THE 10 CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MAYANS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The cultural contributions of the Mayans to today's society are numerous. This civilization left a great legacy in areas such as language or astrology.

The Mayan civilization is so old, that traces of its existence can be found as far back as 7000 years before Christ. They populated regions that today are found in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador.

They spoke a large number of languages, among which Quiché and Yucatecan stand out. They possess physical features and common beliefs in cosmology, deities, and calendar.

At first they depended on agriculture, especially corn, and grain crops. They used cotton to make the dress and used stone tools. His religious articles were simple: censers and small figures. Their buildings were small.

A thousand years before Christ, their society changed from an egalitarian to a more complex one. Pyramids and other buildings, stairways, terraces were built, especially in the larger cities, which were located quite far from each other. Among them were smaller populations.

The social distinction began to be noticed, where the most important personalities had the most impressive tombs. A market was established between distant cities, which is evidenced by the objects found by archaeologists.

There was also influence from other cultures, such as the Olmec. It is noteworthy that many ideas taken from other cultures were improved and emerged differently.

The Mayans left behind a vast collection of writings with stories, astronomical observations, and astrological prophecies. Thanks to these texts, experts today can talk about ascents to thrones, births and wars and deaths of relatives of the Mayan rulers.

The best Mayan era occurred between 600 and 800 AD. There was the maximum amount of population and buildings. After the year 800, several conflicts and rivalries occurred between some populations. Ancient cities were abandoned and migrated to the province of Yucatán.

When the Spanish arrived in America, the Yucatan area was fully Mayan, assuming that all the cultures of the neighboring tribes had been absorbed.

Today, the Mayan people maintain their traditions. The Mayans have been an ethnic group that has not sought to establish empires or expand, since they have remained for more than 4000 years in the same geographical area.

You may also be interested in knowing some information about other Mesoamerican cultures such as the Aztecs. For example: the 6 most important Aztec cities.

The 10 cultural contributions of the most important Mayans

1- Discovery of the number zero

A concept belonging to modern developments in mathematics, made around 357 BC. While it is known that the Olmecs used it first, the Mayans discovered it independently.

2- The end of the world

Recently the idea became popular that the Mayans had predicted the end of the earth for the year 2012. In reality, the Mayan calendar begins in the year 3114 BC and is divided into cycles of 394 years called baktuns.

The thirteenth baktun ended on December 21, 2012, indicating that a new cycle was beginning, but this was interpreted as the end of our era.

3- Language

According to UNESCO, the Maya population today has a very rich variety of up to 69 different language dialects, some with only 53 speakers (Teko) and others with more than 400,000 (Tsetal). This current population extends within the territories of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

4- Food

Dishes as popular as corn tortillas, chili and guacamole are another legacy that the Mayans have left us. Many of them are still present in Mexican gastronomy.

5- Architecture

The Mayans built numerous buildings, with a population much larger than the current one in the same area. Among them, the south of Palenque (Belize) stands out, with cities like Xunantunich.

They also documented their history by engraving on stone with their writing, many of which were destroyed by the Spanish under the belief that they were heresies.

Cities like Tikal had a population between 50 and 60 thousand people, in an area without drinking water, using canals to use rainwater. Holes were made in the stone to store food. When these were recently discovered, they still had seeds inside.

6- Agriculture

The Mayan agricultural system is very interesting. It is based on growing grains, corn and stacking the leaves. Grain and corn are complementary sources of protein. The grain provides the soil with the nitrogen that the corn takes. The stacked leaves protect the soil from rain and sun.

Experts think that very long periods of rain forced the Mayans to spread throughout Central America, leaving their cities.

7- Technology

The construction of Mayan buildings goes beyond placing stone on stone. They knew concepts like stress and fatigue of materials.

When the Spanish arrived in America, they found the traces of the great Mayan civilizations in a state of abandonment. What little is known about them is thanks to excavations and the interpretation of their writings and drawings.

Despite having a very complex calendar and number system, they did not discover the wheel nor did they have an alphabet. However, they had the first language that could be spoken and written known in Americe.

8- Art

The Mayans were one of the first civilizations in which the creators of paintings and sculptures left their signatures engraved. Only remains of ceramics and murals are preserved, where the beauty and color of his work can be appreciated.

9- Policy

Mayan society consisted of a small state whose chief inherited power. The kingdoms were a large city with its surroundings.

There were larger kingdoms that ruled more extensive territories, with names that did not necessarily correspond to a specific locality. This system dominated until AD 900 when Mayan society collapsed.

10- Astronomy

Thanks to their astronomical observations, the Mayans had a calendar of 365 days and a fraction, they knew the Venusian year of 260 days, and a mythical beginning of time located 3114 years before Christ. Based on this they could predict solar eclipses.

Current problems with the Mayan culture

Despite the efforts to preserve the Mayan culture, they have been the object of discrimination and prejudice today.

Culturally, books, films and documentaries have been written to spread the knowledge and way of life of the Mayans.

They have asserted their rights to express and practice their religion, speak their language and preserve their traditions, before the Mexican authorities. Currently there are groups in Chiapas, in southern Mexico, that demand autonomy

References

1. Suter, K. and Buell, S. (1999). Stanford University: The Mayan Civilization. Recovered from: web.stanford.edu.
2. The cultural legacy and history of the Maya civilization (2015). Recovered from: blog.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.
3. The Maya Civilization. Recovered from: timemaps.com.
4. The Maya Heritage. Recovered from: culturalsurvival.org.
5. Walker, T. (2012). Independent: What have the Mayans ever done for us… apart from predict the end of the world ?. Recovered from: independent.co.uk.