Mayan mask

Description of Mayan mask

Mayan mask was believed that the one who put on the mask seemed to pass into the creature that it portrayed. Therefore, during various ceremonies, the shaman and his assistants were required to wear masks made of wood, bones, feathers, etc., in order to transform themselves into the god to whom the ceremony was dedicated. It is worth mentioning that the acts of sacrifice were also performed in masks.
Funeral masks were of great importance, which were made with special art. The most common materials for them were jade, obsidian, mother-of-pearl, turquoise, malachite. A distinctive feature of the burial masks was the presence of a half-open mouth. It is assumed that this feature is associated with the Mayan belief that a soul that leaves the body through the mouth is immortal, capable of being reborn and returning to its owner.

Style Variations

Bold – Light – Solid – Duotone
Each variation is included in the file package.

Maya main description

Mayan symbols

Mayan symbols have had a rich history across Central America. Spreading across a vast territory that stretched from Mexico to Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras, Mayan symbols and glyphs have been found in a vast array of locations. These symbols are crucial to understanding their religion, everyday life, and even their economic and social structure. The earliest known Mayan symbols have been dated to 250 BC, although some think it could have originated even before that. Mayan hieroglyphics have been found carved on stone and bone, painted on pottery and other methods. Mayans were one of the only ancient civilizations that developed their own complex writing system. Alongside this, they also developed their own comprehensive calendar as well as a zodiac system. Unfortunately, though, many of these elements of the Mayan culture and empire have been destroyed over time, leading to confusion in understanding the true meanings of these symbols. After the Spanish conquering of the Maya empire in the 16th century, the Maya were forced to give up their language and religion. The Spanish forced the population into converting to Christianity and communicating in Spanish. After the Conquest, much of the glyphs disappeared, along with any way to interpret their meanings. Over time, researchers have decoded enough that there are now definitions for at least 90% of the existing glyphs.