Engineering an Empire
The Maya: Death Empire. At the height of its glory, this mysterious civilization ruled a territory of 125,000 square miles across parts of Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize. What began as a modest population of hunters and gatherers expanded into more than forty flourishing city-states built within lush rainforests and ruled by dynasties of mighty kings. In an extraordinary burst of creativity from 250 AD to 900 AD, without the use of metal, pack animals or even the wheel, the Maya engineered sky-high temple-pyramids, ornate palaces and advanced hydraulic systems - all to appease their gods and support their growing populations. As the urban centers grew, so did the political tensions between neighboring kingdoms and the demand for natural resources. By 900 AD, the classic Maya cities collapsed. From the Temple-Pyramids at Tikal, to the royal tomb at Palenque, to the star observatory at Chichen Itza, this film will examine the architecture and infrastructure that enabled the rise and fall of the ancient Maya civilization.
| Episode 07 - The Maya: Death Empire |
| Related Links |
| Maya Civilization - wikipedia The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. |
| Legacy: The Origins of Civilization - Central America Isolated from the rest of the world, the Mayans and Aztecs created sophisticated civilizations that in many ways paralleled ancient Mediterranean empires. |
Go to Engineering an Empire Home or watch other episodes: