Abstract This paper discusses the explorations and discoveries made at Copan in Honduras. Long thought of as the greatest example of ancient Mayan culture, Copan has been a wellspring of discoveries for archaeologists. The paper shows that not only did archaeologists find the longest line of Mayan text on the Hieroglyphic Stairway, but they also found a temple buried under a newer temple that is still completely intact. Several tombs were discovered, telling the lineage of the Copanecan dynasty.
From the Paper "The fascination with the Mayan civilization seems to grow greater as time goes on. Their ancient civilization seems far more advanced than what we today would expect of a people of that primitive time in history. Although there are many Mayan sites and cities spread throughout Central America, one of the most exciting cities to explore and discover the nature of the Mayan civilization is Copan. Copan serves as a great resource of Mayan information to both the scholar and the everyday fan of Mayan life."
Abstract This paper is an examination of Mayan architecture which emerged from the rainforests of Guatemala and Yucatan. The writer maintains that the detailed architecture was a fitting monument to the highly sophisticated civilization that existed in the region before the Spanish arrived. This look at the style of Mayan architecture includes a diagram highlighting the areas of construction in Copan. The paper argues that Mayan culture was more than a collection of buildings in that every aspect of architecture was linked to the sacred world around. In conclusion the writer explains that the temple pyramid which symbolizes Mayan architectural skill is also a statement of their cosmographic ideas. Everything has a beginning and end. Everything is the beginning and the end.
From the Paper "Deep in the tangled rainforests of Guatemala and the Yucatan, the Maya made some of the greatest contributions to world architecture. Their stone cities complete with temples, palaces, tombs, and ball courts are fitting monuments to the complex, and highly sophisticated civilization that existed in these regions many centuries before the arrival of the Spanish. Mayan priest-astronomers made elaborate calculations to catalog the passage of time. Great warrior kings immortalized themselves and their deeds on stelae, recording for future generations the contributions they had made toward maintaining the cosmic order. The Maya were the only Pre-Columbian people to ever have invented a complete system of writing".
Tags: emerged, rainforests, detailed, civilization, monument, diagram, sacred, buildings, construction
Abstract This paper explores the cultural accomplishments and legacy of the Mayan Empire. The paper demonstrates how their system of higher mathematics and geometry allowed them to build palaces, public buildings, athletic arenas, monuments, pyramids, pottery, jewelry and other various art forms, all without the benefits of modern technology. The paper also examines the archaeological evidence left behind by the Mayan Empire, discussing their creation of whole cities based on stone technology, as well as discovered artifacts that demonstrate the Mayan's culture and cleverness. The paper concludes with a discussion of the legacy of the Mayan Empire and the continuing Mayan cultural presence in Latin America today.
From the Paper "The Mayans kept time with a combination of several cycles that converged and marked the movement of the sun, the moon, and Venus. Archeologists believe the Mayans began to keep track of time on August 31, 3114 BC. The year 3114 BC is called the zero year and is comparable to January 1, 0000 AD. The Mayan calendar records time in 400 year cycles, which means that 13 cycles of 400 years will have passed before the next cycle begins on December 27, 2012 (1-0-0-0-0 in Mayan time). The Mayans realized there were cycles in the Cosmos. From this astronomical realization came instruments for reckoning time and a calendar that accurately measures the solar year to within minutes."
