After thousands of years, during which the they devloped a system of math, hieroglyphic writing, a calendar, and built elaborate cities and temples, the Maya disappeared into the rainforest. After the Terminal Classic Period, the population was a fraction of the maximum. The abandonment of cities occured in the southern and central areas first and then the north. Some small pockets of population lingered in the south, but these eventually vanished as well. By the end of the Postclassic, the Maya had abandoned their great cities.
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The Conclusion Is That The Civilization Of The Mayans Fell Due To Many Things Mainly Because Of War. Natural disater did not effect these mayan people alot. War with their kings and priests ultimatly caused the mayan government to fall.
Evidence 1
bullet
Evidence 2
Religious symbols
Evidence 3
religious symobols 2
Evidence 5
Notes 1
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Mayan Goverment
The Mayans developed a hierarchical government ruled by kings and priests. They lived in independent city-states consisting of rural communities and large urban ceremonial centers. There were no standing armies, but warfare played an important role in religion, power and prestige. Religion was woven into all facets of daily life and was the major unifying factor of the civilization. They practiced human sacrifice and would often raid other communities to obtain victims.
Approx. Size Of Population
A people who occupied a nearly continuous territory in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and northern Belize.
The rise of the Maya began about 250 AD and at its height the Mayan civilization consisted of more than 40 cities, each with 5,000 to 50,000 citizens, with a total population of 2 million. This lasted until approx. 900 AD, after which the classical Mayan civilization began to decline, leaving their cities and ceremonial centres vacant and overgrown with jungle vegetation. Reasons for this are yet unclear; some say this is due to armed conflicts, others because the agricultural lands were exhausted. In the period 900 - 1519, the Maya continued to florish in the Yucatán peninsula while the lowland cities became depopulated.
The rise of the Maya began about 250 AD and at its height the Mayan civilization consisted of more than 40 cities, each with 5,000 to 50,000 citizens, with a total population of 2 million. This lasted until approx. 900 AD, after which the classical Mayan civilization began to decline, leaving their cities and ceremonial centres vacant and overgrown with jungle vegetation. Reasons for this are yet unclear; some say this is due to armed conflicts, others because the agricultural lands were exhausted. In the period 900 - 1519, the Maya continued to florish in the Yucatán peninsula while the lowland cities became depopulated.
evidence of war
While widely accepted, this theory of the Mayan collapse still leaves a lingering question. Evidence shows that most ancient civilizations dealt successfully with drought at one time or another; so why weren’t the Maya able to cope? The answer, according to recent research, was war.
At the same time the drought was taking hold, it appears the Mayan city-states had their resources and attention focused on something else - fighting. In a way, some evidence of this has always existed in the form of smashed monuments and burned palaces found in the region. In the early 20th century, the Bolshevik Revolution in Russian inspired a theory that rapid Mayan collapse was the result of a popular peasant revolt, fueled by the lavish lifestyles and oppressive rule of the theocratic Mayan kings. Mayan revolutionaries, rejecting religions hocus-pocus from rulers who claimed to be able to bring rain for crops while stuffing their houses and tombs with expensive artwork and jewels, overthrew their priest-kings and, in the process, ruined everything. It wasn’t a bad theory, but it seems that the rulers, not the people, deserve most of the blame.
In the wake of new research, it appears that Mayan cities were locked in something similar to the Cold War, only hotter. Hieroglyphs in the area reveal that two metropolitan “super-powers,” Tikal and Calakmul, were bitter rivals for centuries. Skirmishes between the kings of each city grew increasingly violent, prompting both dynasties to build alliances with other cities via raids, conquest, and royal coups. But, as more and more cities got involved, the warfare spread.
In 2002, a few more clues came to light after archaeologists discovered a stunning new set of hieroglyphic texts carved into the steps of a palace staircase at Dos Pilas (uncovered thanks to an earthquake that hit the region the previous summer). The texts told the surprising story of renegade princes from Tikal, who tried to create an empire of their own by waging a full-force attack on their home city with the help of neighboring allies. Unfortunately, their timing was poor. The invasion occurred during the height of the drought, and the result was pure devastation. Pyramids and temples were torn apart to build fortifications, and what few trees were left in the razed rainforest were cut down to build fences. Eventually, farmers had to retreat to the fast-growing weeds. The war destroyed the cities, leaving behind ruins and refugees. The land could no longer support the population due to the drought, and the government was too weak to do anything about it due to the war. Rather than to remain in the cities and face death, the people scattered, and the jungle eventually reclaimed the land.
At the same time the drought was taking hold, it appears the Mayan city-states had their resources and attention focused on something else - fighting. In a way, some evidence of this has always existed in the form of smashed monuments and burned palaces found in the region. In the early 20th century, the Bolshevik Revolution in Russian inspired a theory that rapid Mayan collapse was the result of a popular peasant revolt, fueled by the lavish lifestyles and oppressive rule of the theocratic Mayan kings. Mayan revolutionaries, rejecting religions hocus-pocus from rulers who claimed to be able to bring rain for crops while stuffing their houses and tombs with expensive artwork and jewels, overthrew their priest-kings and, in the process, ruined everything. It wasn’t a bad theory, but it seems that the rulers, not the people, deserve most of the blame.
In the wake of new research, it appears that Mayan cities were locked in something similar to the Cold War, only hotter. Hieroglyphs in the area reveal that two metropolitan “super-powers,” Tikal and Calakmul, were bitter rivals for centuries. Skirmishes between the kings of each city grew increasingly violent, prompting both dynasties to build alliances with other cities via raids, conquest, and royal coups. But, as more and more cities got involved, the warfare spread.
In 2002, a few more clues came to light after archaeologists discovered a stunning new set of hieroglyphic texts carved into the steps of a palace staircase at Dos Pilas (uncovered thanks to an earthquake that hit the region the previous summer). The texts told the surprising story of renegade princes from Tikal, who tried to create an empire of their own by waging a full-force attack on their home city with the help of neighboring allies. Unfortunately, their timing was poor. The invasion occurred during the height of the drought, and the result was pure devastation. Pyramids and temples were torn apart to build fortifications, and what few trees were left in the razed rainforest were cut down to build fences. Eventually, farmers had to retreat to the fast-growing weeds. The war destroyed the cities, leaving behind ruins and refugees. The land could no longer support the population due to the drought, and the government was too weak to do anything about it due to the war. Rather than to remain in the cities and face death, the people scattered, and the jungle eventually reclaimed the land.
Sections
Detective Names:Jordan Simmons, Ivan Ceron, Stephanie Farrier, Crystal Cerda
Name of Victim All Of Ancient Mayan Civilization
Physical Description of Victim:
Age at time of death:
Country of Origin: Central America
Approx. size of population: 5,000-50,000=40 cities
Significant Geographical Features:
Step Pyramid,Mountains, Alot Of Water.
Victim’s Cultural Background:
Languages spoken: Yukatek
Description of government:
The Mayans developed a hierarchical government ruled by kings and priests.
3. Description of Economic System:
They traded chocolate
Description of religious beliefs: the Maya believed in many gods. There were gods of corn, of death, of rain, and of war. God could be good and evil, and sometimes both.
Forensic Analysis:
List and describe all evidence used:
Symbol: Aj, Ix, Toj, Kaj, Kjpu,
Pictures:Step Pyramid, bullets, notes.
Explain significance of each piece of evidence:
The Bullet Is a sign of war or fighting, the notes are about what happened.
List and describe any possible suspects:
War, Flood[Natural cause]
Witness Interviews:None
Describe all sources used (art work, journal entry, etc):
Artwork, Notes, Internet, Text Books
Who created sources: Art=Jordan, Notes=Ivan, Internet=Stephanie, Text Books=Crystal
Dates of testimony: Unknown
State significance of each witness along with specific details of testimony:
Unknown
Conclusions:
Cause of Death (check one only):
Suicide__suicide___ Natural Causes_______ Homicide_______
Explain cause of death (in detail):
Name of Victim All Of Ancient Mayan Civilization
Physical Description of Victim:
Age at time of death:
Country of Origin: Central America
Approx. size of population: 5,000-50,000=40 cities
Significant Geographical Features:
Step Pyramid,Mountains, Alot Of Water.
Victim’s Cultural Background:
Languages spoken: Yukatek
Description of government:
The Mayans developed a hierarchical government ruled by kings and priests.
3. Description of Economic System:
They traded chocolate
Description of religious beliefs: the Maya believed in many gods. There were gods of corn, of death, of rain, and of war. God could be good and evil, and sometimes both.
Forensic Analysis:
List and describe all evidence used:
Symbol: Aj, Ix, Toj, Kaj, Kjpu,
Pictures:Step Pyramid, bullets, notes.
Explain significance of each piece of evidence:
The Bullet Is a sign of war or fighting, the notes are about what happened.
List and describe any possible suspects:
War, Flood[Natural cause]
Witness Interviews:None
Describe all sources used (art work, journal entry, etc):
Artwork, Notes, Internet, Text Books
Who created sources: Art=Jordan, Notes=Ivan, Internet=Stephanie, Text Books=Crystal
Dates of testimony: Unknown
State significance of each witness along with specific details of testimony:
Unknown
Conclusions:
Cause of Death (check one only):
Suicide__suicide___ Natural Causes_______ Homicide_______
Explain cause of death (in detail):
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Clues
The Evidence Shows That The Main Clues In This Crime Scene Are The Bullet And The Notes. Other Clues Are The Religiuos Symbols And The Cause Of Death. Cause Of Death will Not be Discussed Publicly Yet.
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