The tools most frequently used by the Mayans were communication tools -glyphs-, calendar, rocks such as shale, obsidian and jadeite, spears and stone axes.
The Mayans were one of the most important Mesoamerican and pre-Columbian civilizations. The ancient Maya populated part of Central America, specifically the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras.
The history of the Mayans is divided into three specific eras: the pre-classical (1000 - 250 BC), the classical (250 BC - 900 AD) and the post-classical (900 - 1561 AD).
After the arrival of Christopher Columbus its population decreased. Despite that, there are many Mayans today, around 800 thousand.
For a long time the Mayans remained united, until some of them decided to emigrate to other lands. They were mobilized to 60 different places.
Each place was a kingdom with its own ruler. Due to its establishment in different geographical areas, the Mayan civilization was not completely homogeneous.
Each kingdom had characteristics that differentiated it from the others. What united each of these peoples was their culture. The Maya were polytheists. They also shared the same way of writing and measuring time.
Some historians consider the Maya to be one of the most advanced civilizations of antiquity.
The Mayans developed large buildings and their own system of agriculture. None of these advances would have been possible without the use of the tools they developed.
The reasons that the Mayans had to create tools had to do with some specific work: agriculture, architecture, war, communication or veneration of their Gods.
Tools for communication
The calendar with glyphs is one of the most relevant contributions of this civilization. The Mayans used their wisdom in recognizing the stars in order to measure time.
Thanks to this measurement, they were able to establish religious celebrations, the arrival and duration of the rainy period and hunting. For them this calendar could forecast the destiny of people
Unlike the other calendars, the Mayan calendar uses pictures instead of numbers. These illustrations are known as glyphs.
This calendar has two simultaneous time counts: the sacred, or Tzolkin, and the civil, or Haab. The Tzolkin has 260 divided into 20 months and the Haab has 365 days divided into 18 months.
Tools for agriculture
The materials that the Mayans used to create their tools did not vary much. They did not use metals because their use was not crowded.
They used rocks such as shale, obsidian, and jadeite. They were extremely simple tools, they did not have much decoration.
These tools were designed to reduce work time when sowing. One of the techniques most used by the Mayans was to cut and burn the plantations.
Water storage was very important during the drought. The Mayans used wells, they called them tz'onot. The water was carried to the plantations through canals.
Tools for war
Mayan warriors made their weapons with wood, stone, flint blades and obsidian. The b'aj were spears, stone axes, and obsidian.
In addition to spears, they also used blowguns, javelins, slings, and the bow and arrow. These weapons bore the name Jul. They used hornets' nests as special bombs to disperse the enemy.
His favorite weapons were bifacial pointed spears that were made of obsidian. They wore hardened cotton armor. The decoration of their clothing was also very important, some used feathers and animal skins.
Tools for architecture
The tools to create buildings were made with materials such as volcanic rock or durable minerals. The city of Chichén Itzá, one of its main cities, was built without the need for metal tools.
In Chichén Itzá is the temple of Kukulcán. To create this building, the Mayans used chisels made of obsidian and black jadeite. Some pieces of this structure were created from stone. Mayan temples reflect a lot of solidity.
References
- RAPP LEARN, J. (2016). Ancient Maya Bloodletting Tools or Common Kitchen Knives? How Archaeologists Tell the Difference. Recovered from: smithsonianmag.com
- STAEGER, R. (2014). Native American Tools and Weapons. Recovered from: smithsonianmag.com
- SPIELVOGEL. J. (2009). Universal history. Western civilization. Volume 1. Editorial: Cencage Learning. Mexico.
- Current Self-Study Encyclopedia: History of Humanity. Zamora Editores LTDA. Colombia.