Craftsmen Illustration

Maya Empire for Kids
Craftsmen

Craftsmen lived in the cities. They were a step up from farmers, but they were still considered commoners or peasants.

Craftsmen worked very hard, but not nearly as hard as farmers. For one thing, craftsmen did not have to pay tax. Craftsmen were given raw goods to make their crafts, along with a home, clothing, food, and other necessities for their families. They paid for these things with their crafts. They typically worked for a nobleman.

Craftsmen made jewelry and carved little statues in jade, copper, stone, gold, silver, bone, and clay. They made the most incredible pottery, baskets, stone carvings. They also made weapons and shields out of stone and shell.

Weavers wove colorful fabrics using dyed cotton and hemp. Designs were geometric, animal, floral, and human. Some craftsmen used this fabric to make clothing and cloaks. Embroidery was added to make garments even more colorful.

Craftsmen carved the stelas, the stone trees that told a story, and added design work to the nobles homes and the temples that also told stories.

The Maya were not only an extremely clever people, they were very artistic as well.

Maya Pottery

Maya Art

Stelas

Animals and Feathers

Social Structure

Daily Life in the Maya Empire

Mayas for Kids