The Maya were an ancient civilization who lived in the Yucatan Penninsula. Their classic period was between 300 AD and 950 AD. They built great cities while Europe was still underdeveloped in many areas. Most of their temples were made of stone and even today people find them very impressive. The Maya developed a calendar system based on the movement of the moon and the stars. They built roads and cities and developed a system of hieroglypic writing and a numeric system which has only recently been understood. They also made eleborate pottery and paintings.

The Mayans worshipped many gods and made sacrifices to them. The Maya civilization died out suddenly and archeologists can only guess what happened to them.

The Maya were farmers even before they adopted the hierarchical society so many of their cities were built in the rainforest. The Maya used "slash and burn" to clear the forests, and they grew food to support their families. The Maya farmers grew maize corn, peas, and lots of other fruits and vegetables.

The climate is very hot from May to August and rainy through the rest of the year. This is why it takes such a long time for archeologists to clear an area to study the Maya sites because when the rainy season comes all the work stops. The rainforest is very dense with lots of trees with vines hanging down. Because of the thick vegetation archeologists cannot use helicopters to search the area for ruined Maya sites instead, they have to go on foot through the jungle.