Columbus
Mental_Floss
The “New World Pompeii”: 10 Fascinating Facts about the Maya Village of Joya de Ceren
About 1400 years ago, a volcanic eruption buried the Maya village of Joya de Ceren (a.k.a. Ceren) under thick layers of ash. The site, in what is now El Salvador, offers two unique insights into the lives of Maya common folk (that is, people without high social status). First, it shows how the ancient Maya lived, from how they built their houses, carried out rituals, and grew their crops. Second, it shows how Maya commoners related to their rulers: We assume that Maya kings and nobles controlled every aspect of peoples’ lives, but the evidence at Ceren shows the upper classes had very little influence at the local level.
Mental_Floss
10K+
Posts
114M+
Views
Mental Floss delivers smart, fun and shareable content in an upbeat and witty environment. An encyclopedia of everything, we answer life’s big questions and uncover stories so interesting our readers absolutely must share them.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.