Sunrise at Palenque, Chiapas, MéxicoI have a book called THE MAYA WORLD by Demetrio Sodi Morales. It has been shuffled around with much of the rest of my library since the early 80’s, and finally I have read it. Because I have been attempting to obtain insight into the Mayan civilization, I have been reading all the books I collected on the subject. I continue to buy these huge thick books and have trouble reading them (the writing can be a little dry), so it is a slow process and there is much information to absorb. Luckily the photos and illustrations are awe inspiring; they keep me going forward.
I have learned that the Mayans created one of the most original and grandiose civilizations ever known. They are credited with grasping and using the concept of ZERO. They are not a homogenous group, but a collection of groups with different languages and customs and historical backgrounds sharing similar traits. They moved around a lot. Different people had different styles of construction, agriculture, beliefs and several of these influences can be found at many Mayan ruins.
Belonging to this culture are the Olmecs, Nahuas, Zapotecs, Mixtecs, Totonacs, Tarascans, etc. The Maya, or Mayance, are distinguished by their languages. One large linguistic family grew from the original tongue in Guatemala around 3000 BC, according to Mr. Sodi Morales’ information.
Maya consists of at least 65 languages. Not separate dialects, mind you, but different languages. There is Yucatec Maya, spoken in the Yucatán in México. Quiché is known as the original Mayan tongue spoken in the Guatemalan Highlands, which they still use today. (The Mayan Bible, the Popol Vuh, was written in the Guatemalan Highlands in Quiché and later translated into other Mayan languages.) Kekchi is spoken in the northeastern part of Guatemala. Tzeltal and Tzotzil are spoken in Chiapas. Chorti is spoken around Copán, Honduras. Lacandón is spoken in the entire southern Chiapas area bordering Guatemala, where the Lacandon Jungle is located. Others, like Tojolabal, Chontal, Kanjobal, Chuj, Cakchiquel, Pokoman and Pokomchi I have not yet located. Actually they spoke Chontal somewhere we were on our trip recently, either in Guatemala or Honduras. What is so interesting, is that in listening to the people speak these varied Mayan tongues, I can pick out some words that are the same or similar to Yucatec Mayan. My Mayan is limited, but I am currently studying the language and manage to retain some of it. We noticed that some words were the same in all the dialects heard in conversation with indigenous people in various areas. The word in Yucatec Maya for chili is “’iik”, for very is “uts”, star is “eek” and maize (corn) is “ix’iim”. These words were heard spoken in Guatemala, Honduras, Chiapas and the Yucatán, México. Other than a few similarities, as in the similar harsh guttural sounds, you know you are hearing Mayan spoken, but none of it is recognizable. Not even good morning or thank you contain any similarities. My friend and I recently took a trip to Guatemala and Honduras and every “Ma’alob K’iin” (good morning in Yucatec Mayan, which we say a lot) was met with odd stares. It was Campeche in the Yucatán where we started getting some Mayan response to our attempts to speak it.
The Mayan civilization has been divided into periods. Based on archeological findings and studies, the Pre Classic period began around 3000 BC and existed until the third century AD. The people living in those times appeared to be agricultural and intelligent, creating villages and ceremonial centers. They did seem to do a lot of wandering however.
The Classic Period dates back to 325 AD and ran until 800 AD. Due to influences of this nomadic people, many trades flourished. Agriculture, trade, and technology were improved, and political, social, religious and military hierarchies consolidated. Most of the evidence of the Mayan people exists in ruins from the Classic period. They had a tendency to build over temples and pyramids of former eras, much of which is being discovered the deeper they penetrate and restore the hundreds of spectacular ruin sites in this area. The Post Classic period began in the ninth century and evidenced the beginning of change, collapse and abandonment. By the fifteenth century, in conjunction with the arrival of the Spaniards, the civilization had ended.
I have learned that the Mayans created one of the most original and grandiose civilizations ever known. They are credited with grasping and using the concept of ZERO. They are not a homogenous group, but a collection of groups with different languages and customs and historical backgrounds sharing similar traits. They moved around a lot. Different people had different styles of construction, agriculture, beliefs and several of these influences can be found at many Mayan ruins.
Belonging to this culture are the Olmecs, Nahuas, Zapotecs, Mixtecs, Totonacs, Tarascans, etc. The Maya, or Mayance, are distinguished by their languages. One large linguistic family grew from the original tongue in Guatemala around 3000 BC, according to Mr. Sodi Morales’ information.
Maya consists of at least 65 languages. Not separate dialects, mind you, but different languages. There is Yucatec Maya, spoken in the Yucatán in México. Quiché is known as the original Mayan tongue spoken in the Guatemalan Highlands, which they still use today. (The Mayan Bible, the Popol Vuh, was written in the Guatemalan Highlands in Quiché and later translated into other Mayan languages.) Kekchi is spoken in the northeastern part of Guatemala. Tzeltal and Tzotzil are spoken in Chiapas. Chorti is spoken around Copán, Honduras. Lacandón is spoken in the entire southern Chiapas area bordering Guatemala, where the Lacandon Jungle is located. Others, like Tojolabal, Chontal, Kanjobal, Chuj, Cakchiquel, Pokoman and Pokomchi I have not yet located. Actually they spoke Chontal somewhere we were on our trip recently, either in Guatemala or Honduras. What is so interesting, is that in listening to the people speak these varied Mayan tongues, I can pick out some words that are the same or similar to Yucatec Mayan. My Mayan is limited, but I am currently studying the language and manage to retain some of it. We noticed that some words were the same in all the dialects heard in conversation with indigenous people in various areas. The word in Yucatec Maya for chili is “’iik”, for very is “uts”, star is “eek” and maize (corn) is “ix’iim”. These words were heard spoken in Guatemala, Honduras, Chiapas and the Yucatán, México. Other than a few similarities, as in the similar harsh guttural sounds, you know you are hearing Mayan spoken, but none of it is recognizable. Not even good morning or thank you contain any similarities. My friend and I recently took a trip to Guatemala and Honduras and every “Ma’alob K’iin” (good morning in Yucatec Mayan, which we say a lot) was met with odd stares. It was Campeche in the Yucatán where we started getting some Mayan response to our attempts to speak it.
The Mayan civilization has been divided into periods. Based on archeological findings and studies, the Pre Classic period began around 3000 BC and existed until the third century AD. The people living in those times appeared to be agricultural and intelligent, creating villages and ceremonial centers. They did seem to do a lot of wandering however.
The Classic Period dates back to 325 AD and ran until 800 AD. Due to influences of this nomadic people, many trades flourished. Agriculture, trade, and technology were improved, and political, social, religious and military hierarchies consolidated. Most of the evidence of the Mayan people exists in ruins from the Classic period. They had a tendency to build over temples and pyramids of former eras, much of which is being discovered the deeper they penetrate and restore the hundreds of spectacular ruin sites in this area. The Post Classic period began in the ninth century and evidenced the beginning of change, collapse and abandonment. By the fifteenth century, in conjunction with the arrival of the Spaniards, the civilization had ended.
Rosalila Temple, Copán, HondurasFound underneath layers of newer pyramid.
There is a lot of speculation as to what wiped out the Mayan civilization; often it is attributed to famine, a giant meteorite, or an unanswered mystery. It is now thought that the Mayans did not disappear; only their freedom and imposing culture created in Pre-Hispanic times did. There is evidence that there was a lot of war between tribes from 900 AD until the Spaniards arrived. But the Mayans are still around. They are scattered all over Central America and can be detected by their colorful traditional vestments and close knit societies. They hold on to many of their beliefs and let’s just say they did not completely buy into the Catholic religion. I have now seen two churches that are full of Christian saints and altars, where the saints are dressed in Mayan gear and represent the gods of corn, rain, sun, etc. The goings on in those churches do not resemble any Christian religion. It reminds one more of witchcraft than anything else. In fact, there is much superstition and witchcraft involved.
I have been interested in the Mayan culture since my first exposure to the Yucatán back in the early 1980’s, when I lived in Akumal, on the Quintana Roo Caribbean coast. I met several proud Mayans, who were always teaching me facts and interesting phrases in their language. (Your mother’s what???) I spent a lot of my free time visiting and studying the ruins around Quintana Roo and the Yucatán. Every time a friend or family member visited me, we went around to see Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Cobá, Tulum, etc. We went as far as we could get and as often as we could get there. Visiting the Mayan ruins takes a soul back in time, and sits it down to look around and speculate. How did they build these temples? What do all these inscriptions and hieroglyphics mean? How could they have arrived at the concept of zero but not have used a wheel? What did this look like in 1000 BC? 200AD? 900 AD? 1590AD??
Now that I live in the Yucatán, I make it a point to visit more ruins. The area is literally dotted with them, and on a day trip from Mérida, one can visit at least a few places of great interest and diversity. My goal here is to report on, provide recent photos of, and mention more than just the ruins you see on National Geographic or Discovery Channels. The lesser known ruins, which are not lesser ruins, mind you, are just pieces of one giant puzzle which is the Mayan civilization. Once you have seen some of the marvelous work these people were capable of, you want to keep on going and see it all. Enjoy the journey.
