10 Interesting Maya Facts

If you like to study about history, you need to read Maya facts. This Mesoamerican civilization is famous with its astronomical and mathematical system. The architecture and art that Mayan people created become important sites to study by experts. Here are facts about Maya for you:

Maya Facts 1: the present Mayans

The culture of Maya is not vanished until this present day. You can find that many Mayans are still living in their own regions. They still preserve the cultural heritage. Most of them often speak the Mayan language at home.

Maya Facts 2: the contemporary Mayans

The Mexican states occupied by most Mayans include Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán, Tabasco, and Quintana Roo. They also live in Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. Check Latin American facts for detail information.

Maya Culture

Maya Facts 3: beauty of the children

Mayans are concerned with the beauty of their children. The baby’s forehead will be pressed to make it flat. This habit can be seen in the ancient upper class people.

Maya Facts 4: name

Let’s find out the way Mayans name their children. Most of them were named based on the day they were born. In the Mayan calendar, every day has specific name so that parents should name their girls or boys based on the day’s name.

Maya facts

Maya Facts 5: the shamans

The shamans are very important in the life and culture of Mayans. These men had excellent knowledge to cure people with Mayan medicine.  They controlled the natural events, foresighted and healed wounds.

Maya Facts 6: blood sacrifice

Blood sacrifice is always linked with Mayan culture. In the ancient time, human will be sacrificed in religious ceremony.  Today people still practice the blood sacrifice but they use chicken instead of human.

Maya History

Maya Facts 7: traditional ceremonies

One of the famous traditional ceremonies is the blood sacrifices. Other types of ceremonies include feasting, burning of copal incense, ritual of drinking and dancing.

Maya Facts 8: painkillers

The usage of painkillers which contains the hallucinogenic drugs was applied by Mayan culture in the past.  Some examples of painkiller that the Mayans used were the morning glory, peyote, tobacco, and mushroom.

Maya People

Maya Facts 9: The Mesoamerican ballgame

The Mesoamerican ballgame was the game played by the ancient Mayans. The ball courts were built so that the Mayans people could play this ballgame. The ball court was also used to perform dance and music.

Maya Facts 10: sauna

Sauna is a part of the Mayan culture. The Mayans will use the sweat bath to revitalize the body.

Maya Temple

Do you know that the last independent Mayan kingdom was located in the island city of Taysal. It still existed in 1697 before it was submitted to Spain. Are you interested with facts about Maya?