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[[Image:jaina01.jpg|left]]

[[Image:jaina01.jpg|left]]

[[Image:Maya map.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Mayan Cities]]

[[Image:Maya map.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Mayan Cities]]

The '''Maya''' (MAH-yuh or MEYE-uh) are a people in Southern [[Mexico]] and northern [[Central America]]. They number about 9 million people, consisting of about 30 different groups. The Maya formed one of the great [[Precolumbian_Civilizations|Mesoamerican civilizations]], the apogee of their civilization was from A.D. 300 to 900.

The '''Maya''' (MAH-yuh or MEYE-uh) are a people in Southern [[Mexico]] and northern [[Central America]]. They number about 9 million people, consisting of about 30 different groups. The Maya formed one of the great [[Precolumbian Civilizations|Mesoamerican civilizations]], the apogee of their civilization was from A.D. 300 to 900.

The Maya have been called the "[[Greeks]] of the New World" by many historians.  The Maya had some knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, ritual [[ball]] games for entertainment, and the use of their complex written language. The Maya may have been the first civilization that used the concept of zero, the oldest Mayan inscriptions using a zero glyph date from the first century before Christ, but it is likely that the Mayas copied it from an earlier civilization, most likely [[Olmecs]] or [[Zapotecs]].

The Maya have been called the "[[Greeks]] of the New World" by many historians.  The Maya had some knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, ritual [[ball]] games for entertainment, and the use of their complex written language. The Maya may have been the first civilization that used the concept of zero, the oldest Mayan inscriptions using a zero glyph date from the first century before Christ, but it is likely that the Mayas copied it from an earlier civilization, most likely [[Olmecs]] or [[Zapotecs]].

==Religion==

==Religion==

The Maya [[religion]] was [[polytheistic]] and the Maya "appeased the gods" by engaging in [[human sacrifice]] and autosacrifice. Autosacrifice and the use of hallucinogenic drugs were important to the Maya religion because they allowed the use of visions, which the Maya used to speak to their ancestors. The Maya believed in creation as explained in their religious text named the "Popol Vuh."  Wealthy women enjoyed some rights in the society, and in some cases were Queen when there was no male heir. The Maya wrote accordion-fold, bark paper books called codices. There are only 4 known in existence today, which are in museums in Europe.  There are approximately 10,000 other pieces of Mayan writing, but not book form. Mayan writing and the ability to read their writing had been in decline for hundreds of years since the end of the classical period, but there were still some who could read and write when the Spanish arrived. The Spanish under [[Fray Diego de Landa]] burned Mayan codices on July 12th, 1562 because he believed the books to be anti-[[Christian]]. De Landa claims to have burned 27 books, while others claim 99 times that number. Diego was later recalled to stand trial in Spain for excessive practices. Whatever the cause, the ability to understand the ancient script was lost shortly thereafter and it was only in the second half of the 20th century that enough progress was made in decoding the script to more fully understand the writings that have survived.   

The Maya [[religion]] was [[polytheistic]] and the Maya "appeased the gods" by engaging in [[human sacrifice]] and autosacrifice. Autosacrifice and the use of hallucinogenic drugs were important to the Maya religion because they allowed the use of visions, which the Maya used to speak to their ancestors. The Maya believed in creation as explained in their religious text named the "Popol Vuh."  Wealthy women enjoyed some rights in the society, and in some cases were Queen when there was no male heir. The Maya wrote accordion-fold, bark paper books called codices. There are only 4 known in existence today, which are in museums in Europe.  There are approximately 10,000 other pieces of Mayan writing, but not book form. Mayan writing and the ability to read their writing had been in decline for hundreds of years since the end of the classical period, but there were still some who could read and write when the Spanish arrived. The Spanish under [[Fray Diego de Landa]] burned Mayan codices on July 12, 1562 because he believed the books to be anti-[[Christian]]. De Landa claims to have burned 27 books, while others claim 99 times that number. Diego was later recalled to stand trial in Spain for excessive practices. Whatever the cause, the ability to understand the ancient script was lost shortly thereafter and it was only in the second half of the 20th century that enough progress was made in decoding the script to more fully understand the writings that have survived.   

==Astronomy==

==Astronomy==