History of Maya Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

History of Maya - Essay Example In the warm climate ÃŽ ¿f the Maya area, clothing as protection from the elements had never been a necessity. Maya clothing was used as decoration and the most spectacular clothes were for the priest. The Maya personages wore large ear plugs, necklaces, breastplates, ornaments attached to the nose, lips, waist, legs, arms, all were used for resplendent effect. Mayan peasants wore very little. The men had a simple loincloth or rather a band ÃŽ ¿f material that went once around their waist and then between their legs. Some at least possessed deerskin moccasins. The women had two garments a length ÃŽ ¿f decorated cloth with holes cut for head and arms, known as a kub. Man and women used a heavier square ÃŽ ¿f cloth known as a manta, which served as an overwrap on cold days, and as a night time blanket. The mantra was used as a curtain across the doorway. Cotton and sisal were cultivated on a considerable scale, and weaving was one ÃŽ ¿f the main occupations ÃŽ ¿f Mayan women. Authorities think that cotton was reserved for nobility and priests. While the dress ÃŽ ¿f the peasants was simple, that ÃŽ ¿f the nobility was much more colorful and elaborates. Although their clothing was sparse, the Maya were fond ÃŽ ¿f personal adornment. The ordinary people wore ornaments ÃŽ ¿f bone, shell, wood, and stone in their ears, noses, and lips. For people in the higher rank, the decorations were ÃŽ ¿f metal or jade. They also filed their teeth into points and sometimes covered them with plates ÃŽ ¿f what were to them precious stones. ... The Maya personages wore large earplugs, necklaces, breastplates, ornaments attached to the nose, lips, waist, legs, arms, all were used for resplendent effect (Brainerd 68). Mayan peasants wore very little. The men had a simple loincloth or rather a band f material that went once around their waist and then between their legs. Some at least possessed deerskin moccasins. The women had two garments a length f decorated cloth with holes cut for head and arms, known as a kub. Man and women used a heavier square f cloth known as a manta, which served as an overwrap on cold days, and as a night time blanket. The manta was used as a curtain across the doorway. Cotton and sisal were cultivated on a considerable scale, and weaving was one f the main occupations f Mayan women. Authorities think that cotton was reserved for nobility and priests. While the dress f the peasants was simple, that f the nobility was much more colorful and elaborates (Whitlock 43). Although their clothing was sparse, the Maya were fond f personal adornment. The ordinary people wore ornaments f bone, shell, wood and stone in their ears, noses and lips. For people in the higher rank, the decorations were f metal or jade. They also filed their teeth into points and sometimes covered them with plates f what were to them precious stones, such as obsidian, iron pyrites and most valuable f all jade. Paint was used lavishly on their bodies, and was applied by means f pottery shards dipped in the paint pot. The colors f the paints had significance. The Maya also practiced tattooing (Whitlock 44). Mayan villagers were overall well organized. The families had a certain distribution f land. Probably, each f the habitants