THE MAYA

Guatemala is famous for its huge ancient ruins of cities. These were once home to the Mayan Empire, which was one of the most advanced civilizations in the world at its time. They built huge cities using almost only stone, and many of them held 50,000 people at the empire's height in the Classic Period. They used hieroglyphics to write. They used hieroglyphs to write codices, which explained their beliefs and traditions. They also had a complex mathematics system which they used to help study astronomy. Their astronomical systems helped them make very accurate calendars. Their economy and society heavily relied on their successful agriculture. Their farming was successful due to their advanced irrigation systems. Sadly, the height of the Maya in Guatemala was just as big as the downfall, near the end of the classic period, their was a mass migration of the Maya people from Guatemala to northern places. The reasons for this are debated and shrouded in mystery, but it was most likely a combination of famine and war. Even though the Maya empire has not ruled Guatemala for hundreds of years, their impact is shown throughout the country. 51% of the Guatemalan population is Indigenous, with 21 Mayan communities who speak over 26 languages.