The Maya occupied a territory in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and northern Belize

The Maya practiced agriculture, built great stone buildings and pyramid temples, worked gold and copper, and used a form of hieroglyphic writing that has now largely been deciphered. The Maya began as settled villagers who developed an agriculture based on the cultivation of corn, beans, squash, and cassava. They began to build ceremonial centers, which developed into cities containing temples, pyramids, palaces, courts for playing ball, and plazas. They also developed a system of hieroglyphic writing and highly sophisticated calendrical and astronomical systems. The Maya made paper from the inner bark of wild fig trees and wrote their hieroglyphs on books made from this paper. Those books are called codices. The Maya also developed an elaborate and beautiful tradition of sculpture and relief carving.

Mayan civilization is divided into three periods

The Preclassic (2000 BCE to 250 CE), Classic (250 CE to 900 CE), and Postclassic (900 CE to 1519 CE). The Classic Period of Mayan culture lasted until about 900 CE, and at its height, Mayan civilization consisted of more than 40 cities, each with a population between 5,000 and 50,000. Among the principal cities were Tikal, Uaxactún, Copán, Bonampak, Dos Pilas, Calakmul, Palenque, and Río Bec. The peak Mayan population may have reached two million people, most of whom were settled in the lowlands of what is now Guatemala.

During the Preclassic Period, the Maya built large ceremonial centers, such as El Mirador and Nakbe, and developed the Long Count Calendar, which calculated dates by using a base of 20. During the Classic Period, the Maya built impressive cities, such as Tikal and Palenque, and developed a system of hieroglyphic writing that was used to record historical events and religious rituals. They also developed a complex calendrical system involving an accurately determined solar year and a sacred calendar of 260 days.

The Maya made significant advancements in mathematics and astronomy during the Classic Period.

They used a system of positional notation and the use of the zero in mathematics, which represented a pinnacle of intellectual achievement. Mayan astronomy underlay a complex calendrical system involving an accurately determined solar year (18 months of 20 days each, plus a 5-day period considered unlucky by the Mayans), a sacred calendar of 260 days.

Mayan religion was based on a pantheon of nature gods, including those of the Sun, the Moon, rain, and corn.

A priestly class was responsible for an elaborate cycle of rituals and ceremonies. The Maya believed in the cyclical nature of time, with each era of time being controlled by a different deity.

The decline of Mayan civilization is still a subject of debate among scholars.

Discoveries in the 21st century led scholars to posit a number of additional reasons for the destruction of Mayan civilization. One cause was probably the war-related disruption of river and land trade routes. Other contributors may have been deforestation and drought. After 900 CE, the Classic Maya civilization declined precipitously, leaving the great cities and ceremonial centers vacant and overgrown with jungle vegetation. During the Postclassic Period, cities such as Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, and Mayapán in the Yucatán Peninsula continued to flourish for several centuries after the great lowland cities had become depopulated.

The Maya were also known for their artistic achievements

In addition to their complex calendrical and astronomical systems, the Maya were also known for their artistic achievements, particularly in sculpture and relief carving. They created a range of works, from small figurines to large architectural features, often depicting human and animal figures, as well as scenes from mythology and religious beliefs. The Maya were also skilled in the creation of ceramics, creating intricate vessels and figurines that were used in various aspects of daily life and ritual practices.

Despite the decline of the Classic Maya civilization, many aspects of Maya culture persisted and evolved over time. The Post-Classic Period saw the rise of new centers of power, particularly in the Yucatan Peninsula, where cities such as Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, and Mayapán continued to flourish for centuries. During this time, new architectural and artistic styles emerged, such as the use of the "Puuc" architectural style characterized by the use of geometric patterns and decorative elements.

The arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century marked a significant turning point in Maya history.

The Spanish conquest of the region was brutal, and many Maya were forcibly converted to Christianity and forced into labor in Spanish-run mines and plantations. As a result, many aspects of Maya culture and knowledge were lost, including much of their writing and astronomical systems. However, some elements of Maya culture, particularly religious practices, persisted and blended with Catholicism to create a unique syncretic tradition that still exists in some communities today.

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in Maya culture and history, particularly among scholars and indigenous communities in the region. Archaeological excavations and new technologies have led to new discoveries and insights into Maya civilization, and efforts are being made to preserve and revitalize Maya languages and cultural practices. The legacy of the Maya continues to inspire and captivate people around the world, with their art, architecture, and achievements in science and mathematics standing as a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of this remarkable civilization.