An introduction to the ancient Maya

The Maya people are remembered for amazing creations, like their impressive buildings and beautiful objects made from jade, a rare and valuable material.

They were a complex society and built many cities in a region known as Mesoamerica. This is a name historians use for parts of modern‑day Mexico and Central America.

The Maya people came up with some groundbreaking ideas which have helped shape the way we live our lives today.

Trade, warfare, art and religion were important parts of their society.

The Maya civilisation began long ago in a place called Mesoamerica. This huge area is made up of Mexico and part of Central America.

• The Maya first developed their civilisation in around 2000BC in the Pre-classic period.
• This period from AD250 to around AD900 is called the Classic period.
• Around AD1600, during the Postclassic period the Maya civilisation was conquered and destroyed by the Spanish invaders.
• During the time of the ancient Maya civilisation, Britain went through the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages, including the time when Stonehenge was built, and later Roman Britain, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and Tudor England.

Find out more about the periods of the Maya civilisation in the table below.

Maya society was very complex with hundreds of cities, commoners, a middle class, nobles and the king and his royal court.

The Maya built amazing cities such as:

• Tikal - which they called Yax Mutal
• Palenque - known as Lakamha by the Maya
• Chichén Itzá - an important city on the Yucatan Peninsula

Even though they lived in different cities, ruled by different kings and queens, the Maya*shared a lot of common beliefs and traditions.

Warfare and trade were important parts of Maya society and so were art and architecture.

They were experts at reading the stars and even built their cities as a map of the sky! They were also inspired by the creatures of the forest and shared many legends about animals, plants and nature spirits.

It’s thought that the Maya invented the idea of 'zero'. They were also able to do complex calculations, which allowed them to create very detailed and accurate calendars. They used these calendars for farming.

The Maya came up with the most well-developed system of writing in Mesoamerica, dating back to 300BC. However, during the Spanish conquest in the 16th Century AD almost all written texts were destroyed .

Archaeologists continue to dig up and uncover artefacts, such as pottery, tools and jewellery, to help people understand more about the Maya.

They have discovered the ruins of ancient buildings and cities, which help people to understand Maya culture, society and religious beliefs.

It wasn’t until the late 19th Century that the history of the Maya people properly began to be discovered. At this time, cities,statues, artefacts and cultural ornaments were uncovered, preserved and collected.

Everything archaeologists found then, and now, helps people to understand the history of the ancient Maya.

Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.

• Why do you think the Maya’s achievements, such as the invention of a complex calendar system and the idea of zero, are thought to be significant Maya achievements?

• Looking at and thinking about the map of Mesoamerica, what do you think caused the Maya to build their cities there?

• What effect do you think building their cities within Mesoamerica had for Maya people?

• Now that you know that Maya society was complex with different social classes, like commoners and nobles, what similarities and differences can you see between the Maya and how people live today?

Let's find out what you know about the ancient Maya in this quiz.

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