Running Time:
30 minutes
Captions:
Closed Captions
,
Spanish Subtitles
AVP Release Date:
September 2008
Producer:
Centre/Ambrose Video
The Mayas are best known for their spectacular architecture that made up their city centers, but they are also the most misunderstood of the great ancient civilizations. First, they were not the blood thirsty warrior society as they often portrayed; and second, they were the world's first environmental farmers, creating a thriving agricultural society on poor land through advanced farming techniques and a profound sensitivity to their environment.
Chapters:
- Homeland and Geography
- Network of City States
- Culture - Ceremonial Warfare
- Environmental Agriculturalists
- Art and Architecture - Grand Architecture of Their Ceremonial Centers
- Mathematics, Astronomy and Writing
Shot in High Definition
Supplementals: Closed Captioned; Spanish Subtitled; Teacher's Guide, Blackline Master Quiz, Downloadable Maps and Graphics
Clip Length:
Reviews:
STARRED REVIEW *
"Zay Harding (PBS's Globe Trekker) hosts an exploration of one of the most important ancient civilizations. Through the lenses of geography, politics, religion, agriculture, art, architecture, mathematics, and writing, this unique and highly sophisticated culture is revealed. The content of the documentary directly refutes many misconceptions that link the civilization to primitivism, bloodlust, and war-like aggression, as leading academics explain the daily lives of the ancient Mayan people. This humanizing portrayal demonstrates their advancements in farming and establishes this population as the first environmental agriculturalists. In learning to work with the challenges of their largely untenable lands, the Mayan were able to thrive. DVD bonus features include quizzes, downloadable maps, and other graphics to further integrate its content into a school curriculum. History, cultural, and environmental programs of study will find this film particularly useful, accessible, and illuminating."
- School and Library Journal
