🦜Mayan Civilization History Unit 8 – Mayan Trade and Economic Systems

Overview of Mayan Trade

• Mayan trade played a crucial role in the development and prosperity of their civilization from the Preclassic Period (2000 BCE - 250 CE) through the Postclassic Period (900 CE - 1500 CE)
• Trade networks extended across Mesoamerica, connecting the Maya with other major civilizations such as the Aztec and Zapotec
• Mayans engaged in both local and long-distance trade, exchanging a wide variety of goods and resources
• Trade routes included overland paths, rivers, and coastal maritime routes (Caribbean Sea)
• Mayan merchants, known as ppolom, were highly respected and held significant social and economic influence
• Trade facilitated the exchange of ideas, technologies, and cultural practices among Mesoamerican civilizations
• Control over key trade routes and resources was a major factor in the rise and fall of Mayan city-states
• The Mayan economy was a complex system that combined elements of market exchange, tribute, and redistribution

Key Trade Goods and Resources

• Jade was highly prized for its beauty and spiritual significance, used to create jewelry, figurines, and ceremonial objects
• Obsidian, a volcanic glass, was essential for making sharp tools, weapons, and ritual bloodletters
• Salt was a vital commodity for preservation and seasoning, extracted from coastal salt flats and inland brine wells
• Cacao beans were used as a form of currency and to make a prized chocolate drink for the elite
• Quetzal feathers, prized for their vibrant colors, were used to create elaborate headdresses and garments for the nobility
• Cotton was grown and woven into textiles, clothing, and tribute items
• Honey from stingless bees was used as a sweetener and in medicinal preparations
• Marine shells (Spondylus) were treasured for their beauty and used to create jewelry and decorative objects
  • Spondylus shells were associated with water, fertility, and the underworld in Mayan mythology

Trade Routes and Networks

• Overland trade routes connected major Mayan cities and regions, such as the route between Tikal and Calakmul
• Rivers served as important transportation arteries, with canoes used to transport goods (Usumacinta River)
• Coastal trade routes linked the Maya to other Mesoamerican civilizations and facilitated the exchange of marine resources
• Mayan merchants established trade outposts and alliances with distant city-states to secure access to exotic goods
• The Yucatan Peninsula was a major hub for maritime trade, with ports such as Xcaret and Xel-Ha
• The Isthmus of Tehuantepec was a key overland trade route connecting the Maya with central Mexico
• Causeways, or sacbeob, connected Mayan cities and served as trade routes
  • The longest known sacbe is a 100 km route connecting the cities of Coba and Yaxuna

Market Systems and Currency

• Mayan markets, or p'olom, were held in designated plazas within cities and towns
• Markets operated on a system of barter, with goods exchanged based on perceived value
• Cacao beans were used as a form of currency, with standardized quantities equating to specific values
• Copper bells, jade beads, and shell ornaments also served as a form of currency in some regions
• Merchants used quipus, or knotted strings, to keep records of transactions and inventory
• The Mayan economy included elements of market exchange, tribute payment, and redistribution by the ruling elite
• Long-distance traders, or ppolom yoc, were a specialized class of merchants who dealt in exotic luxury goods
• Local markets served as a means for farmers and artisans to exchange their surplus goods

Economic Structure and Social Classes

• Mayan society was stratified into distinct social classes, with the ruling elite at the top
• The elite class included kings, nobles, and high-ranking priests who controlled land, resources, and trade
• Merchants and artisans formed a middle class, with access to a wider range of goods and resources than commoners
• Commoners, the majority of the population, were farmers, laborers, and low-ranking warriors
• Slaves, often captives from rival city-states, occupied the lowest rung of the social hierarchy
• The elite controlled the production and distribution of prestige goods, reinforcing their social and economic power
• Tribute, in the form of goods and labor, flowed from the commoners to the elite, supporting the ruling class and state institutions
• Craft specialization, such as pottery, textiles, and metallurgy, was an important aspect of the Mayan economy
  • Workshops were often attached to elite households or state institutions, producing goods for tribute and trade

International Trade Relations

• The Maya engaged in extensive trade with other Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the Zapotec, Teotihuacan, and Aztec
• Trade relations were often tied to political alliances and dynastic marriages between ruling families
• The city of Kaminaljuyu, in the highlands of Guatemala, was a major center for trade with Teotihuacan
• The Mayan city of Chichen Itza had strong trade ties with the Toltec civilization of central Mexico
• Mayan merchants established trade colonies in distant regions to facilitate the exchange of goods and ideas
• The Putun Maya, a group of maritime traders, played a key role in coastal trade and the rise of Chichen Itza
• Mayan trade with the Caribbean islands brought exotic goods such as gold, guanín (a gold-copper alloy), and colorful bird feathers
• The Mayan world was part of a larger Mesoamerican trade network that extended from the American Southwest to Central America

Impact of Trade on Mayan Culture

• Trade exposed the Maya to new ideas, technologies, and artistic styles from other Mesoamerican cultures
• The influence of Teotihuacan can be seen in Mayan art, architecture, and religious practices (talud-tablero style)
• The ballgame, a ritual sport with political and religious significance, spread throughout Mesoamerica via trade networks
• Exotic goods, such as jade and quetzal feathers, became symbols of elite status and were used in religious ceremonies
• Trade facilitated the spread of writing systems and calendar knowledge among Mesoamerican cultures
• The Mayan pantheon incorporated deities and religious concepts from other cultures, such as the Feathered Serpent (Kukulkan/Quetzalcoatl)
• Trade routes served as conduits for the exchange of agricultural knowledge and the introduction of new crops (cacao, maize)
• Mayan art and iconography reflect the influence of trade, with depictions of foreign goods, merchants, and exotic animals

Decline and Legacy of Mayan Trade

• The collapse of major Mayan city-states in the 9th century CE disrupted trade networks and led to a decline in long-distance exchange
• The rise of the Postclassic Mayan cities, such as Mayapan and Chichen Itza, was linked to their control over key trade routes
• The arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century CE brought new trade goods and disrupted traditional Mayan trade networks
• The Spanish colonial period saw the exploitation of Mayan labor and resources, such as timber and dyes (indigo)
• Mayan trade routes and economic practices influenced the development of colonial and modern trade networks in Mesoamerica
• The legacy of Mayan trade can be seen in the continued importance of certain goods, such as cacao and textiles, in the region
• Archaeological evidence, such as shipwrecks and trade goods in burial contexts, provides insights into ancient Mayan trade practices
• The study of Mayan trade offers valuable lessons about the role of economic exchange in the rise and fall of civilizations and the interconnectedness of ancient world.