The Maya, An Indigenous People

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The Maya are an indigenous people whose culture had built a thriving ancient city-state civilization in Mesoamerica. MesoAmerica is the location that lies in the area from Mexico to South America. An area considered to be the 'middle ' of the Americas and is also known as the Central Americas. Along with the Maya, there are many other indigenous cultures in the Mesoamerican area. Some of these other cultures are the Mexica (Aztecs), Mixtec, Purepecha, Huastec, Olmac, Toltec, Zapotec, and Teotihuacan. These indigenous Mesoamerican cultures are credited with the creation and innovation of many inventions. They used advanced mathematics to engineer and build great pyramid temples that still stand after thousands of years. They were …show more content…

The two time periods overlap each other as a result from different groups in the region gradually shifting from being a separate archaically developed people into adopting local culture and technology that was distinctly Maya. It was also during the Preclassic period that the Maya developed a greater interest in art and began some degree of manufacturing. A number of Preclassic Maya pottery and clay figures that were fired in primitive kilns survive to this day. Many of these clay and pottery artifacts, that are well over four thousand years old, give us clues as to their origin and purpose. Indicators as to how advanced their technology was growing. The process of using buildings as a means of recording history had also began to develop during the Maya Preclassic era. A very distinct Maya culture with religious beliefs and practices, as well as shared technologies, began to rapidly form and progress during the Preclassic period. Public ceremonies and rites begin taking place during the Preclassic period. The creation of burial rites for the dead began during this time. The Maya civilization continued to grow and advance into its Classical Period, where it reached its peak in development at around 200 - 250 AD. Still almost two thousand years before contact with

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