Hidden Secrets of the Rain Forest Unit 2

Front

What is the Temple of Inscriptions?

Back

A temple in Palenque, Mexico, containing one of the longest carved hieroglyphic texts, built to honor King Pakal.

Front

Who was King Pakal?

Back

A king of Palenque who rose to power at 12 and ruled for nearly 70 years. He planned his own burial tomb in the Temple of Inscriptions.

Front

How was King Pakal's tomb discovered?

Back

In 1948, archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier discovered a trap door leading to the tomb, which took four years to clear.

Front

What was found in King Pakal's tomb?

Back

Pakal's skeletal remains, jade jewelry, and a mosaic death mask made from green jade, shell, and obsidian.

Front

What symbols did the Maya use in their number system?

Back

A dot for 1, a bar for 5, and an oval shell for 0.

Front

What was the significance of the number 0 for the Maya?

Back

It allowed them to make calculations into the millions.

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How did the Maya use their number system?

Back

Traders used it for business, architects for building, farmers for planting, and astronomers for plotting the heavens.

Front

What role did priests play in Maya society?

Back

They served as astronomers, doctors, and conducted religious ceremonies.

Front

What were the two calendars used by the Maya?

Back

The solar calendar with 365.2420 days and the lunar calendar with 260 days.

Front

How accurate was the Maya solar calendar?

Back

It was remarkably precise, with only a slight difference from modern-day calculations.