Regions of the Maya
• Chiapas, Campeche, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, Yucatan peninsula (Southern Mexico)
• Guatemala• Honduras• Belize• El Salvador
Characteristics• No central government• About 50 independent city-states• Constant competition
Copàn• Honduras• 600 – 700 CE• Astronomical
conferences
Palenque• Chiapas• Peaked
between 600 – 700 CE
• Pacal the Great & Mother Queen Zac-kuk
Pacal’s Sarcophagus
Writing• 90% of the symbols have been defined• Books made out of bark paper• Most destroyed during colonial period
Mayan Society• Ahau (king)• Tribute system• Strict gender roles• Monogamy vs. plural marriages• Extended families• Bloodletting• Musicians
Mathematics• Role of priests• 260-day religious
calendar• 365-day solar
calendar