The Maya civilization (/ ˈ m aɪ ə /) was a Mesoamerican civilization that existed from antiquity to the early modern period. It is known by its ancient temples and glyphs (script). The Maya script is the most sophisticated and highly developed writing system in the pre-Columbian Americas.

Maya civilization extended throughout the present-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Northern El Salvador and western Honduras. Its influences can be detected still further afield, throughout Nicaragua and as far north as central Mexico.

In its heyday from about A.D. 300 to 900, the Maya civilization boasted hundreds of cities across a vast swath of Central America. Now archeological sites, these once-flourishing cities extended...

Map showing the extent of the Maya Empire at its greatest territorial extent.

Map of the Maya World In its heyday from about A.D. 300 to 900, the Maya civilization boasted hundreds of cities across a vast swath of Central America. Now archeological sites, these...

Map of the Mayan civilization. The Mayan civilization occupied a wide territory in the southeast of current Mexico and the north of Central America. The ancient Mayan city of Calakmul, located in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula, was also located in the middle of the Mayan territory.

Feb 13, 2001 · Using an interactive map, visit 15 of the better-known Maya sites. From Chichén Itzí¡ in the north to Copí¡n in the south, the Maya empire was vast and varied.

Guided by historians, archaeologists, and researchers, our virtual journey explores the rise and flourishing of the Maya—from the sacred pyramids of Tikal to the celestial observatories of Copán.

Map by Lars Kotthoff for the Maya Research Program, hosted by the Department of Computer Science, University of Wyoming. acknowledgements and data © Marc Wolf, GWE Corp.

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