The Maya Empire for Kids - Leaders & Nobles

Leaders: 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.

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.

Mayas for Kids