A comparison of the Taino, Kalinago and Maya

Criteria Kalinago Taino Maya

Location Lesser Antilles Less Antilles Mainland
Coastal coastal Mainly interior and some
coastal
Size settlements Small family size Small to large (larger islands) Huge cities and some villages
leadership Hereditary for Hereditary; civil as well as Hereditary; civil as well as
Tiubutulihauthe but by merit religious head religious head
for ouboutou

religion Ancestral worship; Ancestral worship;Animism; Polytheistic; human and blood

Animism (the belief that
animals and nature contain
spirits);
Social structure Simple, more organized
during war
Integral part of everyday life sacrifice; directed every
aspect of daily existence
Simple, yet clearly defined Highly structured, large
classes aristocracy, broad slave base

trade Barter, yet quite common barter Well established commerce

by land and sea, use of cacao
beans for currency
agriculture Small plots Small to large, main source of Extensive plots, surplus
food, farming

technology - architecture Simple, biodegradable Simple, biodegradable Simple village structures;

Extensive, cities with
structures made of stone;
permanent; ball courts,
palaces, temples, complex
structures of pyramids
Materials Wood, stone, shells, cotton, Wood, stone, shells, cotton,
metal for ornamentation metal for ornamentation Wood, stone, shells, cotton,
metal for ornamentation,
feathers

Tools and weapons Simple, yet deadly bow and Simple

arrow, fire and poisoned No use of metal, but extensive
arrows; clubs use of stone for deadly
weapons and use of spears,
Sharp knives out of flint,
especially for sacrifice
Crafts Simple Simple yet refined
Advanced weaving of cloth,
featherwork, sculpting,
paintings on walls;
writing Rock paintings - petroglyphs Rock paintings - petroglyphs
Writing system, calendar, use
of paper, stelae carvings,
number systems
Question

Why did Maya locate settlements inland?

 Large populations require large areas for settlement, stretched over Yucatan,
 Advanced lifestyle of palaces, temples, ball courts, pyramids and plazas needed extensive space
 Extensive agriculture to feed large populations required large tracts of land, used natural cenotes which were spread
throughout Yucatan and built stone tanks to collect rain water
 Quarries where limestone was cut to build structures were spread over region, so settlements established within reasonable
distance from them