THE MAYANS
The Mayan race is a collection of regional races of tribes, the Olmec in particular, from whom they inherited much of their traditions. Symbols of serpents and jaguars are a common theme across the region and many cultures are fused in what we term Mayan culture.
There was a strong order of hierarchy, from lords ( Ahau's) to slaves - and their lifestyles reflected their position. They were pantheists, believing the world was created by Gods and much of their construction and time was spent worshiping these Gods.
Earliest Mayan settlements have been found in Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras - as well as Mexico, dating back as far as 1000 B.C.E. Curiously, the Mayan civilization did not spread that far, geographically, but in their golden period of 600 A.D to 1100 A.D they created incredible monuments and styles.
There are three distinct periods of evolution, starting with the 'pre-classical ( 1500 B.C.E - 150 B.C.E ), smaller villages merging into larger communities; the 'classical' (150 B.C.E - 900 A.D ), large trade and political centres flourished and spread further afield; 'post-classical period ( 1000 A.D - 1541 A.D ), a time of major cultural change, especially in trade, design and politics - after which, the steep decline into virtual anonymity.
How their empire declined so rapidly is still open to speculation, but several theories include natural disasters, food and water shortages, rife inter-tribal warfare and overpopulation. In my view, the fact that metals were not readily available probably restricted their greater expansion and evolution. In essence, they simply walked away. As the Cities emptied and went to ruin, the residents regrouped into smaller communities and were easily overrun by the invading Spanish.
There are many parallels with our own culture today and we would do well to see how such a 'comfortable' society can quickly disintegrate into fragmented clusters of self-sufficient communities. Not a bad thing, in this authors view !
Their existence in the Yucatan is amazing, considering that there were no metals for tools or weapons and all carving and cutting was done by stone. The soil is poor, there is incredible heat and no running surface water. Most sites are constructed around cenotes ( see lower down page).
However, with a keen understanding of their environment, they were able to build and thrive in spectacular Cities, with populations of tens of thousands. They also had healthy regional and international trading with other cultures !
Fortunately, their skillful use of stone for buildings and symbols has left a legacy of wonder and information for us to learn from and only a fraction of the original empire has been explored. There are undoubtedly more temples and treasures hidden by the jungle.
Today, the Mayan populations of Mexico and Guatemala are an oppressed, mistreated and neglected race - victims of genocide and poverty. Forced into the catholic faith, their heritage seems a long way away, but many believe, as I do, that they will be reborn and once again take their rightful place and receive the respect and recognition they deserve. They brought an incredible dimension to the human race and we will welcome them back !
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No, no........ok....... just one.....or two - little Mayan 'salespeople' at Chichen Itza. CENOTE'S The Yucatan peninsular is a porous limestone shelf. Fifteen million years ago, it was the sea-bed ! With no surface rivers, the fresh water table is around 20 metres below ground and is punctuated with sinkholes or Dzonot ( Mayan), cenote's (Spanish). All fresh water is drawn up through wells. Living dzonot are beautiful, fresh clear water pools and many temple sites were built close to them. They were sacred places for the Maya and also represented the entrance to the underworld. Many have beautiful stalagmites, 'tites and fish and some you can swim in, like I did in this one at San Ignacio. Mmmm.......  Merida - the Maya heartland Capital of the Yucatan, Merida is fast getting a reputation as a 'happening' City, attracting wealthy Mexicans from all over, as well as a sizable ex-pat community. With a population nearing 800,000, it has a hustling, bustling centre of narrow streets, shops, markets, street stalls, buses - and a lot of noise ! Renowned for it's perpetual carnival attitude, there is always something going on. The City is essentially Spanish influenced, with the tree lined Boulevard Montejo being the nicest part of the City, with its impressive colonial mansions and wide streets. One of these is the Museum of History and Anthropology, which has the history of the Maya, with superb artifacts and displays (entry 40 pesos). There are many nice parques scattered here and there, all with wi-fi internet ( impressively), the best of which is the Plaza Grande and Cathedral. The tourist Police also live here ! In recent years, the American influence has become very noticeable, with Wal-mart, Costco, Starbucks amongst others, setting up here, along with a strong presence of U.S automobile makers. English is little spoken though and you will need basic Spanish at least, to get through a day ! Cancun is only 4 hours away, with it's international airport and vast hoards of tourists, but the seaside town of Progreso is only 20 minutes away if you need a beach fix ! Merida is a gateway to many parts of the Yucatan and has excellent 1st class coach links to many areas and beyond and an extensive network of regional (2nd class) and local buses ( no class !). Riding the bus is an experience in itself and seriously, don't be surprised if the driver stops to do some shopping !! For the Temple trail, Merida is centrally placed to do many of the significant sites, as I have done over the past month. There is a large range of accommodations to suit any budget and plenty of variety for eating - even decent vegetarian ( thank God !). Buying fresh food is best, of which there is plenty. The only way to start the day, is with a nice bowl of juicy mango, papaya and pineapple, a fresh pot of Chiapas coffee and the warm sun on your face ! Enjoy !     |
