Maya Indians
The Maya Indians erected one of the best known civilizations in ancient Mesoamerica. They occupied regions from Central America to Mexico. They settled in Honduras and El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala and areas of the Yucatan Peninsula as early as 1,000 B.C. and are known for their advanced scientific time keeping skills and complex alphabet, both of which helped to give way to modern forms of each.
Although they were noted for ways that may be considered barbaric to some, they will always be remembered for being one of the most advanced of the early Native civilizations.
Mayan Culture and Accomplishments
The culture of the Maya Indians was one rich in education and religion. They developed a system of astronomy that helped to create a calendar, and are known for their advanced hieroglyphic system of writing. Their ceremonial temples, palaces, burial mounds and pyramids were all created by hand, and without the use of metal tools-a miracle even to those who create modern day architectural marvels.
In addition to all of this, they were skilled farmers. They cleared out entire sections of rain forest and created systems of retrieval for water through underground reservoirs. They were gifted artisans, creating works of art when it comes to weaving and pot making as well. In short, the Mayans could do just about anything.
The Rise and Fall of the Maya Indians
Like other civilizations in the area, the Mayans had an organized system of social hierarchy. They had complex city-states throughout their empire and had an advanced system of roads between them, of which they cleared out themselves through the rainforest. It was not until they were finally integrated into the Toltec society in A.D. 1200 when their dynasty finally collapsed, and they finally disappeared in the early 16th century after the Spanish conquest.
