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TCI 22
The Maya
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Mesoamerica | the region extending from modern Mexico through Central America |
Mayan civilization | a great civilization that lasted from about 2000 BCE to 1500 CE and at its peak included present-day southern Mexico and large portions of Central America |
hieroglyphic | writing that uses pictures as symbols |
ritual | a set of actions that is always performed the same way as part of a religious ceremony |
sacrifice | a gift of an animal for slaughter to honor the gods |
divine | related to or coming from a god or gods |
slash-and-burn agriculture | a farming technique in which vegetation is cut away and burned to clear land for growing crops |
coming-of-age ceremony | a ceremony that celebrates the end of childhood and acceptance into the adult community |
pok-a-tok | a Mayan ball game that had religious significance |
semidivine | more than human but not fully a god |
city-states | independent settlements, sometimes walled, and often including the surrounding territory |
ceremonial centers | a large plaza in a city center, surrounded by temples and palaces, where religious rituals and other public ceremonies took place |