Introduction:
Writings of the Ancient Maya

About 2,000 years ago, an ancient Native American civilization lived in an area that stretched from Mexico to the rainforests of Central America. They were known as the Maya. Their descendants still live in this region, but their ancient cities are all in ruins. So how do we know about the accomplishments of these ancient peoples?

The purpose of this activity is to explore what we can learn about the ancient Maya civilization from the writings they left behind.

Next: What Were the Maya Writings?

As historians uncovered the ruins of ancient Mayan cities, they discovered massive buildings and other structures that were decorated with pictures and designs. The remains of four books from this region, containing similar designs, were later found in museums and libraries in Europe.

By studying the books and structures, historians determined that the designs are actually a form of written language, which they are learning to translate. The translations show that the Maya were experts in mathematics, astronomy, and engineering.

Think of two other civilizations and their writing systems. What do these systems use to represent words? Write your ideas in the box below, then click "save notes" before moving on to the next page.

Next: Deciphering the Maya Code: Watch This!

Watch this video to learn more about the ancient Maya writing system and the types of things that the Maya recorded in their writings.

Note: You will hear the following words in the video segment. Click on each word to see its definition.

• almanac
• celestial
• decipher
• eclipse
• hieroglyphs
• reverence

In the box below, write down what you learned from the video about the kinds of things the Maya wrote down. Why might these things be important to them? Click "save notes" before moving on to the next page.

Next: What Else Do the Maya Writings Tell Us?

Here are some of the types of things historians have learned from reading the Maya writings.

• The Maya had two different calendars to plan important ceremonies. One was based on a sacred 260-day year, and the other was similar to our 365-day calendar. Both were remarkably accurate.
• Mayan structures, including large temples and pyramids, were often built to be aligned to the movements of the Sun and Venus.
• The Maya played a ballgame as part of a sacred ritual. Kings and nobles could play the game to settle conflicts instead of fighting an actual battle. However, the game often ended with the beheading of the defeated team.

Next: Read About It!

In this activity, you will learn more about the Maya writing system and how historians came to translate the texts that they found.

The following words will appear in the reading. Click on each word to see its definition.

• hieroglyphs
• scribes

Click "View" on the left to begin the activity. Be sure to print your notes before you exit the activity. Your notes will not be saved.

If you want, you can also watch the video again.

Deciphering the Maya Code

QuickTime Video
Length: 2m 17s

Next: Write About It!

You have now learned about the writing system of the ancient Maya civilization, and some of the information we have learned from deciphering these writings. Next you will have the chance to share your ideas with others.

• Print out your notes. (After you print, your notes will be erased. Make sure you are done before printing.)
  
  
• Print out and read Writings of the Ancient Maya (Version A) (PDF) or Writings of the Ancient Maya (Version B) (PDF). Check with your teacher if you are not sure which version to use.
• Then, select and complete a writing assignment from page 2 of the printout.

Note: The following words will appear in the readings. Click on each word to see its definition.

• hieroglyphs
• scribes