maya history

. In general, researchers tend to split the Maya into the Highland Maya and Lowland Maya.

Early Periods (2500-1000 BC) Beans and maize as part of generalized hunting and natural goods gathering.

Middle Periods (1000-400 BC) Full-fledged farming, traded goods such as obsidian, jade and exotic feathers, Olmec contacts, Nakbe between 600-400 BC.

Late Periods (400 BC-250 AD) Constructed the frist massive palaces at Nakbe and El Mirador in what is now northern Guatemala. Large stone sculptures and fancy burials appeared, and engaged in widespread warfare.

Classic (250-900 AD) A writing system developed, calendars and royal lineages at Copan and Tikal. Connections with Teotihuacan and Kaminaljuyu. Populations believed to peak at almost 100 per sq. km. Paramount kings and polities at Tikal, Calakmul, Caracol and Dos Pilas.

Post-Classic (900-1500 AD) Some centers abandoned, written records decrease, Puuc hill country flourishes. Some rural towns continue to prosper until the Spanish arrived in 1517.

Maya Timeline

This is a basic look into the evolution of the Maya from the perspective of time. The information in this format was gathered from literally hundreds of sources and years of research by the author. They are best guess dates, however, any one of these dates could start a quarrel at a cocktail party where educated guests are invited, so be careful. Also, as research continues dates shown here clearly will change. Facts represented herein are based on current information, for example, the findings of carbon dating at Cuello recently moved the start date of the Maya back 600 years. This dramatic change was based on one new piece of information.

B.C

3114 B.C. On August 12th, the world is created, according to the Maya Long Count. (Latest discoveries indicate earlier dates than shown here).

2600 B.C. Maya civilization begins to form. Cuello, in Belize, is occupied by the Maya.

2000 B.C. Peak of the Olmec civilization.

1500 B.C. Start of the Pre-Classic period. Lamanai, in Belize, is occupied by the Maya.

700 B.C. Writing is developed in Mesoamerica.

400 B.C. The earliest known solar calendars carved in stone are in used by the Maya, although they may have been used by the Maya before this date.

400 B.C. Pieces of pottery correspond to this date at Palenque and Ek Balam.

300 B.C. The Maya adopt a hierarchical society ruled by nobles and kings. Maya cities Tikal, Uaxactún, Abaj Takalik, Dzibilchaltún, El Mirador, Cerros, Acanceh and Maní are created. It is probable that the Maya calendar was completed into its final form.

100 B.C. The city of Teotihuacan is founded.

A.D.

100 A.D. The decline of the Olmecs.

150 A.D. Emergence of the Río Bec style of architecture in Becán, Xpuhil and Chicanná.

200 A.D. The Classic period starts.

292 A.D. Maya date recorded on stela 29 at Tikal.

300 A.D. Cities along the Usumacinta River, Yaxchilán, Kaminaljuyu and Piedras Negras are built.

400 A.D. The Maya highlands fall to Teotihuacan, and the disintegration of Maya culture and language begins in some parts of the highlands.

500 A.D. The Maya city of Tikal becomes the first great Maya city.

600 A.D. An unknown event destroys the civilization at Teotihuacan. Tikal becomes the largest Maya city with as many as 500,000 inhabitants. Palenque reaches its peak.

683 A.D. Pacal dies and is buried in the Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque.

738 A.D. Copán is conquered by Quiriguá and Copán's king is captured.

751 A.D. Long-standing Maya alliances begin to break down. Trade between Maya city-states declines, and inter-state conflict increases.

800 A.D. Toltecs invade Chichén Itzá. Oxkintok reaches its peak becoming a major power in the northern lowlands. Cobá reaches its peak and becomes a major power in the east. The beginning of the end for the southern cities as they go into major decline and many are abandoned.

869 A.D. Construction ceases in Tikal, marking the beginning of the city's decline.

899 A.D. Tikal is abandoned.

900 A.D. Classic Period ends, with the collapse of the southern lowland cities. Maya cities in the northern Yucatán continue to thrive. The Post-Classic begins. Comalcalco's peak.

900 A.D. Terminal Classic begins and lasts until 1000 A.D. This era represents the collapse of the Classic Maya, especially in the Petén and along the Usumacinta river.

976 A.D. The Maya tradition became mixed with the Toltec.

1000 A.D. Decline of the Puuc region.

1194 A.D. A conflict between Chichén Itzá, Uxmal and Mayapán starts and Chichén Itzá is destroyed. The regional goverment is moved to Mayapán.

1200 A.D. Northern Maya cities begin to be abandoned. The Dresden Codex is written at Chichén Itzá between this date and 1250 A.D. Metallurgy appears at Chichén Itzá.

1224 A.D. The city of Chichén Itzá is abandoned by the Toltecs and the Itzá settle in the city.

1230 A.D. The Grolier Codex is written.

1244 A.D. The Itzá abandon Chichén Itzá for reasons unknown.

1263 A.D. The Itzá begin building the city of Mayapán.

1283 A.D. Mayapán becomes the civil capital of the Yucatán.

1441 A.D. The rebellion of Mayapán and the Xiu of Uxmal attacked Mayapan and massacre the Cocom.

1461 A.D. Mayapán is abandoned.

1470 A.D Iximché, Capital of the Chaquiels is created.

1511 A.D. Spaniards Gonzalo Guerrero Jerónimo de Aguilar are shipwrecked on the easter shore of Yucatán. Guerrero marries into a Maya noble family and becomes foe of the Spaniards. Aguilar goes on to serve as interpreter for Hernán Cortés.

1517 A.D. The Spanish, under Hernandez de Cordoba arrive on the shores of Yucatán. With the Spanish come smallpox, influenza and measles which kill 90 per cent of Mesoamerica's native populations before 1600.

1519 A.D. Hernán Cortés begins exploring Yucatán.

1524 A.D. Cortés meets the Itzá people, the last of the Maya people to remain unconquered. The Spanish leave the Itzá alone until the seventeenth century.

1528 A.D. The Spanish under Francisco de Montejo begin their conquest of the northern Maya. The Maya fight back keeping the Spanish at bay for several years.

1541 A.D. The Spanish are finally able to put an end to Maya resistance. Revolt continues, however, to plague the Spaniards off and on for the rest of the century. Tayasal becomes the last functioning Maya city, and remained independent until 1697 A.D.

1542 A.D. The Spanish establish a capital city at Mérida in Yucatán.

1554 A.D. The Popol Vuh is recorded by Quiché Maya rulers using Roman characters.

1605 A.D. The Annals of Cakchiquel were written in the Cakchiquel language. They are similar in content to the Popol Vuh.

1695 A.D. The ruins of Tikal are discovered by Spanish priest Father Avedaño and his companions, who had become lost in the jungle.

1712 A.D. The Maya of the Chiapas highlands rise against the Mexican government. The continue to do so even today.

1724 A.D. The Spanish Crown abolishes the right to forced Maya labor, as long as they agreed to convert the Maya to Christianity.

1821 A.D. Mexico becomes independent from Spain.

1822 A.D. Antonío del Río's explorations of Palenque is published in London. The book raises interest in exploration of the "lost" Maya civilization.

1839 A.D. John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood begin explorations into Maya regions.

1847 A.D. The Yucatán Maya rise up in the "war of the castes". The rebellion is so successful that the Maya almost manage to take over the entire Yucatan peninsula.

1850 A.D. The "talking cross" of Santa Cruz predicts a holy war against the whites. With arms supplied by the British in Belize, the Maya declare war. The fighting ends in 1901.

1860 A.D. The Yucatán Maya rebel again.

1864 A.D. Discovery of a jade plaque inscribed with a date of 320 A.D. by workers on the Caribbean coast of Guatemala.

1880 A.D. Mexican government attempts to force the Maya to become laborers on plantations.

1910 A.D. The Mexican Revolution is started by the Maya near Valladolid, Yucatan.

1946 A.D. American photographer Giles Healey becomes the first non-Maya ever to see Bonampak. Bonampak's elaborate wall paintings reveal new details about the Maya civilization.

1952 A.D. Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz discovers and excavates King Pacal's tomb at Palenque. It is believed to be the first tomb discovered inside a Maya pyramid. Before this date, Maya pyramids were believed to be used only for religious or ceremonial purposes.

1992 A.D. Guatemalan Rigoberta Menchu, a Quiché woman who lost most of her family to death squads and known for speaking out against massacres of the Maya people, wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

2012 A.D. December 21st the Maya calendar ends.

<>Currently people are showing more and more interest in Dec. 21st of 2012. Archaeologists, maya guides, and other enthusiasts have many theories and ideas on what will happen on Dec. 21st of 2012. One told often by guides says that on that date the world as we know it will end. One of the more acceptable theories is that the world will reach a point where man's bad influence on the earth will end and the good will begin.

The rare alignment of the planets is also believed to have an effect, possibly causing earthquakes, floods, etc.

After being abandoned by the Maya in 900 AD and overgrown by dense jungle. Tikal remained a mystery for centuries, Only a legend survived of a lost city.

It si believed that in 1848 Ambrosio Tut, a “chiclero” (collector of the original chewing gum sap) rediscovered the site.

Tut saw the temple’s roof combs in the distance through the tall trees and jungle growth. He quickly went to tell Modesto Mendez, the Governor of the Petén Province. When they arrived and saw the impressive temples, Soon afterwards they returned to the site with an artist who made drawing of a few of the carvings at Tikal. The info gathered was published by the Berlin Academy of Sciences in 1853.

Soon curious travelers and scholars started traveling from all over the world to see what had been discovered.

The first restorations were done by University of Pennsylvania in (1956-1970)

For more Tikal Info check http://www.famsi.org/research/tikal/index.html

More Maya info

University of Texas at Austin Archaeologist David Stuart's articles