Mayan Mania!

Few places in the world offer such rich connections from the present to the past than Guatemala. There the indigenous people can trace their roots directly back to an ancient civilization, one that was strong and prosperous well before Europeans ever considered that lands existed across the Atlantic.

The ancient Mayans created an empire that spanned the area known today as southern Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, and Guatemala. With a developed method of writing, an advanced understanding of mathematics and astronomy, a calendar system, and as well as a striking artistic aesthetic and ingenious architectural style, the Mayan culture is a ripe educational topic for your students.

Once a mysterious shadow peaking out from stone glyphs and ruins, the history of the ancient Mayans is today well understood. We know that the Mayans used the concept of "zero" in their mathematical calculations far before other civilizations. We can read the complex system of hieroglyphic symbols that make up the rich Mayan language. We understand how the Mayans calculated their calendar, with specific rituals tied to cycle of 260 days, a solar calendar that counted a 365 day year, and a five day period (considered very unlucky) inserted. We can even read what the Mayans wrote about themselves by reviewing a document known as the Popul Vuh, which tells stories and legends of the ancient people.

The ancient Mayan civilization provides an excellent opportunity for educators to integrate their curricula. Science teachers will find many applications to astronomy and climate studies and mathematics teachers will have fun explaining the Mayan system of numbers and creating problems for their students to solve using ancient symbols. Literature and reading teachers will enjoy discussing Mayan legends, and geography and history teachers will have an abundance of material to choose from in regards to ancient and contemporary political situations. Physical education instructors will "have a ball" trying to replicate the ancient Mayan court games (except the losers will not be sacrificed to the gods). Art teachers will find the architecture, sculpture, paintings, costumes, and textiles of the ancient Mayans a treasure trove of new ideas for the classroom.

Today Guatemala is awash with the bright colors of the traditional fabrics woven by the native Mayan people. Each village has its own characteristic designs, making the clothing people wear a symbol of their community connection and pride. Women weave these rich textiles into blouses called huipiles. These also carry regional markings and can be used to identify people as members of specific villages. Symbols such as the courageous Quetzal bird are found incorporated into many Guatemalan designs. See related Speaker Series topic.

Many fantastic sites can be found on the Internet that will provide information about the daily life of the ancient Mayans.

See http://www.astro.uva.nl/michielb/maya/astro.html for information relating to Mayan astronomy and mathematics,

http://www.halfmoon.org for how to write your name in Mayan hieroglyphics and much more, and

http://gnn.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Cultures/Mayan for a listing of other resources on Mayan culture.