Aleksandar Boskovic - The meaning of Maya myths

The lecture will focus on the ways in which the ancient Maya have been studied, and the issues on whether it is possible to extend the analogies with the present-day Mayas. The Classic Maya built a fascinating civilization, which was firmly rooted in the ideology that involved beliefs in the inevitability of time changes, as well as in the complex sets of deities and spirits. The rulers had a special place in this microcosm, as they were believed to be direct descendants of the deities responsible for each city-state. Recent advancement in the decipherment of ancient Maya writing enables us to gain unprecedented insights into the structure and organization of their societies, as well as of the roles of the spiritual components in them.