The way of life of the Mayans revolved around social life divided into classes, religious customs and agriculture.
The Mayans were a civilization from Mexico and Central America that inhabited the territories currently included in Mexico, and south through Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
Representation of a Mayan god.
The Mayan civilization is considered the jewel of all ancient American cultures and one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever known. To understand your lifestyle, you have to focus on various factors, such as your climate and your location.
The Yucatán has an arid subtropical climate. From June to September, the season is rainy, followed by a very dry season that runs from January to May.
Water is scarce, there are almost no rivers, and the soil consists of limestone that quickly absorbs rainfall. For this reason, the Mayans depended on natural wells and trenches for their water supply.
Economy
Agriculture was the first source of resources. The main crops were cotton, corn, beans, and squash.
The second was to raise animals such as cows, pigs, and goats, as well as bees for their honey. They traded animals or crops to get clothes or other items at a market, which was located on a plain by the river.
The ancient Mayans had as ideals of beauty flat foreheads and crossed eyes. To achieve these effects, the children wore boards tight to their heads and wax balls tied so that they hung before their eyes.
Men and women cut their skin to obtain scar marks and the elites sharpened their teeth, a mark of wealth and beauty.
Society
Mayan society was structured in four levels: the nobility, the priesthood, the commoners, and the slaves.
The top were the nobles and the King. The king's power was hereditary, so that the eldest son would become king when his father died.
Next were the priests, who assisted the king and conducted religious ceremonies. The next level were the commoners, mostly farmers.
The bottom of the system were slaves, captured during wars or people who had broken a law.
Religion
There were many different gods that the Mayan people worshiped. They all had a good side and a bad side.
The main god of the Mayan people was Izamna, known as the fire and earth god. Kukulcán was also an important god, known as the feathered serpent.
Chaac was the god of rain and lightning. Bolon Tzauab was a significant god only to royalty because only she could contact him.
The Mayan leaders also assumed the role of preacher of the people and were the only ones, besides the priest, who could contact the gods.
They performed human sacrifices because they felt it was the only means of contact with the gods. Thus, they would feed the gods to receive their blessings, for they feared that if they did not make sacrifices they would be severely punished.