Ancient Mayan Culture Created From Many Influences, Study Finds

The mysterious origin of the ancient Mayan civilization is a little more complex than the prevailing theories, researchers say.

Anthropologists generally fall into two groups when considering the beginnings of the Mayans, arguing either that the civilization developed independently or that the Mayans were influenced largely by the older Olmec civilization. Research published today in the journal Science dates the early Mayan city of Ceibal as 200 years older than the major nearby Olmec center of La Venta, suggesting the beginnings aren’t clear cut, said Takeshi Inomata, the study’s lead author and an anthropology professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson.