Maya Civilisation Video - Key Terms (Vocabulary)

Vocabulary flashcards covering foods, sites, people, calendars, warfare, and modern context from the Maya civilization notes.

Chocolate

Cacao seeds roasted by the Maya to make hot chocolate; used as a ceremonial elixir and mood enhancer, not as candy with sugar and milk.

Avocados (Guacamole)

Avocado originated in southern Mexico/Guatemala and was a treasured Maya crop; Antigua Guatemala residents are called panza verde (green belly) due to reliance on avocados.

Poc Chuc

Yucatecan dish of slow-cooked pork preserved with salt, tempered with sour orange juice and vinegar, topped with onions sautéed with coriander and a bit of sugar.

Michelada (Chelada)

Beer flavored with lime, coarse salt, pepper, and often Worcestershire and/or Tabasco; sometimes soy sauce or Maggi; served in a salt-rimmed glass.

Corn Tortillas

Handmade tortillas cooked on a comal; three to four inches across, thicker than typical North American tortillas, integral to the Maya diet.

Comal

A big wood-fired iron or clay pan used to cook tortillas.

Masa (Corn Dough)

Corn dough central to Maya cuisine; creation myth says people were made of masa.

Tamales

Tamales made from masa harina, filled with meat, vegetables, or cheese, wrapped in corn husks or leaves, steamed and topped with salsa.

Traditional Breakfast (Desayuno)

Typical Maya breakfast of scrambled eggs, black beans, fried plantains, queso blanco, rich local coffee, and warm yellow corn tortillas.

Coffee (Maya Production)

Coffee often grown under shade; plantation tours show fields, shade-grown practices, drying, processing, and a cup of café.

agua de Jamaica (Jamaica)

Hibiscus flower drink served in cantinas; high in vitamin C and a refreshing summer beverage.

Horchata

Refreshing drink blending rice milk, ground almonds, cinnamon and sugar; variations may include chufa, vanilla, or barley; pairs with spicy food.

Authentic Tamales (Maya)

Tamales made from masa harina with various fillings, wrapped and steamed; sold door-to-door in many Maya regions.

Camera Lucida

Optical drawing device used by Catherwood to project an image onto paper for accurate renderings.

Frederick Catherwood

English artist-architect (1799–1854) famed for detailed Maya ruins drawings; collaborated with Stephens on Incidents of Travel.

John Lloyd Stephens

American explorer, writer, and diplomat who helped rediscover Maya civilization and organized Central American exploration; wrote Incidents of Travel.

Copán

Maya archaeological site in Honduras; among the first sites documented by Catherwood and Stephens; famous for its inscriptions and artwork.

Palenque

Maya city with impressive architecture and inscriptions, studied by early explorers.

Topoxte/Tayasal

Maya cities mentioned in the exploration of Maya civilization; Topoxte and Tayasal as notable sites.

Tikal

Major Classic Maya city-state in Guatemala; one of the most powerful Maya centers in the Lowlands.

Quiriguá (Quirigua)

Maya site explored and documented by Catherwood; known for its carvings and stelae.

Dos Pilas

Maya site noted for its walls and role in warfare during the Classic period.

Caracol

Important Maya city-state in Belize; engaged in power struggles with other sites like Calakmul and Tikal.

Ek’ Balam

Yucatán Maya city known for concentric defensive walls and monumental architecture.

Sacbes

Maya causeways or highways linking cities, indicating sustained long-distance trade.

Ball Game

Ceremonial sport played in Maya cities; sometimes linked to warfare and sacrifice in victories.

Flower Wars

Aztec-practice of ritualized warfare used as a model when discussing Maya warfare motivations (combat/prison capture).

Maya Calendar

Three interlocking calendars used by the Maya: Long Count, Tzolkin, and Haab; operated together in the Calendar Round.

Long Count

Astronomical calendar tracking long periods; 2,880,000 days per cycle; 13 baktuns per Great Cycle.

Tzolkin

260-day divine calendar with 20 day names and 13 numbers; cycles repeat every 260 days.

Haab

365-day solar calendar with 18 months of 20 days plus a 5-day short month (Uayeb); months are glyph-identified.

Calendar Round

52-year cycle created by the interlocking Tzolkin and Haab calendars.

Kin

Maya unit: 1 day.

Uinal

20 kin (days); a unit in the Long Count.

Tun

18 Uinal = 360 days in the Long Count.

Katun

20 Tun = 7,200 days in the Long Count.

Baktun

20 Katun = 144,000 days; a major unit in the Long Count.

Great Cycle

13 Baktuns; about 1,872,000 days or roughly 5,125.36 years; the major span of the Long Count.

Maya Preclassic Period

Early Maya phase (circa 1800 B.C. to 1000 B.C.) when villages formed and major cities began; subsistence agriculture and rising trade.

Late Preclassic Period

Period (roughly 300 B.C. to 300 A.D.) with temple construction, rich tombs, and long-distance trade for jade/obsidian.

Early Classic Period

Phase (300–600 A.D.) of advances in astronomy, mathematics, architecture; Teotihuacán influence evident.

Late Classic Period

Peak of Maya culture (600–900 A.D.) with powerful city-states like Tikal and Calakmul; widespread warfare and trade.

Post-classic Period

800–900 A.D. decline of southern Maya cities; northern cities like Uxmal and Chichén Itzá prosper; continued trade and codices.

Teotihuacán Influence

Teotihuacán style pottery and architecture spread to Maya city-states during the Classic Period.

Ahau (King)

Ruler or king who often led warfare and governed Maya city-states.

Sacbes (Maya Highways)

Stone-built or stone-paved roads connecting Maya cities, facilitating trade.

Caste War of Yucatán

185-? 1846–1848 era uprising; Maya in Yucatán fought against Mexican authority, leading to violence and dispossession.

Rigoberta Menchú

Quiché Maya activist from Guatemala; Nobel Peace Prize in 1992; prominent advocate for indigenous rights.

Bartolomé de Las Casas

Spanish reformist who argued for native rights in colonial courts.

2012 End-of-the-World Claim

Misinterpretation that the Maya calendar predicted the world’s end at the Winter Solstice in 2012.

The Maya Today

Contemporary Maya communities in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and northern Honduras; preserving language, dress, religion, and engaging in tourism.

Maya Codices (Postclassic Codices)

Four surviving Maya codices were produced during the Postclassic period.