Maya civilization
Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Maya civilization was one of the great Mesoamerican and Pre-Columbian civilizations. The Maya were renowned for having the most sophisticated and developed writing system in the Western Hemisphere as well as their monumental achievements in art, architecture and astronomy. At its height, the Maya cultural area spanned the Yucatan Peninsula and highlands of Chiapas and Campeche in Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and parts of western Honduras and El Salvador.
UnderstandContrary to popular belief, although the Spanish Conquistadores overthrew Maya states and ended Maya civilization in that sense, the Maya people and their cultural heritage never really died.
Museums
Archaeological sites
EatThe staples of the Maya diet were maize (corn), squash, beans and chili peppers. Corn was always nixtamilized (soaked in limewater or lye), which added vitamins to the corn and made it a complete protein.
Itineraries
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Maya civilization" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons