The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period (c. 2000 BC to AD 250), according to the Mesoamerican chronology, many Maya cities reached their highest state of development during the Classic period (c. AD 250 to 900), and continued throughout the Post-Classic period until the arrival of the Spanish.
The Maya civilization shares many features with other Mesoamerican civilizations due to the high degree of interaction and cultural diffusion that characterized the region. Advances such as writing, epigraphy, and the calendar did not originate with the Maya; however, their civilization fully developed them. Maya influence can be detected from Honduras, Guatemala, and western El Salvador to as far away as central Mexico, more than 1,000 km (620 mi) from the Maya area. Many outside influences are found in Maya art and architecture, which are thought to result from trade and cultural exchange rather than direct external conquest.
Civilization (or civilisation) is a sometimes controversial term that has been used in several related ways. Primarily, the term has been used to refer to the material and instrumental side of human cultures that are complex in terms of technology, science, and division of labor. Such civilizations are generally hierarchical and urbanized. In a classical context, people were called "civilized" to set them apart from barbarians, while in a modern-day context, "civilized peoples" have been contrasted with primitive peoples.
There is a tendency to use the term in a less strict way, to mean approximately the same thing as "culture" and therefore, the term can more broadly refer to any important and clearly defined human society.[citation needed] Still, even when used in this second sense, the word is often restricted to apply only to societies that have attained a particular level of advancement-especially the founding of cities.
The level of advancement of a civilization is often measured by its progress in agriculture, long-distance trade, occupational specialization, a special governing class and urbanism. Aside from these core elements, a civilization is often marked by any combination of a number of secondary elements, including a developed transportation system, writing, standardized measurement, currency, contractual and (tort-based) legal systems, characteristic art and architecture, mathematics, enhanced scientific understanding, metallurgy, political structures, and an astronomical understanding.
Mysteries of the Ancient Maya Civilization Documentary
Lost Kingdoms Of Ancient Maya Civilization
SECRETS OF ARCHAEOLOGY: Lost Cities Of The Maya (Ancient History Documentary)
The Rise And Fall - Mayan Civilisation
CRACKING THE MAYAN CODE - NOVA - Discovery/History/Science (documentary)
Mayan Civilization | Maya Are People (1951) | Rare Documentary
The Maya People
The ancient Maya civilization
National Geographic Live! - Palenque and the Ancient Maya World
Mayans - The Greatest Civilization in History
Kiva Fellow in the Field: "Who were the Mayans?"
Civilization V: Gods and Kings - The Mayans - Episode 1 ...Lay of the Land...
Civilization 5 Brave New World Let's Play Deity as Mayans - Part 1
SUPER SCIENCE of the MAYA - Beyond Space & Time - 3-HOUR MOVIE MARATHON
Mysteries of the Ancient Maya Civilization Documentary
Lost Kingdoms Of Ancient Maya Civilization
SECRETS OF ARCHAEOLOGY: Lost Cities Of The Maya (Ancient History Documentary)
The Rise And Fall - Mayan Civilisation
CRACKING THE MAYAN CODE - NOVA - Discovery/History/Science (documentary)
Mayan Civilization | Maya Are People (1951) | Rare Documentary
The Maya People
The ancient Maya civilization
National Geographic Live! - Palenque and the Ancient Maya World
Mayans - The Greatest Civilization in History
Kiva Fellow in the Field: "Who were the Mayans?"
Civilization V: Gods and Kings - The Mayans - Episode 1 ...Lay of the Land...
Civilization 5 Brave New World Let's Play Deity as Mayans - Part 1
SUPER SCIENCE of the MAYA - Beyond Space & Time - 3-HOUR MOVIE MARATHON
The Decline of Classic Maya Civilization: A Systems Perspective
Lecture: "The Mysteries of the Ancient Maya Civilization and the Apogee of Art in the Americas"
Maya Civilization
What happened to the Mayan civilization?
Protectors of the Maya Civilization
Lost Civilization Maya 1 of 6
A great Mayan civilization. Ancient Aliens.
Civilization 5 - The Maya - Part 1
Lost Kingdoms of the Maya