What do you visualize when you think of the ancient Mayans?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

Yep- it's a bit of a market research question. I've been invited to design a graphic centering upon the Mayans, and now I have to try to figure out exactly what "ancient Maya" brings to the mind in terms of visual recognition.

Never mind the calender and the "apocalypse"- hard to work that into the theme.

And if you happen to have a link to anything (Maya-related) you'd like to turn me on to, I'd be thrilled.

Merci beaucoup.

[PBS Poll-435]

1. Loin-cloths?

[Danger Mouse]

2. chocolate.

that's the first thing that popped into my mind. :shrug:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. Peru, Columbia, cocoa crops... makes sense to me!

Actually, that could very well be a hook if done correctly. Thanks!

[Kali]

10. mayans were more in southern mexico/central america

I think of jungle, pyramids, cenotes and corn. Nat Geographic had a good spread recently and I think there was something else in the very latest issue too (could be wrong - it all blends in my mind - maybe it was the cover of National Enquirer for all I can recall :rofl:

[democracyindanger]

3. Human sacrifice

Seriously. First thing.

[pokerfan]

16. Me too

[Fox Mulder]

4. Pyramids.

[SidneyCarton]

21. Yeah, particularly "el castelo" at Chichen Itza

[Swede]

6. Glyphs.

I watched a documentary about the cracking of the code,it was fascinating.

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/mayan.htm

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

8. That could be helpful.

Thanks!

[AlGore-08.com]

7. The Mexican step pyramids

eom

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

11. I always end up thinking of Machu Picchu.

[Kali]

13. Inca

[kwassa]

24. Machu Picchu is Inca and far, far away from the Mayans

Maya were in Mexico's Yucatan, Belize, Guatemala

[begin_within]

9. circular calendars and carved figures with jungle growth on them

[Maddy McCall]

12. The Quetzal. And the glyphs.

[papapi]

14. Altun Ha, which I visited in 2000. Located in Belize . . .

Altun Ha is a major Mayan archaeological site. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Also visited a site on Cozumel Island but I can't recall the name.

Here's a link for ya...

http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/mayan/mayasites.html

[FloridaJudy]

15. Feathered serpents.

And fierce gods.

[Whoa_Nelly]

17. Their hieroglyphics

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/mayan.htm

And that cool ball game!
http://www.greatdreams.com/mayan/mayan-games.htm


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican_ballgame

[EFerrari]

18. Little brown women with wild black curly hair

like Mom.

:)

[yellowdogintexas]

19. Chichen Itsa, Tulum, Cozumel ..the entire Yucatan area

http://www.farhorizon.com/mexico/Maya-Cities-of-Yucatan.htm

http://www.gagme.com/greg/vacation/1999/cozumel/chichenitza/


these are from Guatemala: http://archive.cyark.org/sites.php?v=media&p=tik&gclid=CLft7qz8spQCFSXNIgodKzpzTQ#3

Cozumel was the 'fertility temple' women who could not conceive went to Cozumel to do whatever rituals were needed to ensure children, and there are several small temple ruins there.

[mainegreen]

20. Corn.

[SidneyCarton]

22. The lovely Mrs. Carton, whose Great-Grandfather was a full-blooded Yucatec Maya

[Tommy_Carcetti]

23. The Mayans always seemed to be the most mysterious of the three major Pre-Colombian civiliations

At least to me.

I mean, I saw pictures of Machu Pichu from the Incas and read about their experience with the Spanish conquests.

I saw draw-ups of Tenochtitlan from the Aztecs, and read about their interactions and battles with the Spanish conquistadors.

But all I know about the Mayas was from the temple ruins.

[AngryAmish]

25. torture

[Tikki]

26. Mayan whistles were amazing....

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE7D71E3BF93AA15750C0A96E948260



Article and one picture...there are scads of info and photos on the web.


Tikki
ps..most pre-columbian cultures had whistles...Mayan whistles were specific.

[tigereye]

27. playing sports games with people's hearts and human sacrifice

on edit, people losing their hearts if they lost....


and then there is the beautiful architecture...


well, you asked... ;)

[Shine]

28. I see ruins, stone blocks with Mayan designs, jungles, a fierce and proud people

sorry, no links....just images off the top of my head.

Good luck! :hi: