What is the Meaning & Definition of Maya

The Maya term is used to refer to the civilization that inhabited a very important region in Mesoamerica, as it was called at that time the territory now comprised the countries of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, between the year 2000 BC to 1546 ad, approximately
The Maya, by their influence, evolution and legacy, it is considered one of the most important pre-Columbian cultures around the world, around 44 languages has been able to generate, among other issues of course, and though many say the end of it, the Mayan culture never disappeared definitively, since many of their descendants still live in the region and communicate through the languages that their ancestors and cultists were able to create.
The originating of this civilization were physically characterized by the following features, which were repeated in some other descendants: straight hair, wide face, slanted eyes, cheekbones and straight nose.
Meanwhile, in regards to its social organization individuals grouped is, whether in single family houses, in which lived the parents and the children, who in turn embraced old or young members of the family. They also lived in multi-family buildings which were inhabited by blood ties of high social position. Considered ordinary people living in the surroundings of the cities, the palapas. The main city-States were Uxmal and Chichén Itzá and the head of each city it was called Halach Uinic.
In this culture, there was also a social, still the same differentiation: political, religious, Warrior chiefs, merchants, fortune-tellers, healers, farmers and slaves.
The occupation of most of the population was in agricultural tasks, therefore clothing normally used was proper to the development of the above-mentioned tasks. The agricultural technique that knew how to implement was system of slash, which consisted of burning land to clear vegetation, using the ashes of manure to thus return to cultivate.
But they also learned to stand out for its architecture absolutely innovative, one of the most prominent structures was the Mayan arch, which were ceilings or domes of Bay stones. They also built pyramids truncated with superimposed terraces, temples, altars and ceremonial centers, among others. In another order of things polychrome pottery was created and experimented with feathered decoration.
Religious beliefs were present and dominated the scene of everyday life. Their gods were mostly related with nature; they were also practitioners of animism and the worship of the dead.
Candelario Maya was another of his great contributions, had one own ritual 260-day and 365-day traditional. The mixture of both emerged the so-called wheel or cycle of 52 years of duration, based on chronology.