The Maya
Created | Updated Feb 12, 2007
The Maya lived in the southern part of Mexico and in Belize and in El Salvador. They developed an advanced civilisation which reached its peak in the "Classic Period" 250AD to 900AD. The civilisation suddenly collapsed in about 900AD, and the people left the cities. When the Spanish arrived, the Mayan people had already forgotten about their past and knew nothing about the giant ruined cities.
There are four main regions in this area, going south west to north east:
1. The Pacific coastal plain
2. The highlands
3. The central lowlands, which are well irrigated with many rivers.
4. The tip of the Yucatan peninsula, which has little ground water and no rivers.
The Pacific coastal plain and the highlands can be treated together as the same people settled in them, and they had the same customs.
There are four main regions in this area, going south west to north east:
1. The Pacific coastal plain
2. The highlands
3. The central lowlands, which are well irrigated with many rivers.
4. The tip of the Yucatan peninsula, which has little ground water and no rivers.
The Pacific coastal plain and the highlands can be treated together as the same people settled in them, and they had the same customs.
