Mayan warfare

Maya warfare involved well-documented types of violence: wars among separate kingdoms; attempts of cities within a kingdom to secede by revolting against the capital; and civil wars resulting from frequent violent attempts by would-be kings to usurp the throne. The affiliation of several cities changed with time, being the Naachtún case the most dramatic, the city's geographic location, between Tikal and Calakmul, served even for "Peace Talking" between these Classic "superpowers",  All of these events were described or depicted on monuments, because they involved kings and nobles. Not considered worthy of description, but probably even more frequent, were fights between commoners over land, as overpopulation became excessive and land became scarce. The god Bolon Yookte' K'uh is associated with War and Xibalbá, and is the one that will descend on the end of this 5Th. Maya Era, (Dec 21, 2012), he is depicted in the 7 and 11 gods Vases from Naranjo. For description of the wars in the Petexbatún area. See Maya Collapse. http://www.authenticmaya.com/maya_warfare.htm

 

The Mayan armory

 In the picture above shows the ancient weapons that the Mayans used in their war.

Mayan Military

Wars and major raids were led by the Ahau, or King. Members of the highest ruling class often were military and spiritual leaders of the cities and their capture during battles was a key element of military strategy. It is believed that many of the cities, especially the larger ones, had large, well-trained armies available for attack and defense. It is unknown if the Maya had a professional soldier class like the Aztecs did.   http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/Maya/p/The-Ancient-Maya-War-And-Warfare.htm

Mayan Gods

The ancient Maya had over 150 Gods in their complex religion, each with clearly defined characteristics and purposes. Here’s the list of the top five Mayan Gods of all time:

1. Itzamn (or Zamn )

Itzamn, the big cheese overall and lord of the heavens as well as night and day, could be called upon in hard times or calamities. Who says nice guys finish last? Itzamn was always benevolent.

2. Chac

Although second in power, Chac was first in importance as the god of rain, and by association, the weather and fertility. Ah Mun was the corn god and the god of agriculture. He was always represented as a youth, often with a corn ear headdress.

3. Ah Mun

Ah Mun was the corn god and the god of agriculture. He was always represented as a youth, often with a corn ear headdress.

4. Ah Puch

The god of death, ruled over the ninth and lowest of the Maya underworlds. He was always malevolent.

5. Ek Chuah

Ek was the god of war, human sacrifice, and violent death. Not the kind of god you’d want to meet in person.
In addition to these, there were patron gods, 13 of the upper world and nine of the lower, plus numerous calendar gods who posed for glyphs. Other deities, such as Kukulcan and Chac Mool, came into the line-up as the society changed in Post Classic times. The religious hierarchy became so bewildering that it was beyond the comprehension of the average Maya, who relied on priests to interpret the religion (so what’s new?). To the common man, who lives or dies by the cycle of rain and drought, Chac remains the god most frequently involved in daily life.

Tulum.com also has their 3 favorite Mayan Gods:

1. Acan

The God of Wine.

2. Ix- Chel

Moon goddess of midwifery, fertility and medicine.

3. Xaman Ek

God of travelers.
   www.tulum.com/informatiation/mayan-history

The Maya wear both modern Western-style clothing and traditional garb (although the latter is more commonly worn by women). Men generally wear trousers and sport shirts or guayaberas— dress shirts with decorative tucks worn outside the belt in place of a jacket. Women wear either traditional woven and embroidered clothing, or stylish dresses and skirt-and-blouse outfits. Traditional women's attire includes the huipil (plural: huipiles ), a long, sleeveless tunic; the quechquémitli, a shoulder cape; and the enredo, a wrap-around skirt. Maya garments are commonly decorated with elaborate and colorful embroidery. The designs, which include humans, animals, and plants, often have some religious significance, and every Maya group and village has its own distinctive patterns of decoration. The decorative designs for huipiles are often said to appear to women in their dreams. Men often wear the traditional tunics over store-bought shirts. Fajas are sashes that hold garments in place and also serve as pockets.
Read more: http://w

ww.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Maya.html#ixzz3XPBR5Ggl

The Mayans are believed to be the first people to have discovered and cultivated the cacao plant for food. The cocoa beans were ground up mixed with chili peppers, cornmeal and honey to create a drink called xocolatl (a Nahuatl word).