| The history of the Maya is long, complex, and | | | | developed during this period. |
| mysterious. The ruins of this ancient civilization are | | | | From 300 A.D. to 900 A.D., Mayan civilization flourished. |
| extensive: they can be found in modern-day southern | | | | These three centuries are known as the Classic |
| Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and western | | | | Period of the ancient Maya. Architecture and art |
| Honduras. | | | | thrived. Major Mayan cities sprang up in many areas. |
| The Pre-Classic period of the Maya begins around | | | | These included Palenque (Mexico), Tikal (Guatemala), |
| 1500 B.C., but some archaeologists speculate that the | | | | and Copan (Honduras). Society developed complex |
| civilization had its beginnings about five centuries prior | | | | hierarchies that were sub-divided into classes and |
| to that. Artifacts like pottery have been found from | | | | professions. Life was not always peaceful, as there |
| around 2000 B.C., and there is evidence of small | | | | was sometimes fighting among city-states, but shared |
| Mayan villages from this time as well. | | | | belief systems helped to maintain general peace. |
| But the ancient Maya were known for more than | | | | During the Classic period, religious beliefs became quite |
| pottery and villages. The Mayan civilization is regarded | | | | complex. Religious rituals often called for self-mutilation |
| as among the most sophisticated of classical cultures. | | | | in the form of blood sacrifices to an array of gods. |
| The ancient Mayans are known for having built | | | | Actual human sacrifices also took place, though the |
| magnificent cities with sophisticated art and | | | | Maya were not as well-known for this as the Aztecs. |
| architecture, the ruins of which are visited by millions | | | | The Post-Classic period was from 1000 A.D. to the |
| every year. They are also known to have been quite | | | | 1500s. The architecture of this era is not considered to |
| advanced in astronomy, arithmetic, and language. | | | | be as sophisticated as in the Classic Period, but much |
| Mayan hieroglyphic writing is a constant source of | | | | of the surviving examples are Post-Classic and are |
| wonder to scholars, as is the advanced calendar | | | | nonetheless quite impressive. The most well-known of |
| system that they developed to keep track of days | | | | these is the city of Chichen Itza, which was |
| and predict the future. | | | | abandoned around 1300 for unknown reasons. |
| Mayan history is generally divided into three groups: | | | | The decline of the Mayan civilization was rapid. It's not |
| Pre-Classic, Classic, and Post-Classic. | | | | entirely clear why this was so, but scholars guess that |
| The Pre-Classic period spans from about 1500 B.C. to | | | | the reasons were drought, famine, and political |
| 300 A.D. The Maya were growing in numbers and | | | | instability. The arrival of the Spaniards in the 1500s |
| villages were expanding into small cities. Ruling | | | | further sped the decline. |
| systems were established. During this period, the | | | | Today, Mayan culture still exists, but much of ancient |
| Olmec culture was also developing in southern Mexico. | | | | Mayan culture will never be known: the Spaniards |
| Not much is known about the Olmec, as they | | | | routinely burned Mayan books in the sixteenth century, |
| disappeared before Christian times; however, it is | | | | and only three remain among the countless numbers |
| believed that the Mayan calendar, religion, and writing all | | | | that once existed. |
| somehow stem from the Olmec civilization and | | | | |