Izimpawu Zomlando WamaMaya
AmaMaya angenye yemiphakathi evelele kakhulu eyake yachuma eMelika. Igama elithi "Maya" livame ukukhumbuza izithombe zamaphiramidi amade phakathi kwehlathi, izithombe zamatshe eziyinkimbinkimbi, nolwazi lwezinkanyezi olubonakala lusengaphambili kwesikhathi salo. Kodwa-ke, indaba yamaMaya ingaphezu nje kwamathempeli asendulo kanye nezimfihlakalo "zeziprofetho zosuku lokubhujiswa" ezidumile kwabezindaba. Umlando wabo uyindaba ende yokwakheka kwamadolobha amakhulu, amanethiwekhi ezohwebo, intuthuko yesayensi, impi phakathi kwemibuso, kanye nokuqina kwamasiko okwaqhubeka nokubuswa kwamakoloni. Ukulandelela umlando wamaMaya kusho ukuqonda ukuthi impucuko yakha kanjani umhlaba ocebile wezenhlalo nowobuhlakani, ishiya ifa elihlala kuze kube namuhla.
Indawo kanye nezimpande zempucuko yamaMaya
Impucuko yamaMaya yachuma esifundeni saseMesoamerica, esihlanganisa lokho manje okuseningizimu yeMexico (ikakhulukazi iYucatán Peninsula), iGuatemala, iBelize, kanye nezingxenye zeHonduras ne-El Salvador. Izindawo zabo zemvelo zazihlukahlukene: izindawo eziphansi ezishisayo ezinomswakama, izintaba ezivundile, kanye nezindawo ezisogwini ezazinikeza ukufinyelela kwezohwebo. Lokhu kuhlukahluka kwakha indlela yokuphila yamaMaya. Kwezinye izindawo, bazivumelanisa namahlathi aminyene, kanti kwezinye, basebenzisa izindawo eziphakemeyo kwezolimo ezijulile.
Izimpande zesiko lamaMaya azivelanga ngokuzumayo. Zavela ekuxhumaneni isikhathi eside phakathi kwamaqembu aseMesoamerica, okuhlanganisa nethonya lesiko lama-Olmec langaphambili. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, imiphakathi yezolimo yathuthuka yaba yizindawo zokuhlala ezinkulu, ezinezakhiwo zomphakathi eziyinkimbinkimbi kanye namasiko enkolo ahlelekile ngokwengeziwe.
Isikhathi Sokuqala: I-Pre-Classic kanye Nokuzalwa Komuzi
Umlando omude wamaMaya uvame ukuhlukaniswa ngezinkathi eziningana ezinkulu. Ngesikhathi se-Preclassic (cishe ngo-2000 BC–cishe ngo-250 AD), amaMaya aqala ukwakha imizi ehlala njalo, athuthukisa ukutshalwa kommbila, ubhontshisi, kanye ne-squash, futhi abeka izisekelo zemibono nezobuciko ezazizochuma kamuva ngesikhathi sesikhathi esiphezulu. Lesi sikhathi sabona ukuvela kwezikhungo zokuqala ezinezakhiwo ezinkulu kanye nezinhlelo zemikhosi eqinile, okwaphawula ukuzalwa kwempucuko yasemadolobheni.
Ukuthuthukiswa kwedolobha kwakungaqhutshwa nje kuphela yizolimo, kodwa futhi nekhono lokuhlela abasebenzi, ukuphatha izinsiza, nokwakha ubuqiniso bezepolitiki ngenkolo nezimpawu zamandla. Abaholi baqala ukuzibeka njengabalamuleli phakathi kwabantu nezwe laphezulu, umqondo owaba ngowokubusa kamuva emibusweni yamaMaya.
Inkathi Yegolide: Isikhathi Sakudala
Inkathi Yakudala (cishe ngo-250–900 CE) ivame ukubhekwa njengenkathi yegolide yempucuko yamaMaya. Kwakungalesi sikhathi lapho kwavela khona amadolobha amakhulu njengeTikal, iPalenque, iCopán, iCalakmul, namanye amaningi. La madolobha ayengewona “imibuso” eyodwa ebuswa yinkosi eyodwa, kodwa ayengamanethiwekhi ezifundazwe zamadolobha ezincintisanayo, ezihlangene, ezihwebelanayo, nezilwayo. Idolobha ngalinye lalinesikhungo semikhosi esinephiramidi yezinyathelo, isigodlo, inkundla yebhola, kanye ne-stelae—izikhumbuzo zamatshe ezinemibhalo eqopha impilo yenkosi, ukunqoba kwayo, kanye nemicimbi ebalulekile.
Esinye sezici eziphawuleka kakhulu zamaMaya akudala kwakuyisistimu yawo yokubhala ye-hieroglyphic ethuthuke kakhulu. Aqopha imilando yamakhosi, amasiko, kanye nolwazi lwezinkanyezi ezibhebheni zamatshe kanye nama-codex (imibhalo yesandla egoqiwe). Ukubhala kwamaMaya manje sekuyisihluthulelo sokuqonda ezombusazwe kanye nokuphila kwawo komphakathi, njengoba ngale mibhalo abavubukuli bezinto zakudala bangalandelela uhlu lozalo lwasebukhosini, izenzakalo zezinsuku, ngisho nobudlelwano phakathi kwemibuso.
Isayensi: Izinkanyezi kanye neKhalenda
AmaMaya ayedume ngokubuka kwawo amazulu ngokucophelela. Ayefunda imijikelezo yeLanga, iNyanga, namaplanethi afana neVenus, futhi axhumanisa lokhu nemikhuba kanye nesikhathi esiqondile. Emadolobheni amaningi amaMaya, ukuqondiswa kwezakhiwo kwakuhambisana nezenzakalo ezithile zezinkanyezi, njengokuphuma kwelanga e-solstice. Lokhu kubonisa ukuhlangana okuseduze kwezakhiwo, inkolo, kanye nesayensi.
AmaMaya aphinde asungula uhlelo lwekhalenda oluyinkimbinkimbi. Asebenzisa amakhalenda amaningana ngesikhathi esisodwa, okuhlanganisa iTzolk'in (ikhalenda yemikhosi yezinsuku ezingu-260) kanye neHaab' (ikhalenda yelanga yezinsuku ezingu-365). Edume kakhulu kulawa kwakuyiLong Count, uhlelo lokubala isikhathi ngezikhathi ezinde, okuvumela izenzakalo ukuthi zibhalwe ngokunembile phakathi nezinkulungwane zeminyaka. Kubalulekile ukuqonda ukuthi ikhalenda lamaMaya kwakungeyona "isiprofetho sosuku lokubhujiswa," kodwa kwakuyindlela ehlelekile yokurekhoda nokuhlela isikhathi ngaphakathi kohlaka lwabo lwendalo yonke.
Isakhiwo Somphakathi, Umnotho, kanye Nokuphila Kwansuku Zonke
Ngaphansi kobuhle bemibhoshongo nezigodlo, umphakathi wamaMaya wawunezigaba eziningi. Phezulu kwakukhona amakhosi nezikhulu, kulandelwa abapristi, izikhulu, nabathengisi abanethonya. Ngaphansi kwabo kwakukhona izingcweti, abalimi, nezisebenzi ezazisekela amadolobha ngokukhiqiza ukudla nezimpahla. Ezolimo zaziwumgogodla womnotho. Ummbila wawungagcini nje ngokuba ukudla okuyisisekelo kodwa futhi wawuwuphawu olubalulekile lwenkolo.
Ukuhweba kwaxhumanisa amadolobha futhi kwafinyelela ngisho nasezifundeni ezikude. Izimpahla ezifana ne-obsidian (ingilazi yentaba-mlilo esetshenziselwa amathuluzi), i-jade, usawoti, i-cacao, izimpaphe zezinyoni ezingavamile, kanye nezinto zobumba zaba yizimpahla ezibaluleke kakhulu. Lezi zindlela zokuhweba nazo zasiza ukushintshana ngemibono, izitayela zobuciko, kanye nemikhuba yamasiko.
Phakathi naleso sikhathi, impilo yansuku zonke yamaMaya yayigcwele imisebenzi yezolimo, imisebenzi yezandla, izimakethe, kanye nemikhosi. Imikhosi kanye nemikhuba yayingagcini nje kubantu abaphezulu; imisebenzi eminingi yenkolo yayigcwele nokuphila komphakathi. Imidlalo yebhola yaseMesoamerica, isibonelo, yayiyimisebenzi enezinhlangothi zomphakathi kanye nezifanekiselo, evame ukuhlotshaniswa nezinganekwane kanye nokufaneleka kwezepolitiki.
Inhlekelele Noshintsho: Ukuwa Kwezincwadi Zakudala
Cishe ngekhulu lesi-9, amadolobha amaningi amakhulu ezindaweni eziseningizimu ancipha futhi ekugcineni ashiywa. Lesi simo sivame ukubizwa ngokuthi “ukuwa kwamaMaya Akudala,” yize igama elithi “ukuwa” lingasho ukuthi amaMaya ayanyamalala. Kwakuyizinhlelo zezombusazwe zamadolobha athile amakhulu ezawa. Izimbangela kukholakala ukuthi ziyinkimbinkimbi futhi zixhumene: ingcindezi yabantu, ukuwohloka kwemvelo, isomiso esihlala isikhathi eside, izingxabano phakathi kwemibuso, kanye nokuphazamiseka kwamanethiwekhi ezohwebo.
Kunokuba kube yinhlekelele eyodwa, lezi zinguquko zibonakala sengathi beziwuchungechunge lwezinkinga ezenza ezinye izikhungo zamandla zahluleka ukusebenza. Kodwa-ke, kwezinye izifunda, ikakhulukazi enyakatho yeYucatán, amanye amadolobha aqhubeka nokuchuma esikhathini esilandelayo.
I-Post-Classical: Amadolobha Amasha kanye Nezinguquko Zezepolitiki
Ngesikhathi se-Postclassic (cishe ngo-900–1500 CE), izikhungo zamandla zashintsha. I-Chichén Itzá kanye ne-Mayapán kamuva baba amadolobha abalulekile e-Yucatán. Isiko lamaMaya laqhubeka nokuguquka, lithatha amathonya avela kwamanye amaqembu aseMesoamerica futhi lasungula isimo sezepolitiki esihlukile kwesesikhathi se-Classic. Ukuhweba olwandle ogwini nakho kwaba yinto evelele kakhulu, okubonisa ukuthi umphakathi wamaMaya wawungahlukanisiwe kodwa wawuyingxenye yezwe lesifunda eliguquguqukayo.
Nakuba amanye amadolobha aqhubeka nokwakha izikhumbuzo, izitayela zokwakha kanye namaphethini wamandla ashintsha. Imibuso yayingasabuswa yizinsika ezinkulu ezazikhona, kodwa impilo yezenhlalo neyesiko yahlala iqinile. Ifa lamaMaya lalesi sikhathi libonisa izinga eliphezulu lokuzivumelanisa nezimo—isici esibalulekile sokuqonda ukuphikelela kobunikazi bamaMaya.
Ukufika KwaseSpain Nokuphikisa
Lapho amaSpanish efika ngekhulu le-16, izwe lamaMaya kwakungelona umbuso onamandla owodwa owawunganqotshwa empini eyodwa. Laliqukethe imibuso nemiphakathi eminingi ehlakazekile, ngayinye inezintshisekelo zayo namasu ayo ezepolitiki. Inqubo yokubuswa kwamakoloni yayinde futhi igcwele ukumelana. Ezinye izindawo zawa ngokushesha, kanti ezinye zahlala isikhathi eside. Ukunqotshwa kokugcina kombuso wamaMaya waseTayasal (Nojpetén) eGuatemala, isibonelo, akuzange kwenzeke kwaze kwaba ngu-1697—ngaphezu kwekhulu nesigamu ngemva kokufika kwamaSpanish kokuqala.
Ukubuswa kwamakoloni kwaletha imbubhiso enkulu: izifo ezintsha, ukuphoqelelwa kwabasebenzi, ukwenziwa kobuKristu, kanye nokushiswa kwemibhalo eminingi yesandla. Ngenxa yalokho, imithombo eminingi ebhaliwe yamaMaya yalahleka. Kodwa-ke, eminye imibhalo ebalulekile iyasinda, kokubili ngesimo sama-codex asindayo kanye namarekhodi amakoloni aqukethe amasiko omlomo amaMaya.
Ifa Eliphilayo
Izimpawu zomlando wamaMaya azipheli ngamanxiwa ethempeli. Izigidi zabantu baseMaya zisaphila nanamuhla, ikakhulukazi eGuatemala naseMexico, kanye naseBelize, eHonduras, nase-El Salvador. Balondoloza ulimi lwabo, amasiko, izindwangu, ubuciko, kanye nemikhuba yamasiko esuselwe esikhathini esidlule, naphezu kwezinguquko. Ubunikazi bamaMaya banamuhla buwubufakazi bokuthi le mpucuko "ayinyamalele," kodwa iyaqhubeka ngezindlela ezahlukene.
Okwamanje, ucwaningo lwezinto zakudala kanye nolwe-epigraphic (ucwaningo lokubhala) luyaqhubeka nokwembula izindaba ezintsha. Ubuchwepheshe obufana nokuskena kwe-LiDAR buye bathola ngisho namaphethini okuhlala kanye nengqalasizinda efihliwe ngaphansi kophahla lwehlathi, okuphakamisa ukuthi amadolobha aseMaya kungenzeka ukuthi ayemakhulu futhi exhumene kakhulu kunalokho obekucatshangwa ngaphambili. Ukutholwa ngakunye okusha kujulisa ukuqonda kwethu ubunzima bawo: ikhono lawo lokuphatha amanzi, ukwakha amasimu ezolimo, ukuhlela ezombusazwe, nokugcina i-cosmology eyanikeza injongo ekuphileni.
I-Penutup
Ifa lomlando lamaMaya liyindaba yokudala kwabantu ekubhekaneni nemvelo, ekwakheni ukuhleleka komphakathi, nasekufuneni incazelo ngolwazi namasiko. Kusukela emizini yezolimo yangaphambi kweClassic kuya emadolobheni amahle kakhulu enkathi yeClassic, kusukela ezinkingeni zezombusazwe kuya ekuzivumelaniseni ne-Post-Classic, kuya ekumelaneni nokubuswa yikoloni, amaMaya abonisa amandla amangalisayo. Ifa lawo alibonakali nje kuphela emathempelini amatshe amakhulu kodwa futhi naselulwimini lwawo olushintshayo namasiko. Ukuqonda amaMaya kuwukubona impucuko njengento ephilayo—eshintshayo, ehlala njalo, futhi eqhubeka nokushiya uphawu lwayo ezweni lanamuhla.
