Maya
Ancient pyramid builders
Maya refers to an indigenous people of southern Mexico and Central America whose civilization flourished for millennia, known for pyramids, hieroglyphic writing, and advanced astronomy.
Maya also functions as a common given name for girls, sometimes chosen for its connection to the philosophical concept or simply for its sound: Maya Angelou, Maya Rudolph.
The Maya civilization collapsed mysteriously around 900 CE, though millions of Maya people still live in the region today. (Lowercase maya is a philosophical concept meaning illusion.)
Pre-Columbian Central American region
- TikalMaya archaeological site
- Chichen ItzaPre-Columbian archaeological site
- YucatanSoutheastern Mexican peninsula
- GuatemalaCentral American republic
Belize · Honduras · city-states · collapse · archaeology · epigraphy · chronicle · codices
Mesoamerican calendrical system
- tunLarge brewing cask
- kinBlood-connected people
- astronomicalRelating to outer space
- Dresden CodexMaya screenfold manuscript
zero · hieroglyphs · glyphs
Carved ornamental mineral
- potteryFired clay objects
- ceramicsHardened clay objects
- ceramicFired clay material
- muralsLarge wall paintings
mural · frescoes · fresco · sculptures · sculpture · figurines · figurine · carvings
Pointed polyhedral solid
- templeSacred worship structure
- palaceMonarch's official residence
- ballcourtSports playing surface
- plazaPublic open square
acropolis · stela · stele · causeway · terraces · terrace · platform · masonry
Belief in multiple deities
- cosmologyStudy of universal structure
- underworldRealm of the departed
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- bloodlettingTherapeutic withdrawal of fluid
rituals · ritual · ceremonies · ceremony · priests · priest · shamans · shaman
Aztec feathered serpent god
- moon goddessDeity of lunar realm
- sun godDivine personification of daylight's source
- rain godWeather deity bringing storms
- jaguarLarge American spotted cat
Ancient Egyptian picture-writing
- logographicUsing word-symbols, not letters
- syllabaryWriting using sound-units
- deciphermentInterpreting unknown scripts
- epigraphyStudy of ancient inscriptions
Originating in a region
- ChiapasSoutheastern Mexican state
- contemporaryOf the present age
- revitalizationRestoring vigor or vitality
Mesoamerica
Pre-Columbian Central American region
- TikalMaya archaeological site
- Chichen ItzaPre-Columbian archaeological site
- YucatanSoutheastern Mexican peninsula
Guatemala · Belize · Honduras · city-states · collapse · archaeology · epigraphy · chronicle · codices · codex
Long Count
Mesoamerican calendrical system
- tunLarge brewing cask
- kinBlood-connected people
- astronomicalRelating to outer space
Dresden Codex · zero · hieroglyphs · glyphs
jade
Carved ornamental mineral
murals · mural · frescoes · fresco · sculptures · sculpture · figurines · figurine · carvings · carving
pyramid
Pointed polyhedral solid
plaza · acropolis · stela · stele · causeway · terraces · terrace · platform · masonry · ashlar
polytheism
Belief in multiple deities
- cosmologyStudy of universal structure
- underworldRealm of the departed
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
bloodletting · rituals · ritual · ceremonies · ceremony · priests · priest · shamans · shaman · divination
Quetzalcoatl
Aztec feathered serpent god
- moon goddessDeity of lunar realm
- sun godDivine personification of daylight's source
- rain godWeather deity bringing storms
hieroglyphs
Ancient Egyptian picture-writing
- logographicUsing word-symbols, not letters
- syllabaryWriting using sound-units
- deciphermentInterpreting unknown scripts
indigenous
Originating in a region
- ChiapasSoutheastern Mexican state
- contemporaryOf the present age
- revitalizationRestoring vigor or vitality
- Girls' NamesAbigail, Alice, Amanda, Amy, Anna
- Lost CivilizationsAtlantis, Pompeii, Troy, Babylon, Mycenae
- MesoamericaAztec, Aztecs, Aztec Empire, Olmec, Oaxaca
- ancient AmericasMachu Picchu, Chichen Itza, Teotihuacan, Tenochtitlan, Tikal
- Indigenous AmericasInca, Quechua, Guarani, Aztec, Arawak
- Indigenous MexicoAztec, Zapotec, Olmec, Toltec, Yaqui
- Mayan ruinsAncient civilization's architectural remains
- Maya Angelou
- Maya civilizationAncient Mesoamerican culture
- Maya Rudolph
- Maya ruinsAncient civilization's remains
- Mayan calendarMesoamerican astronomical dating system