Mexican Mayans Descendants Make Debut in Apocalypto

Released on = December 9, 2006, 8:23 pm

Press Release Author = Erick Laseca

Industry = Entertainment

Press Release Summary = Hollywood Geared up to Release Film on Mayan Civilization

Press Release Body = The height of Mayan civilization may have ended some 1600 years
ago, but this enigmatic empire seems to be making a come-back. This past Friday,
December 8th, movie theaters across North America released Mel Gibson's
much-anticipated feature, Apocalypto, filmed in Mexico, bringing the late, great
Mayan civilization to life on the big screen.

For centuries, the world has been mystified and intrigued by this unique culture.
Considered one of the greatest civilizations of all time, and regarded as the most
outstanding intellects of ancient Mexico, the Mayans were a cutting edge society,
incredibly enlightened for their time. Not only were the Mayans an incredibly
advanced civilization much like the Greeks, but their legacy also remains today in
areas that spread from Central Mexico to Honduras, similarly to the Greeks legacy
which has transgressed the tests of time.

Mel Gibson's Apocalypto is entirely in the Yucatec Maya language and the cast
consists of local indigenous Mayan actors. Filmed in Veracruz, Mexico, the movie
depicts ancient Mayan life and also connotes to the Mayan prophecy, "Fin de los
Tiempos", in which they prophesized that the world would end its 5,200-year fourth
and current cycle on the winter solstice of December 21, 2012. Cycles play a huge
role in the Mayan culture and a great amount of their time was spent studying
astronomical rotations and synchronicity to human events.

While the major Mayan cities portrayed in the movie are gone, the ruins still remain
offering visitors to Mexico a unique piece of history and culture to absorb.

Mayan Culture
The Mayans cultivated the most advanced written language of the hemisphere, excelled
as astronomers and were highly-skilled mathematicians, being the first in the world
to arrive at the concept of zero, and use complex calculations. They were also
admirable urban planners and their grand cities were filled with monumental temples
which were built without the use of tools as we know them today.

Mayan cities were carefully designed with temples and places in the center and a
nearby ball court, which enabled the Mayans to play a game considered to be the
precursor to soccer. The ruins of these amazing cities are found throughout Mexico,
specifically in the Yucatan states. Exciting new finds in the field of archaeology
are revealing countless treasures from their temples and pyramids as scientists work
to unravel mysteries of the past.

The area of the Mayan civilization extended throughout the northern Central American
region which includes the present-day nations of Guatemala, Belize, western Honduras
and El Salvador, as well as the southern Mexican states of Chiapas, Tabasco,
Quintana Roo, Campeche, and Yucatan. Their history can be traced through three
major periods: the pre-Classic from 2000 B.C. to 200 A.D.; the Classic from 200 A.D.
to 900 A.D.; and the post-Classic era from 900 A.D. to 1521 A.D. As people
worldwide are in awe of these advanced people, it is becoming increasingly popular
to study them and learn more about the Mayans via travel, literature and now, film.

Chichen-Itza
Of their most notable constructions, Chichen-Itza remains one of the most famous
Mayan sites, and is currently a finalist to become a new Seven World Wonder.
Located in Yucatan State, Chichen-Itza is one of Mexico's most archaeologically
impressive creations, and one of the country's most visited landmarks. When built
by the Mayans, these magnificent pyramids were perfectly aligned to the sun and
Chichen-Itza was constructed in such a way that during the equinoxes, the setting
sun casts a shadow of a serpent descending on the northern steps of the pyramid.
This effect was a result of the Mayan's incredibly precise astronomical and
architectural measurements and Chichen-Itza was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site
in 1998.

Chichen-Itza, which reached its peak between 700 and 1200 AD, was the political,
economic and military power in the area. It is surrounded by lush green vegetation,
underground rivers, natural wells and limestone that the Mayans used to construct
their magnificent buildings. There are scenes in Apocalypto where the Mayans are
completely covered in white limestone dust, showing the intensity of labor that was
exhibited while creating their massive pyramids and temples.

Tulum
If Chichen-Itza awes the observer with its size and complexity, Tulum charms with
its location on a limestone cliff above the turquoise splendor of the Caribbean.
Located about 75 miles south of Cancun in the state of Quintana Roo, Tulum is the
only completely walled Mayan settlement known and is so popular that it attracts
about 2 million visitors annually.

This small collection of temples on a bluff overlooking the blue-green sea served as
a major trading center and port for the 4,000 or so Mayan canoes that plied the seas
from Mexico's northern coast to South America. Laden with feathers, furs, jade,
medicinal herbs, salt, and honey, these canoes navigated a network of inland canals
dug by the

Uxmal
Another important ruin in the Yucatan Peninsula is Uxmal, located 50 miles south of
Merida. Uxmal is the peerless example of classic Pu'uc architecture named for the
hilly Pu'uc region of northwestern Yucatan where this style attained its ultimate
refinement. It's also the largest site, known for its exquisite sense of
proportion. The invention of a local type of cement made from seashells allowed for
the construction of wide arches, huge gateways and impressive rooms which add to the
beautiful proportions.

Yucatan Peninsula
In addition to fascinating ruins and colonial treasures, Mexico's Yucatan State alsor