The center of the earth was green in color, and each corner had a color to represent it. The Maya believed that the earth was flat, had four corners and that the Bacabs, or brother gods, stood at each corner holding up the sky to prevent it from falling on the earth. The Maya were so attuned to nature that they assigned animal-like characteristics to their gods, and they also thought that each universe had its own respective gods. These gods were depicted as blue and green feathered spirits surrounded by darkness, and they created the world around them. The Origin of the WorldĮvery ancient civilization had its own theory on the origin of the world, and the Maya believed it was created by the gods Tepeu and Gucematz. Chichen Itza has been very well preserved and named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Its position was determined by the sun and moon as the Maya believed that each building had to have its own symbolic orientation. Chichen ItzaĬhichen Itza means “mouth of the well of the Itza” and it was one of the largest Maya cities and an important trading and farming hub. When the old king died, the prophecy came true. This angered the king and he set the dwarf three tasks which he successfully completed. A prophecy said that this dwarf would become king. She prayed for a large turtle’s shell, and the dwarf was born from it. The temple at Uxmal was said to have been created by a mythical dwarf king for his mother it is also known as “the house of the elderly mother.” The mother of this dwarf king was an oracle, but she had no children. The people believed that caves were the gateways to the underworld, and most of their rituals and sacrifices were performed inside them. It is said that there were around nine layers beneath and 13 layers above and that the three main realms were held up by a giant tree with its roots in hell and its branches in heaven. The Maya thought that the earth sat somewhere between heaven and hell, and they called the realm beneath the earth Xibalba. These beliefs were passed down through the generations. After several years of protection, the aluxes had to be set free or they would harm the owner’s family. They performed the alux ritual by sacrificing nine drops of the owner’s blood and offering up prayers. The aluxes were taken deep into the forest where they were placed in hidden spots, and it was said that they would come to life during the night to protect the land. The Maya believed in magic, and these aluxes were thought to protect people’s lands, crops, and animals. Here are the top 22 most fascinating facts and myths about the Mayan civilization:Īluxes are tiny Maya sculptures made from clay or wood. The evolution of the Maya people from simple farmers to merchants was not an easy one, but by the end of the Postclassic period, their civilization was flourishing and they were trading freely with other Mesoamerican people of central Mexico. The civilization had three distinct periods: Preclassic, Classic, and Postclassic. Evidence of their religion can be seen from their many temples and religious myths. They have left behind evidence of agriculture and food, art, culture, language, and religion. They developed their own writing systems and built beautiful cities such as Palenque and Tikal. There are many artifacts and buildings which remain from this time, proving that the Maya were skilled builders and craftsmen. The Maya came from northern Mexico to settle in Central America and had a wide and varied culture. The Maya civilization was formed by Mesoamerican people called the Maya, and existed from 2000 BC to 1539.
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