacked Chichen Itza.

According to scientists, the behavior of the northerners was influenced by the influence of other peoples who invaded the Mayan territory. It is possible that the invasion took place peacefully, although this is unlikely. For example, Bishop de Lande had information about some people who came from the west, whom the Mayans called “Itza”. These people, as the remaining Mayan descendants told Bishop de Lande, attacked Chichen Itza and captured it. After the sudden and mysterious fall of Chichen Itza, Mayapan becomes the main city in the Yucatan.

If the development of Chichen Itza and Uxmal follows other Mayan cities, then Mayapan in this case was quite different from the general scheme. Mayapan, surrounded by a wall, was a chaotic city. Moreover, there were no huge temples here. The main pyramid of Mayapan was not a very good copy of the El Castillo pyramid at Chichen Itza. The population in the city reached 12 thousand people. Scientists suggest that Mayapan had a fairly high level of economy, and that Mayan society gradually switched to business relations, paying less and less attention to the ancient gods.

The Cocom dynasty ruled Mayapan for 250 years. They maintained power by holding their potential enemies hostage behind the city's high walls. The Cocomas further strengthened their position when they accepted into their service an entire army of mercenaries from Ah-Kanul (Mexican state of Tabasco), whose loyalty was bought with promises of war booty. The daily life of the dynasty was mostly occupied with amusements, dances, feasts and hunts.

In 1441, Mayapan fell as a result of a bloody uprising raised by the leaders of neighboring cities, the city was sacked and burned.

The fall of Mayapan sounded the death knell over the entire Mayan civilization, which rose from the jungles of Central America to unprecedented heights and sank into the abyss of oblivion. Mayapan was the last city in the Yucatan that managed to subjugate other cities. After his fall, the confederation broke up into 16 competing mini-states, each of which fought for territorial advantages with its own army. In the constantly flaring up wars, cities were raided: mostly young men were captured to replenish the army or to sacrifice them, fields were set on fire to force farmers to submit. In continuous wars, architecture and art were abandoned as unnecessary.

Shortly after the fall of Mayapan, just a few decades later, the Spaniards landed on the peninsula, and the fate of the Mayans was sealed. Once upon a time, a prophet, whose words are quoted in the Books of Chilam-Balam, predicted the appearance of strangers and its consequences. This is how the prophecy sounded: “Receive your guests, the bearded people who are coming from the east... This is the beginning of destruction.” But the same books also warn that not only external circumstances, but also the Mayans themselves will be to blame for what will happen. “And there were no more happy days,” says the prophecy, “sanity left us.” One might think that long before this last conquest the Mayans knew that their glory would fade and their ancient wisdom would be forgotten. And yet, as if anticipating the future attempts of scientists to call their world out of oblivion, they expressed the hope that someday voices from the past would be heard: “At the end of our blindness and our shame, everything will open again.”

Knowledge of science and medicine.

Medicine. The Mayans' medical knowledge was at a very high level: they knew anatomy very well and trepanned skulls very well. However, their ideas were quite contradictory - they could consider a bad year according to the calendar, or sins, or incorrect sacrifices to be the causes of diseases, but at the same time they recognized a certain way of life of a person as the primary source of diseases. The Mayans knew about contagious diseases; the Mayan vocabulary contained many words with which they characterized various painful human conditions. Moreover, many nervous diseases and the mental state of a person were described separately. To stimulate and relieve pain in labor, various medicinal and narcotic herbs were used, which were grown in separate apothecary gardens.
Mathematics. The Mayans used a base-20 number system, as well as a positional system for writing numbers, when numbers stand one after another from the first order to the next. This recording system is also used by us and is called the Arabic digital system. But unlike the Europeans, the Mayans themselves thought of this thousands of years earlier. Only the recording of Mayan numbers is not built horizontally, but vertically (in a column).
Another striking fact of Mayan mathematical knowledge is the use of zero. This marks the greatest progress in the field of abstract thinking.
The amazing knowledge of the Mayan civilization is reflected in the Mayan calendar. It is known throughout the world for its amazing accuracy and rivals the perfection of modern computer calculations.

Mysteries of the Mayans

Mayan artists created their own countless treasures. Ritual objects were supposed to please the gods. Stone, carved, clay, polished or painted in bright colors - they all had symbolic meaning. Thus, a hole in a painted dish shows that the dish has been “killed” and that its freed soul can accompany the deceased in the afterlife.

The Mayans did not know either metal tools or a potter's wheel, but their clay things are elegant and beautiful. Grinding powders and stone tools were used to work with jade, flint, and shells. Craftsmen - the Mayans knew the difference between materials. Beloved by the ancient Mayans for their beauty, rarity, and supposed magical powers, jade was especially prized by ancient craftsmen, although it required patience and ingenuity to work it. Wooden saws or bone drills were used to make grooves, curls, holes, etc. Polishing was carried out using hard plant fibers extracted from bamboo or pumpkin tree shoots, the cells of which contain microscopic particles of solid minerals. A huge number of jade figurines depicting people and animals are wedge-shaped: ancient stone cutters used such a shape of the product so that they could be used as a tool on occasion. With a little modification, these beautiful stone crafts could turn into amulets or figurines of people and gods. The found elegant green necklace, dating back to the pre-classical era, tells us that he was wearing not an ordinary person, but one endowed with power and standing on the top rung of the social ladder.

In Mayan art, an image often conveys action or emotion. The masters developed an informational style, putting a charge of humor and tenderness or, on the contrary, cruelty into their works. Objects made by the hands of nameless masters still amaze people with their beauty, helping our contemporaries understand the long-vanished world of ancient civilization.

Of the many cities that rose among the Puuc hills in the “late classical period” (700-1000 AD), three cities are especially notable for the splendor of their layout and architecture - Uxmal, Sayil and Labna: massive quadrangles of buildings along the facade are faced with limestone, the door jambs have round columns with square capitals, the upper part of the facade is decorated with elegant stone mosaics made of flint.

The strict organization of space, the splendor and complexity of the architecture, the very panorama of the cities - all this delights connoisseurs. High pyramids, palaces with reliefs and mosaic facades made of pieces of crushed stone tightly fitted to each other, underground reservoirs where drinking water supplies were once stored, wall hieroglyphs - all this splendor was combined with terrible cruelty. “The chief priest held in his hand a large, wide and sharp knife made of flint. Another priest held a wooden collar in the shape of a snake. The doomed, completely naked, were taken in turn up the stairs.” There, having laid the man on a stone, they put a collar on him, and four priests took the victim by the arms and legs. Then the chief priest, with amazing agility, ripped open the victim's chest, tore out the heart and held it out to the sun, offering him both the heart and the steam emanating from it. Then he turned to the idol and threw the heart in his face, after which he pushed the body down the steps, and it rolled down,” Stephens wrote about this sacred rite with horror.

The main archaeological research was carried out in Chichen Itza, the last capital of the Maya. The ruins have been cleared of the jungle, the remains of buildings are visible from all sides, and where at one time it was necessary to cut a road with a machete, a bus with tourists runs; they see the “Temple of the Warriors” with its columns and stairs leading to the pyramids; they see the so-called “Observatory” - a round building, the windows of which are cut in such a way that a specific star is visible from each; They examined large areas for the ancient game of ball, of which the largest is one hundred and sixty meters long and forty meters wide - on these sites the “golden youth” of the Mayans played a game similar to basketball. They finally stop in front of El Castila, the largest of the Chichen Itza pyramids. It has nine ledges, and on the top of it there is a temple of the god Kukulkan - the “Feathered Serpent”.

The sight of all these images of snake heads, gods, and processions of jaguars is terrifying. If you want to penetrate the secrets of ornaments and hieroglyphs, you can find out that there is literally not a single sign, not a single drawing, not a single sculpture that is not associated with astronomical calculations. Two crosses on the brow ridges; the heads of a snake, the claw of a jaguar in the ear of the god Kukulkan, the shape of the gate, the number of dew beads, the shape of repeating staircase motifs - all this expresses time and numbers. Nowhere have numbers and time been expressed in such a bizarre way. But if you want to find at least some traces of life here, you will see that in the magnificent kingdom of Mayan drawings, in the ornamentation of this people who lived among lush and varied vegetation, images of plants are very rarely found - only a few of the huge number flowers and none of the eight hundred species of cacti. Recently, in one ornament we saw a flower of Bombax aquaticum - a tree that grows half in water. Even if this is not really a mistake, the general situation still does not change: there are no plant motifs in Mayan art. Even obelisks, columns, steles, which in almost all countries are a symbolic image of a tree stretching upward, among the Mayans depict the bodies of snakes and writhing reptiles.

Two such serpentine columns stand in front of the “Temple of Warriors”. The heads with horn-like processes are pressed to the ground, the mouths are wide open, the bodies are raised up along with the tails; these tails once supported the roof of the temple.

The Dutchman Guillermo Dupais, who served for many years in the Spanish army in Mexico, was an educated man with a passion for antiquity, and received an order from the Spanish King Charles G. to explore the cultural monuments of Mexico from the pre-Hispanic period.

Having reached Palenque with difficulty, Dupe was indescribably delighted with the architecture and the exterior decoration of the buildings: colorful patterns depicting birds, flowers, bas-reliefs full of drama. “The poses are very dynamic and at the same time majestic. Although the clothes are luxurious, they never cover the body. The head is usually decorated with helmets, crests and flowing feathers.”

Dupe noticed that all the people depicted in the bas-reliefs had a strange, flattened head, from which he concluded that the local Indians, with normal heads, could not possibly be the descendants of the builders of Palenque.

Most likely, according to Dupe, people of an unknown race that disappeared from the face of the earth once lived here, leaving behind majestic and beautiful creations of their own hands.

The Vatican Library contains an interesting testimony about the Coda Rios flood. Ironically, the Catholic clergy, who destroyed the original Mayan manuscripts, preserved their rare copies.

The Codex Rios tells about the creation of the world and the death of the first people. There were children left who were nourished by a wonderful tree. A new race of people was formed. But 40 years later the gods brought a flood to the earth. One couple survived, hiding in a tree.

After the flood, another race was reborn. But 2010 years later, an unusual hurricane destroyed people; the survivors turned into monkeys, which began to be chewed by the jaguar.

And again only one couple escaped: they disappeared among the stones. After 4801 years, people were destroyed by a great fire. Only one couple escaped by sailing out to sea on a boat.

This legend speaks of periodic (repeated every 2-4-8 thousand years) catastrophes, one of which is the flood.

If we look carefully at the map, we will be convinced that the Ancient Kingdom occupied a kind of triangle, the corners of which were formed by Vashak-tun, Palenque and Copan. The fact that on the sides of the corners or directly inside the triangle were the cities of Tikal, Naranjo and Piedras Negras will not escape our attention. Now we can come to the conclusion that, with one exception (Benque Viejo), all the last cities of the Old Kingdom, in particular Ceibal, Ishkun, Flores, were located inside this triangle.

When the Spaniards arrived in Yucatan, the Mayans had thousands of handwritten books made from natural materials, but some of them were burned and some ended up in private collections. Inscriptions on the walls of temples and stelae were also discovered. In the 19th century scientists knew about 3 books - codices, named after the city in which each text was discovered (Dresden, Paris and Madrid codes; later a 4th code was found - the Grolier Code). For 14 years, the chief Royal Librarian in Dresden, Ernst Forstemann, studied the Codex and understood the principle of operation of the Mayan calendar. And the research of Yuri Knorozov, Heinrich Berlin and Tatyana Proskuryakova opened a new stage in modern Mayan studies. More than 80 percent of all hieroglyphs have been solved, and archaeologists have made many amazing discoveries.

Thus, Yuri Knorozov came to the conclusion that the writing system of the Mayan Indians is mixed. Some signs must convey morphemes, and some must convey sounds and syllables. This writing system is usually called hieroglyphic.

It was not difficult for scientists to decipher Mayan digital signs. The reason for this is the amazing simplicity and perfected logic of their counting system.

The ancient Mayans used a base-20 number system, or counting. They wrote down their digital signs in the form of dots and dashes, and the dot always meant units of a given order, and the dash always meant fives.

Meeting of the New and Old Worlds

The first contact between the two cultures took place with the participation of Christopher Columbus himself: during his fourth voyage to the supposed India (and he believed that the land he discovered was India), his ship passed the coast of the northern part of modern Honduras and near the island of Guanaia he met a canoe, which made from a whole tree trunk, 1.5 m wide. It was a trading boat, and the Europeans were offered copper plates, stone axes, ceramics, cocoa beans, and cotton clothes.

In 1517, three Spanish ships, going to capture slaves, landed on an unknown island. Having repelled the attack of the Mayan warriors, the Spanish soldiers, while dividing the spoils, found jewelry made of gold, and the gold should have belonged to the Spanish crown. Hernan Cortes, having conquered the great Aztec empire in central Mexico, sent one of his captains to the south to conquer new territories (the modern states of Guatemala and El Salvador). By 1547, the conquest of the Mayans was complete, although some tribes took refuge in the dense forests of the central Yucatan Peninsula, where they and their descendants managed to remain unconquered for another 150 years.

Epidemics of smallpox, measles and influenza, to which the indigenous population had no immunity, killed millions of Mayans. The Spaniards brutally eradicated their religion: they destroyed temples, smashed shrines, robbed, and those who were seen in idolatry were stretched on the rack by missionary monks, scalded with a boiling heel, and punished with whips.

At the head of the monks, Franciscan monk Diego de Landa, an extraordinary and complex personality, arrived in Yucatan. He studied the life and customs of the local population, tried to find the key to the secret of Mayan writing, and found a cache in which about 30 hieroglyphic books were stored. These were real works of art: black and red characters were written in calligraphy on light paper made from the bottom layer of fig or mulberry; the paper was smooth due to the gypsum composition applied to its surface; The books themselves were folded like an accordion, and the cover was made of jaguar skin.

This monk decided that the Mayan books contained esoteric knowledge, devilish temptations that confused the soul, and ordered these books to be burned all at once, which “plunged the Mayans into deep sorrow and severe suffering.”

During the three-month Inquisition under his leadership in 1562, about 5,000 Indians were tortured, of whom 158 died. De Landa was requested back to Spain on charges of abuse of power, but was acquitted and returned to Yucatan as a bishop.

Indian culture was destroyed in every possible way. And just a hundred years after the arrival of Europeans, there were no memories left of the glorious Mayan past.

Interesting facts about the Mayans.

1. Numerous representatives of the Mayan culture still live in their former regions. In fact, there are 7 million Mayans, many of whom were able to preserve important evidence of their ancient cultural heritage.
2. The Mayans had strange ideas about beauty. At an early age, a board was placed on the forehead of infants to keep it flat. They also liked squinting: they put a large bead on the bridge of children’s noses so that they would constantly squint at it. Another interesting fact is that Mayan children were often named after the day on which they were born.
3. They loved saunas. An important cleansing element for the ancient Mayans was the diaphoretic bath: water was poured onto hot stones to create steam. Such baths were used by everyone, from women who had recently given birth to kings.
4. They also loved to play ball. The Mesoamerican ball game was equated with a ritual and existed for 3,000 years. The modern version of the game, ulama, is still popular among the local indigenous population.
5. The last Mayan country existed until 1697 (the island city of Taya). Nowadays, the lands under the buildings are mainly owned by one family, and the government owns the monuments themselves.
6. The Mayans did not know how to process metal - their weapons were equipped with stone tips or tips made of sharp shells. But! The Mayan warriors used hornet nests (“hornet bombs”) as throwing weapons to create panic in the enemy ranks—resourcefully.
7. They also say that the Mayans were very fond of guinea pigs. Well, how they loved it... They got very tasty meat and magnificent fluff from the poor creatures.

By the way, the Mayans also had a kind of horoscope. The fact is that according to the Tzolkin calendar (aka “Tzolkin”, which was reported above), each day of the year is assigned its own kin - a kind of frequency of cosmic energy (God, what am I talking about?) and, depending on which kin is yours (which corresponds to your birthday) - you can judge your character, life goals and blablabla. And depending on what kin is assigned to today, you can judge your luck, well-being and other crap that is usually written in horoscopes.
By the way, quite an entertaining thing. And the Mayan astrological characteristics of Kin personalities are quite consistent with reality, although usually I prefer not to believe in astrology.