Gender In Maya Society
Ancient Maya women had an important role in society: beyond just propagating culture through the bearing and raising of children, Maya women involved themselves in economic, governmental and farming activities. The lives of women in ancient Mesoamerica were not well documented: "of the three elite founding area tombs discovered to date within the Copan Acropolis, two contain the remains of women, and yet there is not a single reference to a woman in either known contemporary texts or later retrospective accounts of Early Classis events and personages at Copan," writes a scholar. The status of women in pre-Columbian Maya society can be inferred only from their burials. Maya societies include Toniná, a city which became matrilineal after the death of the powerful leader, Lady K’awil. She assumed the mantle of power after the failure of the two male leaders. Lady K'awil's reign is documented by murals which depict her seated on a throne with captives at her feet.
Read more about Gender In Maya Society: Food, Art, Gender Roles, Child Bearing
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