In 2012 the Mayan prophecy gained strength before the alleged end of the world. As on other occasions, absolutely nothing happened. Then experts on prophetic issues of the extinct civilization indicated that it was the end of an era, which occurs every 25 thousand years. Among the vestiges of what the Mayans were, there are their beautiful jewels used by the Mayan emperors and the royal family.
The Mayan civilization, located in Mesoamerica southeast of what is now known as the states of Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, eastern Chiapas in Mexico, as well as much of the territory of Guatemala, Belize and western Honduras and El Salvador, developed until, according to the latest unconfirmed theory, the place’s natural resources were exhausted.
Among the riches exploited by the Mesoamericans is jade, considered a precious stone with healing and even magical benefits. In addition to curing diseases according to their primitive beliefs, they considered the mineral a rock of good luck. It also had a meaning of fertility to be used by women when they wanted to get pregnant. Carrying it among the courtiers of the empire was considered a symbol of social status.
Those who had power used jade to make necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, pectorals or breastplates and chokers that they wore at special moments for their culture.
In addition, their belief in the mineral was such that funerary masks were built when they performed the requiem for their relatives and before proceeding with the ritual, a jade stone was placed under the corpse’s tongue in order to support it in its ascent. to the afterlife or to the new world to discover after death.
Jade was not the only mineral to be used, another precious stone among the favorites of the Mayan civilization was turquoise, a substitute gem to make jewelry, necklaces, bracelets or earrings.
Similarly, their proximity to the Pacific Ocean made them exploit sea products to feed themselves and later, use sea shells to make beautiful earrings.
The feathers of the quetzal, a tropical bird between 36 and 38 centimeters tall, present a spectacular combination of emerald green or turquoise blue plumage and a carmine red breast, which they used to adorn their jewelry pieces.
For the Mayan culture and according to the rituals carried out by priests, the symbolism of decorating oneself with quetzal feathers established a magical communication with the formation and ordering of the universe during the performance of ceremonies established for that purpose.
Emperors and their priests were usually the only ones allowed to dress in such a way. It was also determined that the high officials wore shirts made entirely of mother-of-pearl shells that surely looked spectacular.
Back then, heHuman relations in that civilization were similar to those known today in relation to the existing authorities in each community. Of course, wearing jewelry with jade, turquoise or seashells was common among the nobility of the Mayan Empire.