rise and fall of the maya empire
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Transcript of rise and fall of the maya empire
RISE AND FALL OF THE MAYA EMPIRE
Latin American Studies9/20/2010
WHERE WERE THEY LOCATED?
YucatanPeninsula
Time breakdown
Preclassic Classic Postclassic
FAMOUS CITY STATES
Palenque
Tikal
Copan
Chichen Itza
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF THE MAYANS
At least 50 interdependent city states
Each city state has own ahau and nobility
Alliances through marriage
Divine authority; “Overkings”
A NEW SYSTEM OF WRITING…
Records of genealogies
Proof of religious rituals and lives of warriors/artisans
CALENDAR
2 versions Solar: 365 days (Haab) Ceremonial: 260 days (Tzolk’in)
Long Count—to recordlonger amounts of time
K’atun=20 years
RELIGION
Universe in which the heavens were divided into 13 compartments arranged into 7 levels Each ruled by a god
Itzamna—associated with earth and sky; reptilian
Ah Kin: sun; Ix Chel: moon Chac: rain god (givers of rain)
POPOL VUH
Creation story of the Maya
Story of the hero twins
Passed down through oral tradition
Written down in 16th century
MAYAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE
Known for their step pyramids (thought to originally have had smooth sides similarly to Egyptian ones)
Use of monumental architecture as a show of power and divine authority
MURALS AT BONAMPAK
Murals depicting religious sacrifice and conflict
Located inside temple at Bonampak site in present-day Chiapas, Mexico
FALL OF THE MAYAN EMPIRE
Decline of city states in central heartland began around 800 CE
Many theories, no historical decision on what actually happened Environmental? Political? Wars?