Who Are The Mayans?

The Maya lived in what is now Central America, where their descendants still live today. The Maya culture covered a large region, including the modern countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize and a large portion of southern Mexico. From before the 16th century BC to the Spanish conquest in the 17th century AD, the Maya built huge cities in the jungles of Central America. The Maya boasted complex political organizations, a unique artistic style, and an impressive grasp of mathematics, astronomy and writing.  Maya achievements in math, astronomy, recording time, technology and commerce rivaled and often surpassed the great civilizations of the West.

Best known for their calendar, the Maya created so much more. Maya kings ruled vast regions from huge cities filled with monumental architecture. Pyramid temples rose over 200ft, towering above the jungle canopy. Tens of thousands of people lived and worked in the cities: court attendants, artisans, farmers, priests, and more. Merchants and traders sold and traded their products in large, well-organized markets.   Astronomers recorded their studies of stars and planets in books that were archived in large palace libraries and engineers laid out cities with remarkable precision.

There are currently over 7 million Maya in Central America, including roughly half the populations of Guatemala and Belize.  Maya culture has been preserved through oral and written histories, dances and rituals. In many villages, social organization, agricultural practices, technology and beliefs about family life and the agricultural cycle have not changed significantly in hundreds of years.   Recently schools have begun teaching Maya history in the Mayan language, an important step in preserving the heritage of this remarkable culture.