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Leaders & Nobles
Daily Life in the
Maya Empire
|
A
different noble family ruled each city. The Mayas were governed by
city-state. The same family ruled forever. The crown was handed from
father to son forever. Their right to rule came from the fact that they
were direct descendants of the Hero Twins. They were the kids of the
kids of the kids of the original Hero
Twins.
Leaders:
Nobles: The
nobles were all the people who were not actually the rulers, but were of
royal blood - the brothers and sisters and cousins and aunts and uncles
of the ruling family. Nobles believed they were so important that, when
they appeared in public, their attendants would hold a cloth in front of
their face. That way, no one could talk to them directly.
High Fashion: Maya
nobles spent a great deal of time on their personal appearance. They bathed
often. They
pierced their ears. They covered their bodies with tattoos. They painted
their bodies. They loved fancy colorful embroidery added to their
clothing. They loved straight black hair and high cheekbones. They loved
jewelry.
Hats: Most of all, they loved hats! Hats were very important. The Mayas believed that the bigger the hat, the more important the wearer. Some of the headdresses worn by nobles were taller than they were.
As in most ancient cultures, the nobles life was one of leisure. They had the time to spend on what they believed made them look beautiful.
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