THE ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION OF THE MAYA - HISTORY - 2026

The economic organization of the Mayans was based mainly on food and agriculture, like many ancient societies. The Mayans developed food and agriculture incorporating new techniques to work the soil and in the way of growing crops.

The latter was the main commercial resource within this civilization, and for its development it had a workforce that consisted of workers, among the most important crops corn.

The raising of animals was also something very important within the trade, being able to have farms of cows, pigs or goats. Honey from bees was used as a commercial value.

This simple mechanics of economics left a great influence on economic development throughout the world. Even today, many countries still follow the Mayan economic model, based primarily on agriculture, livestock, and trade.

Economic stability was essential to the success of the ancient city-states of the Mayan civilization.

Agriculture and livestock as the basis of the Mayan economic organization

Every day, Mayan workers had to work on the farm and bring food. For their part, the farmers who owned the land delivered portions of each crop or paid the workers with other items such as salt, cloth, honey, fruits, and domestic animals.

These payments were also given to the government and were also used to buy and trade other goods.

Within agriculture, the most important crop that peasants had was corn, with a consensus among researchers believing that civilization depended to a great extent on the harvest.

Farmers often traded animals or crops for clothing or other items once or perhaps twice a week in a small market, which was usually situated on a plain by the river. This area was advantageous when it came to planting crops and raising animals.

As a result of this large amount of fertile land, there was a growing population that contributed to the formation of a basic market. In these markets, powerful individuals established the first rules that ensured that trading and agricultural activities could run smoothly.

Most scholars believe that the population decline in many of the towns in the central lowlands during the Late Classic and Terminal Classic periods was partially due to agricultural deficiency.

Drought could also be a problem for the Mayans. It was likely caused by widespread deforestation on the ground, which in turn was the result of insufficient crop production.

Many of the technological advances of the ancient Mayans are related to agriculture. The raised fields and extensive irrigation are but two examples of technological changes from the ancient times of this civilization, which achieved increased production and thus strengthened its economy.

The availability of resources was so closely connected to the Maya economy that researchers often used terms coined from other economic laws to refer to this trading system, such as supply and demand.

Commerce in Mayan society

Specialization in trade can be defined as a specialized exploitation of resources and material goods.

The Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico was widely inhabited in the Classic Period, and more in the Terminal and Post Classic Periods, which led to the collapse of the activity of the central lowlands and the subsequent migration to areas in the Yucatan and the success of various civilizations including Puuk, Toltec, and Itza.

The importance of salt

The experts also point out that the salt beds that line the coasts of the Yucatan area provided a profitable trading environment and helped contribute to the success of these civilizations. It is estimated that the population of Tikal, of approximately 45,000 inhabitants, consumed approximately 131.4 tons of salt annually.

Salt is not only necessary in the diet, but it was also widely used as a preservative. During the Classic and Post Classic periods, the small island populations of Ambergris Caye and Isla Mujeres traded salted fish.

A relationship of exchange between the island communities and the continent was necessary, since these geographically isolated groups were incapable of sufficient and sustainable agriculture.

Salt was also frequently used for rituals and as medicine, at least as evidenced by archaeological sites located in the Yucatan Peninsula, where surrounding beds of salt were found that were considered sacred.

The use that could be given to salt was so varied that it was used even during childbirth and death. A midwife would offer salt to both parents at birth and a saline solution was sprinkled throughout the home after the death of a family member.

It is often believed that the salt industry did not fully develop until there was a significant increase in population during the Classic period. Thanks to the increase in the salt trade, coastal cities such as Chunchucmil, Tzeme, and Dzibilchaltùn expanded rapidly with populations ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 inhabitants.

Because these cities exist under agricultural conditions, experts conclude that they relied primarily on the salt industry for economic and agrarian support acquired through exchange.

Other resources that were used by the Mayans as currency were cacao beans, sea shells, corn, chili peppers, cassava, amaranth, palms, vanilla, avocado, tobacco, and hundreds more. more resources, whose value depended on their rarity and cost of cultivation.

The Mayan people did not use metallurgy as an object of value until approximately 600 AD. Similarly, the Mayans traded precious stones such as obsidian, jade and other rocks and minerals, which were also used in the production of litchi tools.

Evidence suggests that the increased trade in obsidian and polychrome ceramics coincided with an expansion in the salt trade.

Among the most important goods that circulate within the long distance trade network are obsidian, jade, turquoise and quetzal.

Mayan shopping centers

For the most part subsistence items were traded within the main commercial centers of the city, items for the elite class such as rare feathers, jaguar skins, art such as paintings, highly decorated ceramics and high quality jewelry were symbols of power among the elite.

Various authors point out that the role of "intermediary" of the city of Tikal was a key source of economic support during the Classic Period of the Mayan civilization, since it allowed the city to participate in trade without having many profitable resources. Due to the new trade routes in the Terminal and Post Classic periods, the city experienced a continuous decline.

Speculations suggest that a decrease in the lowland population was diverting the flow of trade towards large centers such as Tikal and Copan.

Furthermore, maritime trade proved to be more efficient and practical, especially if the cargo started in the Central Area.

Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Cancuen, have again shown that this city had substantial control of raw resources, which allowed it to be one of the most powerful forces in the region between 400 AD to 800 AD.

The wealth of Cancuen was evident when discovering one of its three floors, which had a large area, which even rivals the largest temple in Tikal.

Archaeologists believe that Cancuen's great fortune was acquired through a vast hegemonic war. Further excavation of the city and the absence of defense walls have led experts to believe that such wealth was obtained through interurban trade.

Another factor that also helped Cancuen's bonanza is that they probably created alliances with other city-states with greater power, supplying their allies with jade, obsidian, pyrite, quetzal feathers and other goods necessary to maintain control over the common people.

The ancient trade in obsidian stones has been studied using evidence on the location and size of these industrial workshops in cities. It is estimated that the city of Tikal had about a hundred of these workshops in approximately 700 AD

The transportation and treatment of obsidian created a true labor industry in the Mayan world, since its production required from simple porters, who were usually slaves, to expert craftsmen.

The control of the obsidian deposits was crucial for the economic development of the Mayans, since even this was commercialized in the spheres of the elites.

Various authors suggest that formalized exchange relations could have existed between members of the ruling elite of importing and exporting societies. These relationships would have governed the flow of important products, which undoubtedly facilitated relationships between peoples.

References

1. Economy of the Maya civilization. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
2. Ancient Mayan Economics. Recovered from sites.google.com.
3. Ancient Maya Markets And The Economic Integration Of Caracol, Belize. Recovered at caracol.org.
4. Maya Economics. Recovered at geog.berkeley.edu.
5. The Ancient Maya - A Commercial Empire. Recovered at: mexconnect.com.
6. What Was Behind Mysterious Collapse of the Mayan Empire ?. Recovered at livescience.com.
7. The Economic Organization of the Ancient Maya. Recovered at jstor.org.