The Mayans

The Mayans lived in Central America over 2,000 years ago. They built huge stone cities deep in the rainforest. They had kings, priests, farmers, and artists. The Mayans are famous for their tall pyramids, cool writing, and smart ideas about the stars. Many Maya people still live today in places like Mexico and Guatemala.

Cities and Pyramids

The Mayans built amazing cities made of stone. Some of the biggest were Tikal, Palenque, and Chichen Itza. In the middle of each city stood tall pyramids. Priests climbed to the top to do special ceremonies. The cities also had palaces, ball courts, and big open plazas where people could meet.

Writing and Stars

The Mayans were great thinkers. They made their own writing using little pictures called glyphs. They wrote books on bark paper. They also watched the sun, moon, and stars very closely. They made a calendar that was almost as good as the one we use today. They even knew about the number zero.

Fun Facts

• The Mayans loved chocolate and drank it as a frothy drink, but it was bitter, not sweet.
• They played a ball game with a heavy rubber ball, and players could not use their hands.
• Mayan kids from rich families sometimes had boards tied to their heads to make their foreheads flat, because they thought it looked nice.

Did You Know?

The Mayans did not vanish! Millions of Maya people still live in Mexico and Central America today, and many still speak Mayan languages.