The history of Mayan civilization is full of mysteries. One of them is the reason for the sudden disappearance of this ancient people, which has reached a surprisingly high level of cultural development.
Origin and habitat
Maya, one of the civilizations of Mesoamerica, began to form around 2000 BC. e. It took shape in the Mexican states of Yucatan and Tabasco, the countries of Guatemala and Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. The area on which these ancient tribes lived is divided into three climatic zones: rocky and arid mountainous areas, tropical selva, and areas with rich fauna.
There are several theories regarding the origin of the people, as well as where Maya disappeared. There is a version that they came from Asia, and even a fantastic assumption that these are descendants of the inhabitants of the mythical Atlantis. Another theory claims that they come from Palestine. This is proved by the fact that many elements of the Mayan religion are similar to Christian ones (the idea of the coming of the Messiah, the symbol of the cross). In addition, the architecture of this people is very similar to the Egyptian, and this suggests that it is somehow connected with Ancient Egypt.
Maya Indians: The Story of a Great Civilization
Researchers were lucky - many sources have been preserved, according to which you can make a picture of the life of this ancient people. His story is divided into several large periods.
In the preclassical era, the Maya Indians were small tribes that feed on hunting and gathering. Around 1000 BC e. many small settlements of farmers appear. El Mirador is one of the first Mayan cities, now known for its huge pyramidal complex with a height of 72 meters. It was the largest metropolis of the pre-classical period.
The next era (400 BC - 250 AD) is characterized by large changes in the life of the Indians. The rapid growth of cities, monumental architectural complexes are being erected.
250-600 years n e. - the time of the classical era of civilization of the ancient people of Mesoamerica. During this period, city-states competing with each other took shape. Their architecture was represented by magnificent architectural structures. Typically, the buildings were located around a rectangular central square and were decorated with masks of gods and mythological characters carved in stone. The history of the Mayan tribe says that a feature of their settlements was the presence in the center of the cities of pyramids up to 15 meters high.
Towards the end of the classical period, the population of the lowlands of Guatemala reached an impressive population of 3 million.
The late classical period is the time of the highest flowering of the culture of the ancient people of Mesoamerica. Then the great cities were founded - Uxmal, Chichen Itza and Koba. The population of each of them ranged from 10 to 25 thousand people. The history of the Maya tribe cannot but surprise - at the same time in medieval Europe there were no such large settlements.
Activities and crafts Maya
The main occupations of the Indians were agriculture (slash-fire and irrigation), beekeeping and craft. Maize (main culture), beans, tomatoes, pumpkin, various types of peppers, tobacco, cotton, sweet potatoes and various seasonings were grown. An important crop was cocoa.
Maya and fruit cultivation. It’s hard to say which fruit trees were cultivated. Residents used for food papaya, avocado, ramon, chicosapote, nance, marañon.
Despite the high level of development, the Mayans never stopped collecting. The leaves of palm trees were used as a material for roofing roofs and raw materials for weaving baskets, the collected resin was used as incense, and flour was prepared from koroso.
Hunting and fishing were also among the main occupations of the Indians.
From archaeological research it is clear that skilled craftsmen lived in Yucatan and Guatemala: gunsmiths, weavers, jewelers, sculptors and architects.
Architecture
Mayans are known for their magnificent buildings: pyramidal complexes and palaces of rulers. In addition, they created beautiful sculptures and bas-reliefs, the main motives of which were anthropomorphic deities.
Sacrifices
Among the buildings that have survived to this day, the main part is occupied by religious buildings. This fact and other sources allow us to conclude that religion occupied a central place in Mayan life. They are known for their rites of bloodletting and human sacrifices made to the gods. The most cruel of the rites was the burial of the victim alive, as well as ripping open the stomach and tearing the heart out of the body of a still living person. Not only prisoners, but also fellow tribesmen were sacrificed.
The mystery of the disappearance of the people
The question of where the Mayans disappeared continues to interest many researchers. It is known that by the 9th century the southern territories of the Indians began to empty. For some reason, residents began to leave the city. Soon, this process spread to central Yucatan. Where did the Mayans go and why did they leave their homes? There is no answer to this question yet. There are hypotheses that try to explain the sudden disappearance of one of the peoples of Mesoamerica. Researchers name the following reasons: enemy invasions, bloody uprisings, epidemics and environmental disaster. Perhaps the Mayans upset the balance between nature and man. The fast-growing population has finally depleted natural resources and began to experience serious problems with the lack of fertile soil and drinking water.
The latest hypothesis of the decline of Mayan civilization suggests that this was due to severe drought, which led to the devastation of cities.
None of these theories has received serious confirmation, and the question of where the Mayans disappeared remains open.
Modern maya
The ancient people of Mesoamerica did not disappear without a trace. It is preserved in its descendants - modern Mayan Indians. They continue to live in the homeland of their famous ancestors - in Guatemala and Mexico, preserving the language, customs and lifestyle.