Maya Civilization: Key Figures, Religion, and Archaeological Sites

Diego de Landa

16th-century friar; documented Maya culture; burned codices; wrote Relación de las Cosas de Yucatán.

Brasseur de Bourbourg

Missionary-scholar; published Popol Vuh; rediscovered De Landa's manuscript.

Sylvanus Morley

Early scholar; thought script was ideographic; slowed decipherment.

J. Eric Thompson

Dominant scholar; denied phonetics in script; believed writing was cosmic.

Yuri Knorosov

Proved phonetic component of script using De Landa + codices.

Tatiana Proskouriakoff

Showed inscriptions recorded historical events (births, accessions, deaths).

Heinrich Berlin

Identified emblem glyphs naming cities/dynasties.

Constantine Rafinesque

First identified Maya dots = 1, bars = 5.

Cosmology

Maya understanding of universe (world tree, Xibalba, heavens).

Iconography

Symbolic imagery used in Maya art and writing.

Milpas

Rotating agricultural fields for maize and crops.

Corbelled Arch

False arch made by stacked stones; bulky and narrow inside.

Tri-Lobe

Royal symbol found on elite masks.

Polytheism

Belief in many gods (Maya religion).

Bloodletting

Elite ritual drawing blood to summon visions; uses stingray spines/obsidian.

Lady Xoc

Elite woman depicted performing bloodletting at Yaxchilán.

Sacrifice

Ritual killings in caves, cenotes, temples, ballcourts.

Xibalba

Maya underworld.

Chaac

Rain god (God B).

Itzamnaaj

Creator deity (God D).

K'awiil

Lightning/royal god (God K).

K'inich Ahau

Sun god (God G).

Hun Ixim

Maize god.

Ix Chel

Goddess of childbirth/weaving.

Kukulcan

Feathered serpent deity (Postclassic).

Monkey Scribes

Patron gods of art/writing; brothers of Hero Twins.

Hero Twins

Mythic twins who defeat Xibalba lords; linked to ballgame.

Ballgame

Ritual sport symbolizing cosmic struggle.

Archaeoastronomy

Study of ancient astronomical knowledge.

Puuc Cities

Postclassic northern cities with mosaic façades (Uxmal, Kabah).

Chichén Itzá

Major Postclassic city; Maya-Toltec architecture; Warrior cult.

Mayapán

Walled city ruled by Kokom dynasty.