Kin Tours

Daily Life

Marriage

In the Mayan empire, it was common for girls to marry as young as fourteen, while boys married at around eighteen. Marriages were arranged by the groom’s families, though matchmakers were often consulted; ancestry and a compatible astrological sign were considered essential in a prospective partner. There were strict taboos against the marriage of a man and woman with the same paternal name, as it indicated they were part of the same family. To seal the marriage agreement, the bride’s parents paid the groom’s parents a dowry. A priest would set the wedding date based on an analysis of astrological signs, and the ceremony itself took place in the bride’s family home. The newlyweds would live in the bride’s home for seven years, allowing the groom to work off his debt to the bride’s parents; only after this could the couple move into their own home. The Mayan man, as husband, father, and head of his household, was expected to provide for his family, as well as the government, through hard work and by paying taxes. Mayan woman, as wives and mothers, were responsible for raising children, preparing meals, and keeping house.

Children

Childbirth was an important event in Mayan society. Newborns were formally presented to their grandparents in a ceremony celebrating their birth. The babies were named by priests according to favourable astronomical conditions. Mayan children were given four names: a private name which was chosen at the naming ceremony, a public nickname, and two names derived from the names of their parents. Children were educated and taught life skills from a very young age. Lower class boys were taught to farm, while lower class girls were taught household chores. Upper class girls were also taught to keep house, though they had a staff of slaves to perform the chores for them. Wealthy boys received a formal education in reading, writing and mathematics.

Beauty/Vanity

Historical images of the Mayans that survive depict the people as short and wide-set, with broad, slanted foreheads, thick, downturned lips, copper to brown skin, dark, almond-shaped eyes, prominent noses and high cheekbones. Mayans found a sloped forehead far more physically appealing than a straight one, so families would strap two boards to a newborn’s skull to create the desired forehead shape in the front, and a flat, straight head in the back. Mothers also tied strings of beads in front of small children in an effort to make them cross-eyed, a condition Mayans also found beautiful. Many wealthy Mayans of both sexes filed their teeth to sharp points and studded them with precious stones. Tattoos, piercings and body paint were also common; some Mayans even carved decorative scars into their bodies.

Clothing

Due to the yearlong heat and humidity in the Mesoamerican region, Mayans dressed for decoration, not for warmth. Most fabric was spun and woven from cotton, the Mayan cash crop, and dyed using the juices from berries and insects. The clothing of the noble and common classes were notably different. Noblemen and women dressed ornately, with sandals, long capes made from jaguar fur, elaborate headdresses and ornate jewelry. Members of the lower classes wore a simple loincloth and vest, both made of cotton; women completed the outfit with a shirt and shawl.

City States

In the Mayan empire, the city states were the ceremonial centres and served as a meeting place for political, religious and social events. Consequently, the most important buildings in the city centres were those for government leaders and priests. There were several features common to most Mayan city states, such as a central plaza, one or more adjacent temple-pyramids and palaces for the halach uinic (ruler).

Upper Class Homes and Dining

Upper-class homes were large and located near the ruler’s palace. They were divided internally by a partition, splitting the building into a public and private section. The front of the house acted as a foyer, living room and hall for receiving guests. The back of the house was used by the family. The household was maintained by several slaves, who also prepared meals. Members of the upper class ate well; though the content of their diet was similar to their lower class counterparts, they enjoyed greater variety and quality. Some of the most popular dishes included venison and turkey.

Lower Classes

The daily life of lower class Mayan people was quite busy. The women’s days started before 4:00 AM, when they made breakfast for their husbands and their sons who, by 5:00, went to work in their fields next to their thatched–roof homes. They also tended the communal fields. In the afternoon, the men and young boys sometimes hunted. They usually killed birds with blowpipes and clay pellets, but sometimes hunted with spears. When they returned home, they had warm baths prepared for them by the women. When they finished, they would eat dinner. The women ate afterwards. The dinners usually contained any combination of meat, maize (from their fields), rabbit, turkey, black beans, and cornmeal. In the evening, the men would produce items to trade while the women would weave and spin cotton.

Slaves

Slaves lived in huts on the outskirts of town, performed the hardest and most dangerous menial labour and were sacrificed to the Gods on special occasions.