Izincithakalo ZamaMaya—Ogqayinyanga Abanesizungu Abasala Enkathini Edlule

Ngomlobeli wePhaphama! eGuatemala

UKUSUKA emathafeni afudumele, anezimvula ezincane eYucatán yaseMexico kwehle kuye emahlathini emvula anothile, ahlala eluhlaza aseGuatemala naseBelize futhi kuqhubeke njalo kuye ezigodini ezishisayo zase-El Salvador naseHonduras eMelika ePhakathi kutholakala inhlanganisela yemibukiso engahlelekile yezincithakalo zamaMaya ezivuselelwe ngokwengxenye. Njengogqayinyanga abanesizungu, zibonisa inkathi edlule yamathempeli amade nezigodlo ezihlaba umxhwele eziklanywe futhi zahlotshiswa ngobuciko. Njengoba zake zaba isimangaliso sezwe lesikhathi sazo futhi manje seziyimpica-badala yemivubukulo ehlaba umxhwele, ziyizikhumbuzo zobuhle obunyamalele phakade.

Yini eyenza impucuko yamaMaya, ehlehlela emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-2 000, ibe ngephawuleka kangaka? Naphezu kokungabikho ngokuphelele kwezinto zokuhamba ezinamasondo, amathuluzi ensimbi, izilwane zokusebenza, namakhothamo asandilinga, kanye nenkinga yehlathi elilokhu leqa imingcele njalo, amaMaya aphumelela ekutholeni impucuko yangaphakathi yamaNdiya angaphambi kwenkathi kaColumbusa enkulu kunayo yonke eyake yatholwa ezwekazini eliseNyakatho Melika. Umagazini iSmithsonian waphawula: “Yabona ukwenziwa ngcono kwesimiso sokubhala—okuwukuphela kwesimiso sangempela sokubhala esake sasungulwa eMelika esenyakatho neseningizimu—nezinye izintuthuko eziphawulekayo olwazini lwezibalo nolwezinkanyezi. Labantu babesungule umbono owusizo ngenombolo eyiqanda futhi babenekhalenda elabenza bakwazi ukubala kahle ngokuthe ngqó imijikelezo yamaplanethi neyezinkanyezi.”

Inkathi Yasendulo

AmaMaya ake afuna ukukala nokubhala isikhathi, futhi impumelelo yawo enkulu kunazo zonke yayikulomkhakha. Phakathi nenkathi yasendulo, kusukela ngo-250 C.E. kuya ku-900 C.E., akala ngokuphumelelayo unyaka futhi ngokushaya emhloleni abikezela ukusitheka kwelanga nokwenyanga nemijikelezo yeVenus izungeza ilanga.

Imilando yayigcinwa izazi nababhali bamaMaya ephepheni elenziwe ngegxolo elingaphakathi lomkhiwane elaliye lagxotshwa futhi lagcotshwa ngomcako. Indlela yabo yokubhala, inhlanganisela yezimpawu zefonetiki ezazimelele izingxenye zomsindo nemifanekiso eyayimelele amagama, ingesinye sezimiso ezinhlanu eziyisisekelo ezasungulwa umuntu. INew Encyclopœdia Britannica ithi ukusungula kwamaMaya indlela yokubala ngezinhlanvu zezinombolo nenombolo eyiqanda kungacatshangelwa “njengokunye kokuphumelela okuhlakaniphe kakhulu kwengqondo yomuntu.” Umlando uphawula ezinye izimpucuko ezimbili kuphela ezasungula umqondo wokubala wenombolo eyiqanda, eyamaHindu neyama-Arabu.

Nakuba lezi kwakuyizimpumelelo ezimangalisayo, umvubukuli uMichael D. Coe, encwadini yakhe iMaya, usinikeza umqondo: “Kodwa umuntu akumelwe eqise. Isayensi ngomqondo wesimanje yayingekho. Endaweni yayo sithola, njengasezimpucukweni zaseMesophothamiya, inhlanganisela yokwaziswa ngezinkanyezi okuqonde kahle kakhulu nalokho okungabizwa kuphela ngokuthi ulwazi lokubaluleka kwezinombolo kwezokulumba, okwasungulwa abapristi ngenxa yezinjongo ezingokwenkolo.”

Njengoba ayeyizakhamuzi ezilinganiselwa ku-3 000 000, emadolobheni angu-40 anezakhamuzi ezingaphezu kuka-20 000 lilinye, amaMaya akha imibhoshongo namathempeli okuhlaba umxhwele. Nakuba ayentula izinto ezihamba ngamasondo, athutha inqwaba yamatshe ukuze akhe lezizakhiwo futhi abaza izitini esebenzisa amatshe aqine kakhudlwana, intambo ekhumuzekayo, ingilazi yentaba-mlilo, nezinye izinto zemvelo. Ngokungafani namakhothamo asandilinga ezakhiwo zamaRoma, izakhiwo zabo eziklanywe kahle zasebenzisa ikhothamo elisekelwa yizinsika—elenziwe ngochungechunge lwamatshe abekwa elinye phezu kwelinye naphumela ngaphandle nhlangothi zombili zomnyango olwaluhlanganiswe phezulu ngetshe elibekwa ngenhla. Izindonga zezakhiwo zazihlotshiswe zaba mayikayika ngemifanekiso eqoshiwe nemibhalo yamahieroglyph. Ngaphezu kwalokho, inkathi yasendulo yayiphawulwa ngokwenziwa kwezinto zobumba ezimibalabala nokumiswa kwamatshe esikhumbuzo aqoshiwe, izixwembe ezibheke phezulu, okwakubhalwa kukho izehlakalo eziphawulekayo.

Amatshe Esikhumbuzo AmaMaya

Kusukela esikhathini esingenakukhunjulwa, umuntu ubezama ukubhalela izizukulwane ezilandelayo igama lakhe nezenzo zakhe zobuqhawe ezintweni ezingenakonakala, ezinjengobumba netshe, njengoba kufakazelwa uMlando odumile kaNabonidus waseBabiloni lakudala neRosetta Stone yaseGibithe lasendulo. AmaMaya ayengahlukile. Okungenani kuye kwatholakala izigxobo zamatshe eziyinkulungwane, noma amatshe esikhumbuzo, kohlobo nobukhulu obuhlukahlukene, okunesilinganiso sobude obusukela emamitheni angu-2,5 kuya kwangu-3. Lamatshe esikhumbuzo manje kuqondakala ukuthi ayeyizikhumbuzo zokuhlonipha ababusi bamaMaya—elandisa ngezinkathi zokubusa kwabo nomlando. Amatshe esikhumbuzo angu-86 atholakala eTikal, eGuatemala, anikeza umbono wamatshe amakhulu amathuna. Angu-21 kuphela awo aqoshiwe, ngokuvamile abonisa umuntu ogqoke waba mayikayika obheke ngakwesobunxele ebonisa inkululeko encane, ephethe intonga yobukhosi futhi ecindezela iziboshwa.

Enye yezimfihlakalo eye yakhathaza izazi zamaMaya kuye kwaba ukuhunyushwa kombhalo wamaMaya wehieroglyph owaziwa ngokuthi amaglyph. Kungakanani okuye kwahunyushwa? Isazi sesiMaya uDavid Stuart sithi, “Ngicabanga ukuthi manje singakwazi ukufunda amaphesenti angu-75 ombhalo wamaglyph osematsheni ezikhumbuzo. Futhi kulokhu kubonakala sengathi amaMaya ayenesithakazelo ikakhulukazi ekubhaleni uhlu lozalo lwababusi bawo, isikhathi aqala ngaso ukubusa, inani leziboshwa zempi abazithumba, nesikhathi abenza ngaso imikhosi enemicikilisho enyantisa igazi nemihlatshelo.”

Ukuphumelela okuthathu okuphawulekayo, ngokulandelana eduze, kwasiza ekuhumusheni. Okokuqala, ngo-1958, isazi semibhalo eqoshiwe uHeinrich Berlin safakazela ukuthi amatshe ezikhumbuzo ayequkethé “iEmblem Glyphs” eyayichaza amadolobha amaMaya lapho kwatholakala khona lamatshe noma amakhosi ozalo amaMaya abusa kulawomadolobha.

Ukuphumelela kwesibili kwenzeka ngo-1959 lapho isazi samaMaya uTatiana Proskouriakoff sithola ukuxhumana kwezinguzunga zamatshe ezingu-35 ezibhalwe izinsuku ePiedras Negras—ezazimiswe lapho ngenjongo ngamaqoqo ayisikhombisa—neqiniso lokuthi asikho isikhathi esasibhalwe kulamaqoqo ayisikhombisa esasihlanganisa isikhathi sokuphila esingaphezu kwesivamile. Kwaboniswa ukuthi iqoqo ngalinye lalibhalwe izehlakalo zangempela enkathini ephelele yokubusa. Ekugcineni, kwaboniswa ukuthi imibhalo yamahieroglyph yayimelele isimiso sokubhala esinezimpawu zefonetiki nendlela evamile yokubhala.

Mhlawumbe akukho endaweni yamaMaya lapho kungatholakala khona amatshe ezikhumbuzo anobuciko obunjalo njengasezincithakalweni zaseCopán enhle esentshonalanga Honduras. Phakathi nomngcele walesikhungo esihle samaMaya kunezinguzunga zamatshe eziqoshwe ngobuciko ezakhiwe ngamatshe ashile entaba-mlilo abizwa ngokuthi amatrachyte—athambile lapho embiwa kodwa aqinayo kancane kancane lapho echaywe elangeni noma emoyeni. Njengoba lisezingeni eliphezulu kunetshe lomcako laseTikal, lelitshe lazenza laba isisulu sokuqoshwa ngokukhululekile ukuze kuboniswe imizwelo, njengoba kufakazelwe imiphumela ewunxa-ntathu efinyelelwe.

Kwabanye, imifanekiso eqoshiwe emihle kunayo yonke ekhona yileyo etholakala eQuiriguá eklanywe ngobuciko—isikhungo esincane, esinokuthula samaMaya esisendaweni engamakhilomitha angu-50 ukuya enyakatho yeCopán ezweni likabhanana laseGuatemala, elake laba yihlathi lemvula. Nakuba isakhiwo sethempeli singahlabi umxhwele, amatshe esikhumbuzo enziwe ngesihlabathi angu-12 angenye indaba. Itshe u“E,” elinesisindo samathani angu-65, liyitshe lesikhumbuzo elikhulu kunawo wonke lamaMaya; liphakeme ngamamitha angu-11, linobubanzi obungamamitha angu-1,5, nobukhulu obungamamitha angu-1,3.

ITikal Yasendulo

Phakathi ezingosini ezisemajukujukwini ehlathi lasePetén eGuatemala engasenyakatho kukhona iTikal, isikhungo esikhulu kunazo zonke zamaMaya Asendulo ezisatholakele kuze kube manje. Inkaba yalelidolobha elingamakhilomitha-skwele angu-130 ihlanganisa cishe amakhilomitha-skwele angu-16, okutholakala kuyo izinto ezihlukahlukene ezingaphezu kuka-3 000 ezisukela ezindlwaneni zohlobo oluphansi, kuya emathempelini amade, ayimibhoshongo. Elide kunawo wonke, iThempeli IV, ithempeli elide Lenyoka Enamakhanda Amabili, lingamamitha angu-65 ubude. Umnyombo weTikal uyiGreat Plaza eyihektare elilodwa, neThempeli I, iThempeli leJaguar Enkulu, empumalanga neThempeli II, iThempeli Lezinto Zokufihla Ubuso, engxenyeni esentshonalanga.

Yayiyini injongo yalamathempeli? Nakuba kusenokungaqiniseki ngalokhu, umvubukuli waseMaya uEdwin M. Shookb watshela iPhaphama!: “Lawa kwakungamathempeli ngomqondo ongokwenkolo, futhi ayakhelwe leyonjongo. Okwesibili, ayesetshenziselwa ukuhlonipha umuntu ngokubeka amathambo akhe endaweni ehlonipheke kanjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, iWestminster Abbey ayakhelwanga ukugcina amathuna. Kodwa abantu baseBrithani bahlonipha izikhulu zabo ngokuzithuma eWestminster Abbey. Yilokho kanye oyokuthola kuso sonke isimiso samaMaya. Kunomehluko omncane.” UShook owathola futhi waqamba imigwaqo ehamba phezulu eyinhloko yaseTikal ngamagama ezinhloli zezwe zakudala—uMendez, uMaudslay, uMaler, noTozzer.

Ngakwezinye izingxenye ezimbili zeGreat Plaza kukhona ama-Acropolis eyaseNtshonalanga neyaPhakathi, okukholelwa ukuthi ayizigodlo futhi ayizakhiwo zokuqondisa. Eduze neAcropolis eseNingizimu kukhona iTriple Ball Court, eyake yasabela ekushayweni kanzima ngebhola lenjoloba elalikhahlelwe abadlali ababegqoke izimpahla zokuvikela. Njengoba iTikal yakhiwe esisekelweni setshe lomcako elinezimbobo, amanzi emvula ayigugu econsa ngazo kalula, kwadingeka ukuba amaMaya akhe izinqolobane eziningana, ezinye zazo ezaziyizimayini zetshe lomcako. Lamathangi ayenamekwe ngobumba lwekhethelo ukuze kuvinjelwe ukuvuza. IAcropolis, eseNingizimu iPlaza eseMpumalanga neseNtshonalanga, iPlaza yamaThempeli Ayisikhombisa, iMakethe Ephakathi, imigwaqo ehamba phezulu eyinhloko yayisetshenziselwa izindwendwe zenkolo, nesakhiwo iLost World—muva nje okwavuselelwa abavubukuli baseGuatemala—kuyizakhiwo ezivelele ezakha izinsalela zeTikal.

UKufa Kwenkathi Yasendulo

Yini eyaletha inkathi yasendulo esiphelweni sayo? Okushiwoyo kuningi, kodwa akekho ngempela owaziyo. Okwaziwayo ukuthi ukumiswa kwamatshe esikhumbuzo abhalwe izinsuku, izigodlo, nezakhiwo zomphakathi kwaphela ngokungazelele. Itshe lesikhumbuzo lokugcina elatholakala eTikal libhalwe u-869 C.E. Izakhamuzi zashiya izikhungo ezinkulu zamadolobha aseMaya futhi zahlala ezifundeni ezincane, ezihlakazekile zezolimo. Ihlathi, elalivimbelekile, manje laqhubekela phambili. Izimbewana zezihlahla zamila ezingosini nasemifantwini yezakhiwo eziyizisulu futhi zaba izihlahla ezinkulu. Izimpande zazo, manje ezase zingamafidi amaningana ububanzi, zaklaya amagumbi, zahlephula amatshe enziwe ngomcako, zenza buthakathaka izindonga, futhi zalimaza nekhothamo elisekelwe izinsika icorbel. Isele dengwane futhi ikhohlakele, iTikal neziza ezingodadewabo kwakufihlekile ezweni langaphandle ukuze kuhlale kungenzi lutho phakathi nokumpintshaniswa ihlathi.

Ingabe imibhalo egciniwe yamaMaya ibingeke yini inikeze ukukhanya okuthile? Ibingakunikeza ukuba kwakungengenxa yabanqobi baseSpain bekhulu le-16 leminyaka. ISmithsonian iyaphawula: “UDiego de Landa, umbhishobhi wokuqala waseYucatá, ekuqhumeni kokuqala kwentshiseko yamaKatolika, wenza imfihlakalo yaba ejulile ngokuzama ukususa yonke imikhondo yempucuko yamaMaya. Washisa inqwaba yamacodex, izincwadi zomdabu ezazibhalwe ephepheni legxolo (amacodex amane kuphela amaMaya okwaziwa ukuthi asekhona namuhla) ayengacacisa izindaba futhi aqede ukudideka kwamuva kakhulu.”

Ngakho-ke, inhlanganisela yemifanekiso yamaMaya yezincithakalo ezibuyiselwe ngokwengxenye eMelika Emaphakathi ziseyimpica-badala yomhlaba wethu. Buthule, lezincithakalo ezingogqayinyanga abanesizungu abasala enkathini edlule, ziyaqhubeka zimile.

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IEl Castillo, isakhiwo esikhulu kunazo zonke eziyisikhombisa eChichén Itzá, eYucatán, eMexico

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Ithempeli eliwumbhoshongo (ikhulu leminyaka lesikhombisa C.E.), iGreat Plaza, eTikal, eGuatemala

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Umdlalo webhola wasendulo wawudlalelwa kulenkundla eCopán, eHonduras

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Instituto Hondureño de Antropologia e Historia

Indawo engaphambili yeChac Mool, ngokunokwenzeka eyayisetshenziselwa ukwamukela izinhliziyo zabantu; iThempeli lamaQhawe, Chichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico