No culture in America developed in such a way as the mysterious Mayans. After three thousand years their states, in a similarly mysterious way, fell apart.

 

1. Unlike the Aztecs or Incas, the end of the Mayan civilisation wasn’t completely caused by the Spanish conquerors. When they arrived, the majority of the Mayan cities already lay in ruins. Whether it was due to wars, sickness, the weather or something else-no one knows.

2. The Mayans were excellent mathematicians and maybe as the first on the world they knew the number zero. Their calendars were very complicated-and one of them finished in 2012 (in the end the end of the world didn’t happen). By the way, their medicine and writings was also on a good level.

3. The Mayan ball game was very interesting. It took place on a field in front of thousands of spectators and the players couldn’t touch the ball with their hands or feet. The goal was to hit the ball into the hoop placed in a big height above. And it was played only for one goal. It’s also possible that the losing team had to face another punishment apart from just shame. Some say that their heads were used for the following game.

4. The medicinal sauna wasn’t unknown in this part of the world. The Mayans poured hot water on stones and they were sweating in this steam bath. Apart from cleansing they used the sauna also during sicknesses or births.

5. They also used chilli peppers for medicinal purposes and the names Habanero, Yucatan and Tabasco originated here. Chilli was sacred and it was associated with a lot of effects. It was also connected to the jaguar, because it had strength and incisiveness. Various plants and mushrooms were also used as painkillers or to induce psychedelic states.

6. The Mayan human sacrifices were very cruel, which the Spanish also came to see. They painted their sacrifice with blue colour and they cut out their hearts while they were still alive and their skin was worn by the priests. They frequently sacrificed even children-they believed that the innocent and clean blood would bring prosperity to society. Up to this day they still sacrifice at least chickens.

7. This ancient nation knew the value of gold or amber very well, and they were very skilled jewellers. The rich aristocracy wore a variety of jewellery of a high quality.

8. The sense of beauty for Mayans was a bit different from today. They liked large and straight foreheads and therefore they places boards on the heads of small babies, so that they would get “straight” heads whilst they were still soft. Additional attributes of beauty were squinting, long noses and grinded teeth with diamonds.

9. Parents didn’t have to worry about choosing a name for their children. Each got the name according to the day they were born on.

Our Escape Room Curse of Mayans