Three (or maybe more) thousand years ago tribes from North America began began to settle deep rainforests in Central America. These nomadic tribes established in Mesoamerican jungle one of the most sophisticated ancient civilisation not only on American continent but moreover in the world.
The land that civilisation chose for life, we call it now The Maya World, extends through southern Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Maya civilisation found here diverse environment. People enjoyed and still enjoy here not only flat, arid plateau of the Yucatan peninsula but also lowland jungle of the centre and spectacular mountainous region full of volcanoes and crater lakes.
The southern coastline is pounded by the Pacific Ocean. Region´s eastern shores are familiar with gentle Caribbean waters. Entire Caribbean coastline is blessed with stunning white-sand beaches.
Tikal, Copán, Chichén Itzá, Uxmal and Palengue are among the most atmospheric sites in The Maya World, dominated by beautiful temple pyramids set in jungle. Lucky traveller could meet here toucans (in other words flying bananas), parakeets, spiders and monkeys (especially howlers).
The mayor Maya cities were mysteriously abandoned one thousand year ago (around 1200 AD). But the region was never completely depopulated. In the region live around 8 million Maya today (6 million in Guatemala, 2 million in Mexico and small communities in Belize and Honduras). For the modern Maya is Spanish the second language and they are traditionally Catholic. Their faith is still tempered with traditional religious customs. Some small communities still observe the 260- day Maya ancient calendar (Tzolk´in calendar).
The Tzolk’in calendar combines a cycle of twenty named days with another cycle of thirteen numbers (trecena), to produce 260 unique days (20 × 13 = 260). Each successive named day was numbered from 1 up to 13 and then starting again at 1.
A day in the Gregorian Calendar can be notated as 12.21.2012 or December 21, 2012, can be notated as 13.0.0.0.0 in Mayan Calendar.
The Maya civilisation was advanced in use of mathematics (they established number 0 – zero), astronomy and writing.
