The heyday of Maya civilization was during the 1st millennium AD.¹⁾

The rapid collapse of the Maya civilization, in turn, occurred in the ninth century. This collapse had something of the apocalypse about it. Maya religious centers disappeared, cities were abandoned, and the steles (stone slabs) on which the Maya recorded important dates and holidays were vaporized. ²⁾

The basis of the Maya economy was agriculture. ³⁾

The Maya did not know animal husbandry well. ⁴⁾

The Maya mainly grew maize and beans. ⁵⁾

The gods the Maya believed in were personified by the forces of nature. ⁶⁾

The Mayans believed in an afterlife. ⁷⁾

Corn was prepared in several ways to back then. For example, atole (a slurry similar to our porridge, to which pieces of fruit were added), posol (a semi-liquid dough), tamale (a vegetable, sometimes meat stew), tortillas (thin cakes baked on hot stones). ⁸⁾

Chocolate in liquid form was called the “royal drink” because only the aristocracy consumed this beverage. ⁹⁾

Cocoa beans were currency at local Mayan markets. ¹⁰⁾

Wealthy Mayans were posthumously fashioned masks of jade. These were to give them an “eternal face”. ¹¹⁾

The Maya cultivated the chickle (sap) tree, whose sap is now used to make chewing gum. ¹²⁾

The Maya made weapons primarily from flint and obsidian, a crystalline enamel of volcanic origin. ¹³⁾

Appearance and fashion were important to the Maya. Women wore numerous ornaments and colorful and bright outfits. Men painted their bodies and, after marriage, entrained their bodies with tattoos. ¹⁴⁾

The Mayan calendar, consisting of 360 days, was called the Haab. Additionally, they created a calendar with five days that they considered unlucky. They called this “unlucky” calendar the Uayeb. ¹⁵⁾