Maya civilization Mayan civilization — one of the

Maya civilization Mayan civilization - one of the most mysterious civilizations on our planet. It existed in Central America, in what is now the southern states of Mexico, as well as such countries as Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. The word "Maya" exists in ancient Indian philosophy - has two meanings: "the source of this world" and "illusory world".

History

Maya civilization originated two thousand years before Christ, in the period that historians call the Preclassic (1500 BC. E. 250 AD. E. ). Maya occupies a vast area that included the current land Southeast of Mexico, especially the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala and Belize. The territory occupied by the Maya civilization. Highlighted in red border of the Mayan culture, black - the territory of Mesoamerican civilization

Mayan pyramid in the Mind, El Salvador, on the columns

Mayan pyramid in San Andres, El Salvador. 1999

Religion

Religion was the spiritual foundation of the Mayan culture , as in many ancient civilizations. In the views of the Mayan world is a complex form , it was filled with various sacred powers. Therefore, a pantheon of gods was very great. Identified dozens of gods , which, depending on their functions are divided into groups : the gods of fertility, water , hunting , fire, stars , death, war , etc. The main god was a fruitful rain and deadly lightning head like a tapir , the god of the sun and the night sky , the god of corn - the patron of life and death. All of them had a human face , thanks to which they can easily be found in hieroglyphic inscriptions. At the heart of the Mayan religious beliefs lay bond of life and death , the eternal cycle of death and rebirth. Therefore, all the Mayan deity and dual combine two opposite principles - life and death, love and hate, heaven and earth. Its principal Maya gods depicted as a feathered serpent : feathers - a symbol of the sky , the snake - a symbol of the earth. They believed that , depending on the actions of man after death, the soul of man is in eternal torment. Religious rituals of the ancient Maya were very difficult , especially the sacrifice of various kinds , among which the most common were human , because it was thought that the gods feed only on human blood. As volmekskoy civilization , the Maya sacrificed to the gods the most beautiful girls in exchange for eternal happy life , and the best young men - the winners in the game of ball.

Maya Ceremony - baby blessing

ritual dance Ритуальный танец

Одежда Clothing

The main garment of men was a loincloth , it was a wide strip of fabric in the palm , which was wrapped several times around the waist , then passed between the legs so that the ends hanging down in front and behind. Loincloths eminent persons " with great care and beauty, " decorated with feathers or embroidery. Spreads on the shoulders of the party - the cloak of a rectangular piece of fabric , also decorated according to social status of its owner. Notable people added to it along even a long shirt and a second loincloth similar to Zapashniy yubku. Odezhda women consisted of two items : a long dress that either starts above the breast , leaving open the shoulders , or is a rectangular piece of cloth with slits for hands and the head and bottom skirt.

The ideal of beauty. Идеал красоты Mayan girls in traditional dress, in Xcaret Park

Ribbon (part of the Mayan women's costume). Funerary decorations king Pakal (615 -683)

Architecture

Architecture is most developed in the material culture of the Maya. There were two types of architectural structures - houses and monumental ceremonial structures. Ordinary houses often erected on platforms have rectangular shaped, stone walls, gable , thatched gable roof , in the center of the house constructed of stone hearth. By type of ceremonial buildings treated pyramids that served as the basis of the temple, raising it as high as possible to the sky , most temples were located exactly on top of the pyramid. They were square in plan, had closely nose inner space ( due to the thick walls ) , decorated with inscriptions and ornaments served as sanctuaries. Architectural model of this type is the "Temple of the inscriptions " in Palenque. Maya buildings were built after a certain period of time - 5, 20 and 50 years

Calendar

Mayan calendar - a system of calendars created by pre. Columbian Maya civilization in Central America. This calendar was used and other Central American nations - the Aztecs, Toltecs, etc.

Tzolkin - a ritual period of 260 days. Every day is a number from 1 to 13, in addition, the days have names repeated with a period of 20. Each name corresponds to a symbol of the day, the so-called Solar Print.

Writing and calculus

Mayan figures In addition, the Maya created a vigesimal number system based not on dozens, as we have, and twenty.

Scientists think that the language spoken by the Maya tribes - cholti. There were texts in other languages Maya hieroglyphs are most often written in two columns. In each they were read from left to right, top to bottom

To date, on the Yucatan Peninsula , including in Belize, Guatemala and Honduras live about 6. 1 million Maya. Today Maya religion is a mixture of Christianity and traditional beliefs of the Maya. Each community has a Mayan today 's religious patron. As donations act poultry , spices or a candle. Some Mayan groups identify themselves by the special elements in their traditional attire in which they differ from other Maya. There is a small video sketch showing the real life of the Maya in all countries in Central America today. Representatives of the group wear cotton clothes decorated with traditional Mayan stories. Christianity has had on this group superficial influence. However, tourism and, foremost , technical and economic progress gradually erase the identity of the group. More and more modern clothes are Maya , have electricity , radio and television sets in their homes , and often vehicles. Some Mayans live meanwhile from income through tourism, as more and more people want to know the culture of the ancient world and in May