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The Maya Culture The Maya Culture accomplished," Restall said. "But this led to a Continued from Page 31 lot of myth-making and ultimately we lost sight of who the Mayans really are. The idea behind a book like The Maya World is not to romanticize SOCIETY, ECONOMY AND POLITICS a people, but to see how they truly lived their The Mayan world consisted of many lives, how they conducted their affairs day in city-states that shared language, religion and and day out." customs. On the whole, despite ritualistic Besides demystifying the Mayans, human sacrifices, their culture seemed to be less Restall said, The Maya World focuses on a violent and more artistic than other large period less examined than the pre-Columbian civilizations of this period. and modern eras of Mayan history. By the time The ancient Maya used what is called a of Spain's conquest of Mexico in the mid-16th "slash and burn" technique to clear a forest and century, he said, the Mayans had shifted to establish agriculture. This allowed them to northward from their earlier, more well-known stop migrating and develop cities. Their main settlements in Guatemala to the Yucatan crops were maize, beans, beans, squash and peninsula. During this colonial period, the tobacco. Mayans adapted the Roman alphabet to their Mayan society was arranged according own language for keeping legal and other to a strict hierarchy. Nobles and kings had a records, and it was this material Restall used as great deal of power, as did priests. Slave the basis for the book. ownership was quite common. "The Spanish colonization did have an Trade was an important feature of effect, but this was still very much a Mayan Mayan society. The Mayan used the Caribbean culture," Restall said. "That is why it was so to connect one part of their empire to other important to look through the records from this parts. Around 300 BC the Maya started setting period. You see that some terms convey up a large system of trade over water (also using multiple meanings which the colonialists' rivers), and developed many sea routes. For language simply cannot describe. Using the centuries after that period in time there were indigenous language sources and the wealthy merchants who used large canoes to terminology as it was, you can reconstruct the trade a variety of goods, such as salt, animal Myths Of The Maya society and culture." pelts, feathers, cacao, gold, honey, cloth, knives, For example, Restall explains, the etc. The merchants even had their own god and Mayan word "cah" (which can only be protector (Ek Chuah). Historian Restall says popular image of translated loosely as a self-governing Those who are descended from the an exotic and violent society overlooks community) was critical to describing their Maya find themselves a minority throughout a rich, complicated culture community organization, but the term was Central America, and have been subject to much largely ignored by historians relying on political repression. They are also quite often By Sean Smith imprecise translations from the Spanish poor, with few rights. Many Mayans today do Staff Writer colonists. Similarly, he said, Spaniards did not not have access to good health care or have a firm understanding of Mayan class education. The familiar image of the Mayans as a structure, thus creating more gaps in their Many Maya from Guatemala have also mysterious, exotic society is cultivated through accounts of the period. had to flee the country as refugees during the popular magazine articles and TV Restall, however, combed through 65 last decades due to civil wars and conflict. documentaries. But, says Asst. Prof. Matthew wills from a Mayan community in the 1760s Thousands have died at the hands of killing Restall (History), that image is largely mythical. and was able to identify the socioeconomic squads, civil war and other violence. Most have "Mayans have been thought of as peace-loving classes and their relationships with one another. fled to the United States, Mexico and Canada. 'priest kings' who built pyramids and wrote The class structure was not especially distinct, Many have also had to move from their homes hieroglyphs," Restall explained, "or violent, he said, and rather than resembling "a tidy in Guatemala because large logging companies war-like people who engaged in human pyramid was more like a five-story building have cut down parts of the rain forest, taking sacrifice. Then, the story goes, suddenly the with a pyramid on top." away the livelihood of these people. whole society collapsed and disappeared." "There were definitely families that Restall tells a far different, and less were rich and powerful, but the distribution of CULTURE sensational, story in his forthcoming book The wealth was not grossly unequal," Restall said. Ancient Mayan culture was one of the Maya World: Yucatec Culture and Society, "There was a lot of intermarrying within class most advanced anywhere in the world. The 1550-1850 . Translating archival material from levels and the transition from one level to Mayans were skilled potters, weavers, original Mayan language, Restall has another was imprecise. This was certainly not a architects, sculptors and painters. Their many constructed a social and cultural history of the caste society." temples, pyramids and palaces were beautifully Mayans during the period they were under Restall also found other aspects of decorated and have survived the test of time. Spanish colonial rule. The book describes Mayan society more elaborate or complex than They are now major tourist attractions. household and family relations, gender roles, in previous descriptions. Mayan weaving is very popular class structures, sociopolitical organization, and "Mayans were originally depicted as throughout the world and one can find Mayan other aspects of Mayans' everyday life. centering their life around religion," he blankets, backpacks, purses, wallets, etc. in any The Maya World represents a departure explained. "In fact, their maintaining of saint country of the Western world. from most traditional approaches to Mayan cults was only one of many ways they affirmed The Maya were one of the most research, Restall says, and aims to put the their community. There are a lot of details advanced societies anywhere in the world when Mayans in a more realistic light. provided by the Mayan documents which in and it came to their scientific developments, Asst. Prof. Matthew Restall (History)- of themselves do not fundamentally alter especially mathematics, medicine and "Mayans were originally depicted as centering popular views, but together add up to a different astronomy. For instance, they developed the their life around religion. In fact, their picture." concept of the number zero and various other maintaining of saint cults was only one of many Seen this way, he said, Mayans "emerge mathematical theories. ways they affirmed their community." (Photo by as a people we can better relate to, more human The Mayan language was also a highly Gary Gilbert) than before, really. We don't have to view them developed form of hieroglyphics, and is still "People have been interested in the as especially noble or savage. Looking at a spoken, although Spanish is now the dominant Mayans, I think, because we are fascinated by society as they look at themselves gives a far language in the countries where the Maya live. the idea of a civilization so extremely clearer image." []