Mayan Society During The Dark Ages

The Dark Ages were a time of great loss in regards to the lack of any grand achievement being made in Europe. After the fall of Rome, it was as if European society paused, and resumed during the Renaissance. This was not true for the Mayans, however. While the Europeans were squandering trying to subsist through the fall of the Roman Empire, the Mayans were building great pyramids, making substantial discoveries in astronomy and mathematics, their culture was rich. The Maya stood out for its sophisticated culture and society, which is eventually overshadowed by Europe’s monumental resurgence during the Renaissance period. It’s salient that the Maya never had a time period in which their culture was lost, despite the mysterious abandonment of

Mayan cities. Their mighty pyramids still stand, the language is still spoken, the traditional artwork is still being made by people in the Yucatan, and traditions are still incorporated in the modern societies of Belize and Guatemala. While the Dark Ages were a time of cultural loss in Europe, it was a thriving time for Mayan societies.
The Classical Era was certainly no Dark Age for the Mayans. From around 300-900 A.D. Mayan civilization experienced it’s high point of the entirety of the civilization. Mayan civilization was, “clearly defined,” during the Classical Era, and despite not being a “politically unified” whole, every are had a ruling class, middle class, and everyone else was typically a farmer or worked in agriculture (Minster). The Maya definitely deserve recognition in that they were the most scientifically advanced society of this time period as,
“The calendar system the Mayans invented allowed them to plot time for the next 400 million years and predict occurrences such as the movements of the planets and the eclipses of the sun and the moon to the nearest second. The Mayans calculated the days in the year to add up to 365.2420 days compared to our actual value of 365.2422. Their number system allowed them to make sums up into the millions and comprehend the concept of zero ahead of any other culture,” (Suter, Buell).
This is a great achievement, and perhaps on of their biggest achievements, in that their mathematics were so accurate, and their knowledge was well ahead of its time, while Europe is simultaneously in a historical blindspot is completely awning. Especially when, despite their progression, they just disappear. Not only did they pretty much invent modern mathematics and astrology, they were incredible architects. The distinct terracing of their pyramids, to the intricate architecture of ceremonial temples, leaves the world wondering how a society was so well ahead of everyone else. This time period was an era of great prosperity for the Maya. Mayan legacy lives through their pyramids that still stand, and the remnants of the great Mayan societies scattered across the Yucatan and Central America, as well as through the descendants of the ancients who still speak the native language, worship the old gods, and carry attractions, food, and artwork through generations. The disappearance of the Maya certainly didn’t equate to the extinction of the culture.
This time period after the fall of the Roman Empire in Europe is known as the “Dark Age” in which no scientific accomplishments had been made, no great art produced, and no great leaders took initiative to drastically impact European societies.

People in the Dark Ages were engulfed in the shadow of greatness of their predecessors, which 18th-century English historian Edward Gibbon called “barbarism and religion,” (History). Life in Europe during the Dark Ages were quite simple, as there was no efforts in unifying Europe, and the Catholic church was the only real body of power in Europe at this time. European societies were governed by feudalism, in which the king gives land to the nobles, while peasants worked on the land to live there in return. Little is actually known about this era, in that nothing significant was recorded, announcing it a “dark’ era. There was little to nothing significant about this time period in Europe, other than strong Catholic authority. A shift begins during this time period

when,
“agricultural innovations such as the heavy plow and three-field crop rotation made farming more efficient and productive, so fewer farm workers were needed… the population grew… more people were drawn to towns and cities.

Meanwhile, the Crusades had expanded trade routes to the East and given Europeans a taste for imported goods… and luxurious textiles,” (History).

This initiated the Renaissance Era in Europe, as these luxury items attracted more people to Europe, bringing about remarkable economic development, especially in regards to overseas trade. The Renaissance Era was a time in which Europe rebirthed, in a sense. They made lots of advancements in sciences and mathematics, art and culture was revived.

The European and Mayan civilizations had inverse experiences during the Classical era, but they were similar in some aspects. While the Mayans were basking in their glorious success as a civilization, the Europeans stood in their shadow. However, after the Renaissance Era, it was as if the Mayans stood in the shadow of the European revival. These two societies have a definite inverse relationship, in that while one was succeeding, the other was squandering. For example, the forward thinking of the Mayans and their knowledge of arithmetic and science was overshadowed by the revolutionary ideas created by European scientists, the fact that the Mayans had created a complex, and accurate calendar wasn’t nearly as celebrated as a European man who got hit by an apple.

In Europe’s darkness, Mayans found light, and made ground-breaking discoveries before anyone else, and that should be acknowledged and commemorated just as much as the achievements made by Europeans during the Renaissance.
In conclusion, the Middle Ages were a time of two completely opposite outcomes in Mayan and European societies. When the Europeans had lost their culture, the Mayans thrived, and when Europe rebirthed, the Mayan societies disappeared. It’s very interesting to compare and analyze the extreme differences these societies had during the same time period, as well as the similarities they shared. They both have contributed so much to the modern world today in terms of science, mathematics, architecture, and culture, and both of their contributions to the modern world should be acknowledged and should not stand in the shadow of eachother. These great societies have had major influence and left an everlasting legacy on the world. In studying these two societies, it has become apparent that each society was able to muster up greatness in completely different circumstances.