Maya social classes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ancient Mayan social classes included a complex relationship between elites, including kings and merchants, and commoners.[1] The highest ancient Mayan social class included a single centralized leader known as the king or Kʼuhul ajaw, who was most often a man but occasionally a woman.[1] The king's power derived from religion and control over resources, and this power was reinforced by other elites, including merchants.[1] This faction of ancient Mayan social classes arose when some individuals gained greater access to resources than others, increased internal and external trade, and specialized in the manufacturing and selling of goods.[1] This influx of wealth for subsections of the ancient Mayan population further subdivided the upper and lower classes, and wealth became a source of power for the elites.[1]
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: needs editing, source checking, etc. (June 2016) |