Most Maya people made their living as farmers. Their main crop was corn. One of their main foods was something you may have eaten—a flat bread called a tortilla (/torteeuh/). Farmers also grew beans, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and pumpkins.

Maya farmers lived in one-room huts made out of mud and grass. Families lived in walled areas that had several huts. Men and boys did the farming. Women and girls took care of the house, cooked, and made clothing and pottery.

Every culture has practices that seem odd to other people. The Maya did two things that may seem a little strange to you. They considered crossed eyes to be beautiful. So mothers would hang something in front of a baby’s nose to help the baby develop crossed eyes. The Maya also viewed a flat head as a symbol of beauty. They would strap a long board to the backs of newborn babies. As the babies’ heads rested against the board, the board gradually flattened the back of the babies’ soft skulls.