Peter Delagio - The Mayan Empire - Uncovering the Mysteries of the Maya

The Mayan Empire

Uncovering The Mysteries of The Maya

(Forgotten Empires Series)

Published By Shaharm Publications

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T here has always been a degree of fascination with ancient cultures, and the Mayan people are certainly no exception. As a matter of fact, much of the interest in the Mayan civilization is in the fact that it is steeped in so much mystery. These mysteries may, in some ways, hold the key to our own history and perhaps may even unlock some secrets that would be of interest to all people. We will review the history of the Mayan people, as well as some of their culture and the mysteries that their civilization may hold through the pages of this book.

C oming to Know the Mayan People

The first thing that we are going to do is review some of the history of the Mayan people, as well as their practices. It is only by viewing the history of such an ancient culture that we are able to begin to grasp an understanding of who they were and what they stood for. This is where we will also begin to consider one of the deepest secrets of the Mayan civilization, its sudden end.

We also going to look at some of the technological advances that the Mayans had during their day. This includes their writings, which were quite extensive for the time and show a degree of skill in the written language that is often overlooked in their culture. In addition, their scientific advances are quite profound for the time, including their mathematics and their use of calendars.

Another mystery is going to begin to be unraveled when we discuss their interest in astronomy. Much of the Mayan culture centered on astronomy and how they perceived the heavenly bodies around them. You will marvel at how some of the temples and pyramids were actually designed to follow the study of the stars very carefully.

Life and Death in the Mayan Culture

It is of great interest to many people that the Mayan culture was involved in some rather unusual religious practices. In fact, much of their culture relied on their understanding of the supernatural, including many of the sacrifices that were given to their gods. The Mayan death rituals as well as human and animal sacrifices are always a mystery, as it shows a level of barbarity, even in a society that was quite advanced. We will review their religious practices, as well as their practice of sacrifice.

The Mayan culture was not always one that was hidden from view. Although they survived for centuries without being discovered by outsiders, eventually, men made their way across the sea and came in contact with the culture. We will discuss the conversion of the Mayan people, how it affected them and some of the issues that were associated with it.

Unraveling the Mysteries of the Mayans

In the final part of the book, we will begin to look at some of the specific mysteries that surround the Mayan culture. These are often misunderstood, but there may also be some deeper meanings to these mysteries that are overlooked.

Some people spend their lives looking into the mysteries that ancient cultures have to offer. If you are also interested in these types of mysteries, the Mayan people will certainly give you something to review. Regardless of whether you are talking about the mysteries of the pyramids, UFOs or even the rumored end of the world, there is much to discuss.

The Mayan culture may have dissipated to a large extent but it has left a significant imprint on history. For many centuries, they went largely undiscovered except to those in the area but, even though they were isolated, they had some significant advancements that are worthy of note.

You will enjoy the review of the Mayan people and an introduction to some of the mysteries that they left behind for us. By studying these mysteries, we may not only learn something about their heritage and their past, we may also find that we are learning something about our own past as well.

A lthough there is much mystery associated with the Mayan culture and their people, there is also a lot that is understood about it. Much study has been done about the culture in general, enough to help us understand a lot of the history that is associated with it. In this chapter, we are going to review some of the basic history of the Mayan Empire and how it developed throughout the centuries.

T he area of Mesoamerica, which is where the Mayan culture developed, has an interesting history. It can actually be broken into 3 different sections, which allow you to see how the Mayan culture developed and why it may have developed in the way that it did.

Archaic Period (Up to 2000 BCE) - During this ancient time in Mesoamerica, individuals arrived to occupy the area as hunter-gatherers. As a group, they also began to develop agricultural skills and had domesticated animals, such as turkeys and dogs. Some of the crops that this ancient culture cultivated included corn, various vegetables and beans. Those crops continued to be an important part of the Mayan culture throughout their history.

During the archaic period, various villages began to be established. Along with those villages were temples and religious sites, many of which may have been incorporated into the ancient Mayan culture as we knew it. There is excavation of this time period that date back to the end of the archaic period.

Classic Period (~200 - 900 CE) - It was during the classical period that cities began to be developed in the area. This included the city of Teotihuacan, which was located in the basin of Mexico. It was just south of what is today known as Mexico City and it continued to thrive is a city for many centuries.

There were many other cities and areas of interest that were built during this time and they continue to be a source of interest to archaeologists and those that visit the area. For some unknown reason, which we will discuss in the following chapter, the city of Teotihuacan was abandoned in approximately 900 CE suddenly and for what appears to be no apparent reason.

It was also during this time that many other cities began to be formed in the area and the ancient culture of the Mayan people was formed along with it. The religious influences of that time, along with their study of the stars and interest in various scientific practices made them stand out among ancient cultures of the day. During this height of Mayan civilization, they came up with the calendar that was of interest to many people just a few short years ago. All of these cities, along with the culture in general dissipated at the end of this time frame, although the culture and people still exist in the area.