The Complete Idiot's Guide to 2012 - Dr. Synthia Andrews Nd [11]
Toltec
The Toltec arrived on the scene after the decline of some the great cities like Teotihuacán. They established their empire in the central valley around 900 C.E. They brought the rise of militarism to Mesoamerica, using their superior military force to dominate the neighborhood. Their capital city was Tollan (also known as Tula), northeast of Mexico City.
Tollan had three large pyramids, one dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. However, the story goes that Quetzalcoatl became fed up with their bloodthirsty ways and abandoned the city, taking his followers to Chichen Itza. Chichen Itza then emerged as the power in the north. The Toltec declined in the 1100s as northern tribes invaded the central valley and eventually sacked Tollan.
Aztec
The Aztec empire was founded by the Tenocha, the Nahuatl-speaking people of the Valley of Mexico. They built great cities with complex social, political, and religious structures. Their capital, Tenochtitlán, was an island city built on reclaimed swamp-land. It is the site of present-day Mexico City. Tenochtitlán was possibly the largest city in the world at the time of the Spanish conquest. It featured a huge temple complex, a royal palace, and numerous canals. The name Aztec derives from the name Aztlan, the legendary Atlantean homeland of the Mesoamerican people.
The Maya of Today
Despite the long campaign against them, the Maya did not disappear. Although there are few full-blooded Maya left, many Mayan descendents still live in the same villages and cities of the original Maya Area. Some still practice the old beliefs, although most do not. Most practice a blend of their older beliefs with Catholicism. Although everyone speaks Spanish, many still know the original Mayan language, including the elders who hold the Mayan knowledge.
Elders still follow the teachings of the past. There are 440 tribes within the Maya, and each one has an elder. These 440 elders make up the Mayan Council. The elected president of the Mayan Council is Grandfather Alexhandro Cililo. The prophecy of the Maya exists in the form of calendars that record cycles of time.
Celestial Connection
The Maya of today are doctors, lawyers, farmers, architects, artists, and more, and in general occupy all levels of the social strata.
In the Mayan prophecies, it is said that the Mayan knowledge would have to be hidden during a time of suppression. Then a time will come when the knowledge will be revealed to restore balance on Earth. There are still five prophetic calendars that have only been seen by the Mayan people. Elders who hold these sacred documents meet each year to determine when and what should be revealed. The next revelation about the Mayan prophecy will be told by the Mayan elders in a planned release in the near future. You’ll hear more from the Mayan elders in Chapter 14.
The Least You Need to Know
◆ Destruction of the Mayan codices, or books, limits our knowledge of their culture.
◆ The origin of the ancient Maya is steeped in mystery.
◆ The Maya were an advanced society in Central America with highly developed language, writing, architecture, and astronomy. Their culture thrived from 200 B.C.E. to 900 C.E.
◆ Historians believe the Maya vanished due to social/political upheaval, environmental collapse, climate change, or a combination of all three.
◆ Neighboring people to the Maya were the Olmec, Zapotec, Teotihuacanos, Toltec, and Aztec.
◆ The Maya people have not disappeared; many descendents still live in the original Maya Area, and some still practice the old beliefs.
Chapter 2
Maya Worldview
In This Chapter
◆ The life force that is k’ul
◆ Our connection to the cosmos
◆ The holy codices of the Maya
◆ The three realms
◆ Mayan mythology
◆ Mayan understanding of time and other concepts
When you look at the world, do you see rocks and trees, the sky, clouds, grass, birds, and so on,