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Research Paper
Research Paper
ANTH 1100
Jeremy Ryan
Introduction
The Maya were very successful people, with large city structures and complex water
management systems. Trade was very important to Maya culture as evident by the trade of
obsidian and the ceramic trade in Tikal. The Maya were also very spiritual shown in their use of
jade and the funerary pyramid temples. Tikal was a large powerful Maya city that has evidence
of a merchant economy. Palenque displays how the Maya had excellent problem-solving skills to
deal with the detriments that came with the nearby landscape and water abundance.
General Information on Classic Maya
The Maya descended from hunter-gatherer ancestors who eventually moved into the
nearby lowlands to start farms. These farms in the lowlands were the start of the Maya
civilization. In a span of a few hundred years, the Maya became heavily settled and began to
build large structures such as pyramids. The Maya were also able to make use of the nearby
elevations for farming and water management. Maya structures have numerous glyphic
obsidian, its no wonder that obsidian tools were often traded with other civilizations throughout
Mesoamerica. Varying amounts of obsidian tools have been found in different areas, this
suggests that there was a distribution system. Places with high amounts of found obsidian tools
were either close to the source of extraction or were trade hubs in the distribution system.
Obsidian tools and artifacts were used in a variety of tasks, these include sacrifices, shaving,
Jade and objects made out of jade are large aspects of Maya religion and beliefs. There
are many jade artifacts found in Maya archaeological sites, these artifacts are usually in the form
of sculptures or figurines. The sculptures and figurines depict a variety of subjects, ranging from
humanoid figures, a lot of which depict deities or rulers, to various animals. Similarly to the
Olmec and the Aztec, the Maya saw Jade as a symbol for wind. Wind was considered the bringer
of rain, therefore making Jade a symbol for life. In the rituals for some Classic Maya rulers, jade
was placed in the mouth of the ruler at the time of their death. When this ritual was performed, it
was believed that the jade then on held the soul of the deceased ruler. The Olmec and the Aztec
Tikal’s ruins are located in the rainforests of Guatemala, and is home to one of the largest
Maya archaeological sites. At its prime, Tikal was one of the most powerful Maya cities. There
are varying estimates on Tikal’s population, ranging from 10,000 to 300,000 people. More
Tikal consists of four major causeways, three of which lead directly to the center of the
city. The site consists of multiple temples and structures. Similarly to Egyptian pyramids, the
temples in Tikal were often dedicated to Tikal rulers and their families. There were usually
tombs filled with jade offerings inside the temples. Temple I was dedicated to Jasaw Chan
K’awil, while Temple II was dedicated to his wife, and Temple IV was dedicated to his son.
Temple IV stood as the largest structure in the Maya region until around 800 AD. Inside and
around the temples are a plethora of lintels and stelae that depict a mixture of ruler and deity
figures. There was also a local limestone quarry that allowed for easier construction.
Those who farmed for their occupation resided in the outskirts or outside of Tikal, this is
due to the inner portions of Tikal lacking the space required for farming and agriculture.
Residences on the outskirts of Tikal were more spread out, giving more of a rural type of
lifestyle which was better for farmers. Residences became more compact the closer they got to
Tikal’s center, making it more of an urban lifestyle. A few locations near Tikal’s center have
been found that are thought to have been for ceramic production. Located in the ceramic
production sites are high volumes of ceramic goods. It is suggested that ceramic goods were
distributed using a market system. This would indicate that Tikal had a market economy, where
merchants would gather in a public space to trade for various good. This type of economy is still
Palenque was uninhabited when the Spanish arrived in the city. The name Palenque was
given by the Spanish, when translated it means a fenced in defensive post. Palenque was also
referred to as Lakamha by the Maya, which translates into “Big Water”. Palenque began as a
small community and experienced expansive growth by the seventh century. Palenque is
considered to be a medium sized city, for reference, Palenque is smaller than Tikal. The
Because of the steep terrain, the architecture in Palenque had to be adapted, this ended up
creating a more constricted architectural layout. Nearby were a number of spring fed streams,
these also made it difficult for building residences and structures. Referring to the name “Big
Water”, water was very abundant through springs and through the high amounts of rain fall.
Although water was constantly available as a resource, it was also often an issue in the form of
flooding and erosion. The Palenque residents modified their environmental surroundings to
reroute water. Their plazas were built on top of natural formed springs, while the water ran
through underground pathways, this allowed for a significant increase in the city’s size. Flooding
in agricultural fields was solved by digging drainage ditches to reroute the water. These complex
water management systems are intuitive and unique when compared to other Maya cities, but
most other cities had less rainfall and a more level topography.
Like the pyramids and temples in Tikal, the ones found in Palenque are also for funerary
purposes and dedicated to nobles. The Temple of the Inscriptions is built upon a large step
pyramid that houses the tomb of the leader Pakal. The inscriptions on the temple depict almost
200 years of Palenque history. The Temple of the Cross complex consists of three pyramids with
The Maya had a complex but organized culture that displayed high levels of spirituality
and ingenuity. The Maya had the amazing abilities to adapt to and even overcome topographical
and ecological problems. The temples and tombs in Tikal and Palenque display a high level of
respect for not only their rulers, but also for the dead. The Maya were resourceful and were
highly skilled craftspeople, most notably with obsidian and ceramic goods. The Maya had an
understanding of economies and business, this is especially evident by the merchant economy in
Tikal. Palenque displays the Maya ability to engineer solutions to allow them to thrive in
unconventional situations.
Bibliography
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