大象传媒

What were Maya roads like?

A cartoon of Jade Skirt pointing to a road.
  • When it rained it could be difficult to travel through the wet and muddy jungle floor.
  • Roads called sacbeob were built a few inches above the ground. This meant the Maya could travel whatever the weather and conditions.
  • The roads were made using stones which stopped them getting muddy.
  • The longest known sacbeob is called 驰补虫耻苍补-颁辞产谩. It is 62 miles (100km) long.
A cartoon of Jade Skirt pointing to a road.
Back to top

How did the Maya carry goods?

Bottle in the shape of a person carrying a load using a tumpline.
Image caption,
This bottle is in the shape of a person carrying a load using a tumpline. You can see the strap round the person's forehead.

Maya people did not use vehicles with wheels to move things. Instead they carried loads on their backs.

  • A tumpline was a carrying device used to carry heavy loads on someone鈥檚 back.
  • It allowed people to carry up to 125 pounds (around 57kg).
  • The tumpline had a strap which went round the forehead.
Bottle in the shape of a person carrying a load using a tumpline.
Image caption,
This bottle is in the shape of a person carrying a load using a tumpline. You can see the strap round the person's forehead.
Back to top

How did the Maya grind corn?

  • A metate is a stone tool that would have been used for grinding maize to make tortillas.
  • This tool is still used by some Maya people today.
A cartoon of a Maya person grinding corn.
Back to top

What did Maya calendars look like?

Maya person holds up a calendar used for farming.
Image caption,
Maya farming was successful because of the accurate and detailed calendars people used.
  • The Tzolkin calendar was 260 days long and it was used to plan religious ceremonies.
  • Each day has its own unique name.
  • Some Maya people still use it today.
Maya person holds up a calendar used for farming.
Image caption,
Maya farming was successful because of the accurate and detailed calendars people used.
A cartoon sun.
  • The Haab calendar had 365 days. It could be used with the Tzolkin calendar to form a calendar wheel.
  • The Maya watched the sun, moon, stars and planets to create their calendars.
Back to top

Activities

Activity 1: Quiz 鈥 Maya inventions

Back to top

Activity 2: History Explorer game

Play this game to test your knowledge and learn even more facts about the ancient Maya.

History Explorer: Secrets through time

History Explorer: Secrets through time: KS2 History

History Explorer: Secrets through time
Back to top

Bitesize Primary games. game

Play fun and educational primary games in science, maths, English, history, geography, art, computing and modern languages.

Bitesize Primary games
Back to top

More on Maya Civilisation

Find out more by working through a topic