The best and most visited Mayan Ruins

From the tropical jungles the Mayan ruins are evidence of the powerful Maya civilization. Let's discover the 20 most visited,largest and historically important, they are:
Chichen Itza, Tulum, Calakmul, Copan, Uxmal, Coba,Tikal, Kohunlich, Xunantunich, Quirigua, Uaxactun, Seibal, Aguateca, Palenque, Yaxha, El Mirador, Dos Pilas, Bonampak, Caracol and Caminal Juyu.

They are distributed throughout southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and the western regions of Honduras. This geographic area is known by archaeologists as Meso-America, which also includes El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

The entire region is covered by hundreds of large cities and thousands of smaller ones. Built with carved limestone and stucco, many of them combined ceremonial centers, commercial and residential areas.
The beauty of the architecture, the walls and sculptures covered with perfectly executed inscriptions demonstrate the artistic ability of the ancient Maya.
 











The Mayan ruins have been studied for more than 200 years. The first to do so with scientific precision was Alfred Maudsley, whose plans and elaborate drawings form the basis of later studies. Archaeologists have revealed that various cities were continually occupied throughout the three periodsof the Ancient Mayan civilisation.

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Architectural development:
Mayan architectural styles follow similar patterns in their development and had common features, for example the false arch, the use of open spaces (courtyards), and the integration of sculpture into the architecture.
They can still be seen today on different types of construction including temples, pyramids, ceremonial platforms, palaces, ball game courts and observatories.

Some Mayan ruins also share characteristic elements from other cultures, such as the talud tablero. This common feature of Teotihuacan culture - identified as a platform structure (tablero) topped by a sloped talud, an example can be seen on a structure behind temple Great Jaguar at Tikal.

It was introduced here around the Early Classic period,and is likely a result of direct contact with Teotihuacan - either through trade or conquest.

The rise of great cities starts after the Maya settled into sedentary communities and perfected the cultivation of maize, beans, squash and chillies.

This was a crucial step in the development of this meso-american culture, and led to the construction of permanent buildings during the Pre-Classic period (1200BC - 250AD).

By the end of this period the first administrative complexes and temples had been built, examples of which are currently being excavated at the El Mirador ruins in what is now northern Guatemala.

The appearance of monumental and more complex buildings occurred during the Classic period (250 - 900AD). Mayan settlements developed into city states, with regional control and inter-regional alliances that allowed cities like Tikal to become powerful.

The construction of buildings ends with the fall of these political alliances in the period known as the Post - Classic (900 - 1500AD), best known for the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors.

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The last Mayan city to be conquered was Tayasal, home to the Itza' people. Today the ruins of Tayasal's centre are found underneath the town of Flores, in the El Petén department of Guatemala.

Building Materials:
The principal material used for the construction of their cities was limestone, which they extracted from quarries. For mortar they used stucco, a form of cemment made by burning limestone, that was also used for molding into reliefs, decorative patterns and for the smooth and even finish of structures.
Lintels and crossbeams were made of the Chico Zapote tree, a hardwood that is resistant to termites.
For residential dwellings they used wattle and daub with limestone render, wood for the roof framing and huano palm leaves for thatch. Nowadays these kinds of buildings still can be seen in Yucatan, Mexico and Guatemala.

Upon the arrival of the Spanish many of Mayan cities were abandoned, and to present day it is not known with certainty the reasons why.

Experts believe that the cause of abandonment may have been 'climate change', 'epidemic disease' 'overpopulation' or 'foreign invasion'.

Today, these Mayan ruins and tribal groups are the legacy of an amazing ancient culture.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the places and moments that take our breath away.” Anon

Modern Mayan People

Today, modern Mayan people continue their tribal groupings in the south of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and the western regions of El Salvador and Honduras.

According to statistics there are an estimated seven million contemporary Maya living in this area. Mexico and Guatemala are the countries with the highest number of tribal groups - approximately 35 in Mexico and 22 in Guatemala.

Mayan communities of Guatemala:

Achi', Akateka, Awakateka, Ch'orti, Chalchiteka, Chuj, Itza', Ixil, Jakalteka, K'iche', Kaqchikel, Mam, Mopan, Poqomam, Poqomchi', Q'eqchi', Q'anjob'al, Sakapulteka, Sipakapense, Tektika, Tz'utujil, Uspanteka.

Each village shares a common world view, traditions and beliefs, but maintains its own distinctive language and dress.

In 2003 the National Languages Law was established. This decree confirmed Spanish as Guatemala's official language, but also recognised the other indigenous languages. This is a big step in preserving the nation's linguistic diversity as in the past Mayan languages had been marginalised, and even made illegal.

Today's Mayan communities number over 5 million people, with the majority distributed throughout the highlands of Guatemala.

The Sacred Skulls a Mayan Itza' tradition

The Sacred Skulls tradition has been part of the Itza' Mayan community's identity since prehispanic times.

This special celebration, held every year on the 1st of November, is dedicated to the ancestors and it is believed that the spirits of deceased relatives return on this night.

The event begins at 7pm with a special mass in the San Jose Catholic church. As a result of the Sacred Inquisition imposed by the Spanish, today Catholic influence has merged with the original Mayan elements. The most important part of this ceremony are the Sacred Skulls themselves.

There are three of them, though legend has it that there were once many more. After the mass the church's bells are rung and one of them sets out on a procession to visit homes of the townsfolk.

At each stop the hosts provide traditional foods and drinks, such as ixpasa, chicken soup, fish and sugared fruits. Offerings of these are left on the family's altar and the rest is shared amongst the participants in the procession. Everything is served piping hot, as the ancestors are believed to partake of the offerings by way of the steam. 

Also on the altars can be found photos of passed relatives that the family are hoping will return, as well as offerings of liquor and tobacco or other things that those particular relatives were fond of.

The bells chime, and the procession moves on to the next home. It is common for at least 15 families to welcome the 'Santa Calavera', and the procession has been known to last for 24 hours.



Those who have been present at the mass are obligated to see the procession to its end.

Families ask to receive them in the hope of attracting good luck and health, and must do so for three consecutive years, so that they have received all three of the Sacred Skulls.

The Mayan Calendar

The Mayan Calendar system is the greatest technological advance of the ancient Maya. It is a sacred process recording time. Time was very important, associated with manifestation of gods and the creation of the universe.
This sophisticated way of time keeping allowed the Maya to record important events such as births and deaths, times when rulers took and lost power. This ancestral Knowledge guided the Mayan existence since birth. The Calendar Round is made up of two calendars - the Tzolkin, and the Haab.

Numbers:

The Maya were the only ancient culture to make use of the concept of zero in their mathematical and calendrical system. It was represented by the image of a shell. Their numerical system was based on the number 20, known as a vigesimal system. Numbers were expressed in the written form using dots to represent units of one and a line as a five.

After four dots are reached, the line is used to symbolize five and further dots are added above to make six, seven, eight and nine, until two lines make up ten, and so on. Twenty is represented with a shell with a dot above it.

A number can be given a different value depending on it's position. Numbers increased by 20-fold when they are moved from a lower position to a higher position. The first 20 numbers in Maya are Written as follows:

The Dresden Codex has been an important document for the decoding process of the Long Count Calendar as it contains accurate astronomical information about solar and lunar eclipses, and the cycles of Venus and Mars.