Maya civilization

Maya languages | Maya peoples Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 467 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1326 pixel, file size: 1. ... This article is about the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. ... “Maya language” redirects here. ... this article concerns in particular the contemporary indigenous peoples and cultures who descend from, or remain, speakers of the Mayan languages of southern Mesoamerica. ...

architecture | calendar | writing mythology | religion | human sacrifice| society As unique and spectacular as any Greek or Roman architecture, Maya architecture spans many thousands of years. ... The Maya calendar is actually a system of distinct calendars and almanacs used by the Maya civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, and by some modern Maya communities in highland Guatemala. ... Maya glyphs in stucco at the Museo de sitio in Palenque, Mexico The Maya script, commonly known as Maya hieroglyphs, was the writing system of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica, presently the only deciphered script of the Mesoamerican writing systems. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... It has been suggested that Maya women be merged into this article or section. ...

Maya history

Maya collapse Spanish conquest of Yucatán This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Spanish Conquest of Yucatán was the campaign undertaken by the Spanish conquistadores against the Late Postclassic Maya states and polities, particularly in the northern and central Yucatán Peninsula but also involving the Maya polities of the Guatemalan highlands region. ...

The indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the ancient and modern Maya vary greatly over space and time, but certain common features can be discerned, all of which are consistent with other Mesoamerican religions. First among these is a focus on various interlocking cyclical periods of time, such as the 260-day Tzolkin calendar. Also notable are the cardinal directions (as with the time, conceived not as finite intervals but as infinite expanses centered around the current place/time), and individual associations with "nahuals" or external souls in animal form. This article is about the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. ... this article concerns in particular the contemporary indigenous peoples and cultures who descend from, or remain, speakers of the Mayan languages of southern Mesoamerica. ... Location of Mesoamerica in the Americas. ... A pocket watch, a device used to tell time Look up time in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Tzolkin is the name given to the 260-day sacred calendar of the Maya. ...

Ancient Evidence

What is known of the precolonial Mayan religion comes from archaeological excavation, from surviving Maya heiroglyphs, from reports of the first European colonists, and from early colonial Mayan literature such as the Popol Vuh. As all of these sources are incomplete, often contradictory, and not fully understood, there is debate among scholars as to the true beliefs of the ancient Maya. Maya glyphs in stucco at the Museo de sitio in Palenque, Mexico The Maya script, commonly known as Maya hieroglyphs, was the writing system of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica, presently the only deciphered script of the Mesoamerican writing systems. ... The Popol Vuh (Quiché for Council Book or Book of the Community; Popol Wuj in modern spelling) is the book of scripture of the Quiché, a kingdom of the post classic Maya civilization in highland Guatemala. ...

Like the Aztec and Inca who came to power later, the Maya believed in a cyclical nature of time. The rituals and ceremonies were very closely associated with hundreds of celestial/terrestrial cycles which they observed and inscribed as separate calendars (all of infinite duration). The Maya priest had the job of interpreting these cycles and giving a prophetic outlook on the future or past based on the number relations of all their calendars. If the interpretations of the priests spelled bad times to come, sacrifices would be performed to change the moods of the gods. Sacrifices might be small animals like chickens, or "bloodletting" by high officials, and sometimes included human sacrifices. They would engage in rituals such as cutting their own ears, tongues, and penises with the intention of satisfying the gods. It has been suggested that Mexica be merged into this article or section. ... For other meanings of Inca, see Inca (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

It is known that the Maya, like most pre-modern societies, believed that the cosmos has three major planes, the sky, the underworld, and the earth. Heaven was thought to have thirteen different layers where various gods dwelt. The underworld, which was called Xibalbá, was believed to be divided into nine layers which were inhabited by the aged Maya gods of death and putrefaction.^[1] The Maya believed that Xibalbá was the final resting place of souls after death, and that the deities of the underworld would torment anyone there. The Sun and Itzamna, both aged gods, dominated the Maya idea of the sky. The night sky was considered a window showing all supernatural doings. The Maya configured constellations of gods and places, saw the unfolding of narratives in their seasonal movements, and believed that the intersection of all possible worlds was in the night sky. The Ancient and Medieval cosmos as depicted in Peter Apians Cosmographia (Antwerp, 1539). ... // In the study of mythology and religion, the underworld is a generic term approximately equivalent to the lay term afterlife, referring to any place to which newly dead souls go. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... // In the study of mythology and religion, the underworld is a generic term approximately equivalent to the lay term afterlife, referring to any place to which newly dead souls go. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Putrefaction is the decomposition of proteins, especially by anaerobic microorganisms. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

There is a massive array of Maya gods and supernatural characters in the Maya religious tradition only some of which recur with regularity. Most of them have both Good and evil traits, and are often revered for both. What is inappropriate during one season might come to pass in another since much of the Mayan religious tradition is based on cycles and not permanence. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... For other uses, see Evil (disambiguation). ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Wheel of time may refer to: The Wheel of time or history, a religious concept predominant in Buddhism and Hinduism The Wheel of Time, a fantasy book series by author Robert Jordan The Wheel of Time (computer game), an action first-person shooter based on the series The Timewheel, a...

The life-cycle of maize lies at the heart of Maya belief. This philosophy is demonstrated on the Maya belief in the Maize God as a central religious figure. The Maya bodily ideal is also based on the form of the young Maize God, which is demonstrated in their artwork. The Maize God was also a model of courtly life for the Classical Maya. This article is about the maize plant. ...

The Maya believed that the universe was flat and square, but infinite in area. They also worshipped the circle, which symbolised perfection or the balancing of forces. Among other religious symbols were the swastika and the perfect cross. Like other Mesoamerican peoples, the Maya assigned colors to each of the cardinal directions. For example, the east is red, the south is green or yellow, the west is black and north is white. The Maya also recognized a fifth direction of center, which existed everywhere. The center was conceptualized by the Maya as a giant ceiba tree, the trunk of which connected the different planes of existence. A right-facing Swastika in a decorative Hindu form The swastika (from Sanskrit ) is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing () or left-facing () forms. ... Mesoamerica is the region extending from central Mexico south to the northwestern border of Costa Rica that gave rise to a group of stratified, culturally related agrarian civilizations spanning an approximately 3,000-year period before the European discovery of the New World by Columbus. ... A compass rose showing the cardinal directions Cardinal directions or cardinal points are the four principal directions or points of the compass in plane. ... Species About 10-20 species, including: Ceiba aesculifolia Ceiba glaziovii Ceiba insignis Ceiba pentandra Ceiba speciosa Ceiba trichistandra Ceiba is the name of a genus of many species of large trees found in tropical areas, including Central and South America, The Bahamas,the Caribbean, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. ...

Mayan hieroglyphs include an optional "face" form for the digits 0-19, and this face is sometimes even depicted with a body. This has led to speculation by some that some (or even all) of the multiple "gods" represented nothing more than a mathematical explanation of what they observed, each god being literally just a number or an explanation of the effects observed by a combination of numbers from multiple calendars. While it is possible that some Mayan people involved in the actual study of the heavens tended to think more in this way, it is unlikely that the common people suscribed to the notion.

The Maya were fascinated by time. They created a sacred 260-day calendar, called the tzolkin, which they used to determine important activities relating to gods and humans. The Maya believed that the date on which a person was born determined their fate throughout life.^[2] This calendar was used in combination with their 365 day solar calendar, the haab, which recorded lunation periods of the Moon, and a cycle which tracked the synodic period of Venus. A pocket watch, a device used to tell time Look up time in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Maya calendar is actually a system of distinct calendars and almanacs used by the Maya civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, and by some modern Maya communities in highland Guatemala. ... Tzolkin is the name given to the 260-day sacred calendar of the Maya. ... The Maya Haab calendar is a 365-day solar calendar whose dates indicate the position of the Sun at noon relative to the zenith over the Yucatan peninsula. ... Lunation is the mean time for one lunar phase cycle (i. ... This article is about Earths moon. ... The orbital period is the time it takes a planet (or another object) to make one full orbit. ... Adjectives: Venusian or (rarely) Cytherean Atmosphere Surface pressure: 9. ...

Philosophically, the Maya believed that knowing the past meant knowing the cyclical influences that create the present, and by knowing the influences of the present one can see the cyclical influences of the future.

Modern Practice

The modern Mayan religion survived in remote areas, as a syncretic part of Catholicism, and, some claim, through secret practice. Though most modern Mayan peoples practice Christianity, those who follow the mayan religion draw mostly from these sources, and are also informed (to a far lesser degree) by Mayan archaeology. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      As a Christian ecclesiastical... this article concerns in particular the contemporary indigenous peoples and cultures who descend from, or remain, speakers of the Mayan languages of southern Mesoamerica. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is...

Modern practice centers around the observation of the Tzolkin 260-day calendar. On special occasions, a wide variety of aromatic substances are burned in a central fire at a traditional outdoor altar site ^[3], and a Daykeeper (Mayan priest) invokes and prays to entities such as the 260 days; the cardinal directions; the ancestors of those present; important Mayan towns, lakes, caves, or volcanoes; and deities from the Popol Vuj. These prayers are observed in a Mayan language. ^[4] People also come to these Daykeepers to know about baby names, wedding dates and other special occasions. ^[5]. Tzolkin is the name given to the 260-day sacred calendar of the Maya. ... The Mayan languages are a family of related languages spoken from South-Eastern Mexico through northern Central America as far south as Honduras. ...

In terms of syncretic practice, some towns have traditions which include particularly strong prechristian elements. In San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, Mexico, a regional ceremonial center that has been compared to ancient Bethlehem, when the Catholic Church tried to rein in syncretic practices in the 1990s, the local church officially seceded and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church in order to be able to continue. There have also been several prophetic movements starting there - nominally Evangelical or Muslim - which were driven out to settle in nearby San Cristobal de las Casas. ^[6] In Chan Santa Cruz, Quintana Roo, Mexico, remains of the Maya beliefs influenced the local version of Christianity followed by the 19th-century local Maya during their successful rebellion against Mexican rule. In Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala, an image known as San Simon or Maximón, with decidedly non-Christian associations of wealth and worldly power, is a tourist attraction and object of local veneration which is moved each May to a new house (though in 2007 this tradition was upset by political struggles). San Juan Chamula [Chamula] with over 35,000 inhabitants is the largest Mayan township in Chiapas 10km from San Cristobal de las Casas, located in Chiapas, the southernmost state in Mexico. ... Central Bethlehem This article is about the city in the West Bank. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Coptic Orthodox Pope · Roman Catholic Pope Archbishop of Canterbury · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Faith... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The word evangelicalism often refers to... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Categories: Cities in Chiapas | Mexico geography stubs ... Areas under the Mayas control, approximately 1870 CHAN SANTA CRUZ U Noh Kah Balam Nah Chan Santa Cruz is the Maya town now known as [[Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo|Felipe Carrillo Puerto]] in what is now the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Santiago Atitlán is a municipality in the Sololá department of Guatemala. ... Saint-Simon can refer to various people: Claude de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon (1607–1693), French courtier of Louis XIV. Louis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon (1675–1755), French soldier, diplomat and writer of memoirs Claude Henri de Rouvroy, Comte de Saint-Simon (1760–1825), the founder of... Maximón and attendants, Santiago Atitlán Maximón (pronounced Mah-SHEE-moan])is a saint worshipped in various forms by Maya people of several towns in the highlands of western Guatemala. ...

There are 23 different Mayan cultural groups who have different languages, customs, and belief systems. What will be described here is the Quiche Mayan (Central Guatemala) religion, which at the present time is spreading out into other Mayan areas whose own ancient traditions have been lost. Mediterranean quiche In French cuisine, a quiche (IPA: ) is a baked dish that is made primarily of eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust. ...

Mayans do not consider themselves polytheists. Their supreme deity is Ahau, which can be likened to Jehovah or Allah in the sense of being the creator of everything. As mentioned above, the Mayan divinities are not discrete or separate from one another but rather merge into each other. In a general way the Mayan Great Chain of Being, describe in the Mayan holy book Popul Vuh, can be summarized as follows: Jehovah is an English transcription of , which is a specific vocalized spelling of (i. ... Allah is the Arabic language word for God. ... The Popol Vuh (Council Book or Book of the Community; Popol Wuj in modern Quiché spelling) is the book of scripture of the Quiché, a Kingdom of the Maya civilization in Guatemala. ...

Ahau (pronounced “Ah – how”) = Heart of Heaven and Heart of the Earth, the creator of all that is.

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Three Lightning Gods = Caculhá Huracán (the lightning that blazes across the heavens), Raxa-Caculhá (the lightning that strikes the earth and kills), and Chipi-Caculhá (the lightning that jumps from one cloud to another or flashes within the clouds). These three lightning gods form a trinity which together makes up the Heart of Heaven. They are always in the background directing and guiding the Popul Vuh creation story. The Popol Vuh (Council Book or Book of the Community; Popol Wuj in modern Quiché spelling) is the book of scripture of the Quiché, a Kingdom of the Maya civilization in Guatemala. ...

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Nine Creators–Formers = 9 Grandparents (Those who create, form & destroy. They have their own 9-day count in the Mayan calendar): Tzacol, the Builder and his consort Bitol, the Former; Gucumatz the feathered serpent and his consort Tepeu the conqueror; Xpiyacoc and his consort Xmucané (these last two are the grandparents of Hunajpu and Ishbalankej, the hero twins of the Popul Vuh story); Alom the father god and his consort, Qaholom, the mother; u Qux cho, the spirit of the lake. They are called the Creators–Formers because they fashioned the first humans from nine drinks of maize gruel. Previously the gods had experimented with and destroyed two human-like races – the first made of mud and the second of wood. These attempts were unsuccessful because they lacked the intelligence and spirit to worship the gods. When the Creators–Formers made the first four humans they were a little too successful: these creatures were so clear-sighted and proud that the gods had to blow mist in their eyes to dumb them down a bit and make them more respectful.

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Four Cardinal Directions = 4 Parents (The original four humans created by the Creators–Formers out of four colors of ground maize – the white became their bones; the yellow became their skin; the black became their hair and eyes; the red became their blood. Together with their wives and The Heart of Heaven and Earth, the Parents create a 9-fold figure):

Balam Kiche (East = red) and his wife, Kahá Palumna Ik Balam (North = white) and his wife, Kakishahá Mahukutah (South = yellow) and his wife, Tzununihá Balam Akab (West = black) and his wife, Chomihá

There are a host of other deities in the Mayan pantheon who dispense e.g. rain, healing, agricultural blessings, wisdom, etc.

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Ancestors (Mayans rely for guidance upon dream messages received from their ancestors.)

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People (Mayans refer to themselves as the “great-grandchildren”)

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Twenty naguals of Chol Qij (Tzolkin) = The Sacred Mayan calendar of 260 days Tzolkin is the name given to the 260-day sacred calendar of the Maya. ...

The Mayans consider it a sacred trust to maintain the equilibrium between the spirit world and the physical world. Mayans believe that all of nature – the trees, the clouds, the rivers, the animals – possess spirits which must be respected and propitiated. Humans are part of nature and must be humble and reverent. The balance between the spirit and physical worlds is maintained through scrupulous observance of traditions such as youth initiation, the formal rituals which lead to marriage, service in the community religious and civil hierarchy, and most importantly by frequent performance of ceremonies to invoke and propitiate the Mayan spirits. These ceremonies are performed in accordance with the 260-day Chol Qij (sometimes referred to as Tzolkin) calendar; and also at times during the year which correspond to the stages in the cultivation of the maize crop: clearing the land, planting, and harvesting. Since humans were created from maize, this plant is sacred above all others. Tzolkin is the name given to the 260-day sacred calendar of the Maya. ...

Mayan Ceremony - Blessing a Child Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Mayan Ceremony - Journeying around Fire Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

See also

• Maya mythology
• Mayan astrology
• List of Maya gods and supernatural beings
• Pre-Columbian Maya music

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Maya calendrical divination is a subset of traditional beliefs, rituals and divinatory practices that are held or performed among various Maya communities in Guatemala and southern Mexico. ... This is a list of Maya gods and supernatural beings. ... Celebratory Mural in the halls of Bonampak The Music that was central to pre-Columbian Maya culture still remains a bit of a mystery today. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

External links

• List of known Maya gods by Jeeni Criscenzo.
• Religious Beliefs of the Maya
• Mayan Ceremonies (description)
• Free Downloadable software - Mayan Calendar with interpretations