Places

Native Villages The World of the Maya has many faces: some of them as ancient as those found carved in towering temples, others as modern as those of the people who live in Guatemala today. These are the descendants of a mighty Maya people whose customs and traditions are still part of the fabric of Guatemalan life. Guatemala is a showcase of natural history and dramatic landscapes yet its most distinguishing asset is the rich and colorful traditions of the various ethnic communities. Each group has its own language and special folklore, yet they share a common ancestral heritage as expressed in religion, music, dance, foods and social organization. The purest of the Maya influences can be found in both the performing and design arts. The handicraft of textiles, in particular, is purely Mayan and a wonderfully colorful part of the everyday dress.

Maya Ruins and Parks El Peten, the northernmost department of Guatemala, was once the center of the ancient Maya people. Reminders and remains of this civilization are found in over 200 distinct archaeological sites within an area covering more than 125,000 square miles and five countries. Today, we still call this "El Mundo Maya" (the World of the Maya). The area encompasses not only Guatemala, but parts of Belize, Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador. The development of the Maya culture cover three periods: (1) Pre-classic from 2000 BC to 300 AD, (2) Classic from 300 to 900 AD, and (3) Post-classic from 900 to 1500 AD. The sciences of mathematics, astronomy, agriculture and architecture were astutely developed by the Maya who also made great strides in the complex areas of socio-politics and economics. The hieroglyphics they developed to convey their thoughts have not yet been totally deciphered and are found in their codex, stelae and monuments as well as in the evolution of their ethical, aesthetic and religious thinking. Many of the Indian dialects presently spoken by the different ethnic groups in Guatemala have a common linguistic root: the Maya.