The Strange Customs and Traditions of the Maya People

History of the Maya People

Speculation about when the Maya arrived in Central America dates back to the 10th century BCE, with the first signs of indigenous settlement found in archaeological discoveries from around 2600 BCE in Belize. The Maya calendar refers to 3114 BCE, and an ancient Maya narrative also describes events from 1800 BCE. In the early days of the Maya, they first moved from northern America to the south, where they settled in the highlands of Guatemala and built a great civilization.

Rituals of the Maya People

• Left Eye of Newborns: The Maya had specific ideas about the appearance of their children! It is said that they hung various objects in front of a newborn’s face to make one of their eyes turn left! Another common ritual was placing wood on the face of the newborn to flatten their forehead.

• Death and Corn: When a Maya person died, it was customary to place corn in their mouth during the burial ceremony. According to their beliefs, corn was the food of the dead on their journey to the afterlife. This plant was also a symbol of rebirth for the Maya, emphasizing the cycle of life and renewal.

Human Sacrifice: The Maya chose individuals for sacrifice, and while they were still alive, their hearts were removed from their chests. Human sacrifice in Maya civilization was considered the ultimate form of respect to the gods. This ritual continued from the Classic period (250-900 CE) until the 17th century when the Spanish arrived. The Maya did not sacrifice just anyone; being chosen as a sacrifice was considered an honor. Prisoners of war, particularly those of high rank, were often selected for sacrifice, while ordinary prisoners were used for forced labor. The methods of human sacrifice varied, including decapitation, throwing saws at the victim, drowning, etc., but the most horrific method was undoubtedly the removal of the heart.

Family Structure: In Maya society, the smallest social unit was the family, which consisted of parents, children, and slaves. Each family belonged to a larger family group, where homes were arranged around a shared courtyard. Marriage was based on status, and a daughter’s father would find a suitable suitor through matchmakers. Polygamy was permitted only for the elite class, and marriages were typically conducted without formal religious ceremonies. In Maya tradition, bloodline and ancestry were significant, and one's social standing was determined by paternal heritage. A noble family was one where both the man and woman’s paternal ancestors were respected.

Slavery System: Slavery was common in Maya society, and the slave trade was a significant part of their commerce. A person could become a slave in three ways: 1) A poor family head might sell a family member to improve living conditions. 2) A person who committed a crime could be sentenced to slavery by judicial authorities. 3) Those captured in war with other tribes were automatically slaves, although high-ranking prisoners from noble families were killed in special ceremonies as a form of sacrifice.

Bloody Ceremonies: Bloody rituals were an essential part of Maya religious ceremonies. For instance, the first bloodletting ritual for boys was performed at age five. Many depictions of Maya citizens show piercings on their bodies. These piercings were made to offer blood to the gods, and the more piercings a person had, the higher their social status. Rulers were expected to participate in these rituals. The blood was poured onto statues and then burned, with the belief that it would be sent to the gods in heaven as food for them.

Drugs: The Maya regularly used psychoactive substances in their religious ceremonies, derived from natural materials, but they also used them for pain relief in daily life. They often used plants like peyote, lilies, certain mushrooms, tobacco, and others to make alcoholic drinks. Additionally, as recorded in Maya poetry and carvings, they injected ceremonial liquids to absorb the substances more rapidly.

The Last Maya Kingdom
The island city of Tayasal was the location of the last independent kingdom of the Maya civilization. Some Spanish priests met and preached to the last king of Itza, Canek, until 1969. The Itza kingdom finally surrendered to the Spanish on March 13, 1697. The ancient artifacts and structures in Chichen Itza, which many of us recognize, are located in this final autonomous region. Interestingly, most of the land where these ancient sites are located is privately owned by a family, although the government claims it as its own and controls these sites.

The Decline of the Maya Civilization
The Maya suddenly abandoned their great cities and fled to the mountains, and the reason for this event is still unclear due to the loss of written records from that period. After the cities were abandoned, the power of the mountain Maya was eventually destroyed by the Aztecs and then the Spanish. Researchers who have studied the historical remains of the Maya civilization have concluded that the main cause of its collapse around 800 CE was a severe drought. Analysis of historical remains from Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador, especially the famous Yucatan region and Chichen Itza, has shown a 25-40% reduction in rainfall during the 7th and 8th centuries, which led to a decrease in food production and population. As a result, several southern Maya cities were abandoned by 800 CE, and by 950 CE, most of the large cities were abandoned and ruined.

Conclusion:
Maya art from their Classical or Golden Age is often regarded as one of the finest and most beautiful artistic traditions of the ancient world. Although Maya art drew on earlier traditions, such as the Olmec civilization, the creativity that emerged within the Maya society gave their civilization a unique and distinct identity. They expressed their beliefs about the gods through artistic works, including architecture, painting, sculpture, and pottery.