History

From 1500 BC

Über die Ursprünge der Maya-Kultur wird in der Wissenschaft lediglich spekuliert, da die archäologischen Funde verschiedene Deutungen zulassen.

Beginnings

The formative period took place around 1500 BC at the latest. During the Classic Period between etwa 300 and 900 A.D. a more or less uniform culture prevailed in the whole Mayan territory. The large ceremonial centres like  Palenque, Tikal und Copán were also developed in that time . At around 900, however, those centres were left for unknown reasons; some Maya emigrated to Yucatán. In 1998 researchers from the U.S. proposed the hypothesis that many Maya died of starvation, because the rain forest had vanished, followed by a period of drought: Apparently, there were no trees in Central America at the time the Maya disappeared.

Post-Classic period

During the Post-classic Period between 900 and the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16^th century Yucatán was the centre of the Mayan culture. The art style of this area was strongly influenced by immigation or invasion of Toltecs, who came from the valley of Mexico. Chichén Itzá und Mayapán were among the prominent cities. After the league of Mayapán was able to ensure peace for a while, civil war and revolutionary riots came about, during which the cities were abandoned.

The Spaniards did not have trouble subjugating the most important Maya groups, although the Mexican government conquered the last independent communities not until 1901. At the end of the 20th century the Maya represented the majority of der farming population in their former territories.