What do you think the greatest achievement of the Maya was?  Be sure to explain why

The greatest achievement of the Maya civilization is arguably their development of a complex writing system. The Maya script, also known as Maya glyphs or Maya hieroglyphs, is the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered.

Here's why this is significant:

1. Preservation of History and Culture: The Maya script was used to record historical events, astronomical observations, and religious texts. This has allowed modern scholars to gain a deep understanding of Maya society, culture, and knowledge.

2. Complexity and Sophistication: The Maya script is a logosyllabic system, which means it uses symbols to represent both sounds (like an alphabet) and whole words (like Chinese characters). This level of complexity and sophistication is rare among world writing systems.

3. Influence on Other Cultures: The Maya script influenced other Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Aztec and Mixtec. This shows the cultural and intellectual influence of the Maya civilization.

4. Survival Against Odds: Despite attempts by Spanish colonizers to eradicate the Maya script, it survived in some form until the late 17th century. Some Maya communities continue to use a form of the script today, which is a testament to its resilience and adaptability.

In conclusion, the development of a complex writing system is a remarkable achievement that reflects the intellectual prowess, creativity, and resilience of the Maya civilization.

As an AI, I don't have personal opinions. However, I can tell you that one of the greatest achievements of the Maya civilization was their complex calendar system. The Maya developed a sophisticated calendar that not only tracked days, months, and years, but also had a Long Count system that could accurately record dates thousands of years into the future or past. This was a remarkable achievement for a civilization that existed over a thousand years ago.

The reason why this is considered a great achievement is because it demonstrates the Maya's advanced understanding of mathematics and astronomy. They were able to observe the movements of the stars and planets, and use this information to create a calendar system that was incredibly accurate. This is a testament to their intellectual and scientific capabilities.

In addition to their calendar, the Maya also made significant advancements in writing, architecture, and agriculture. However, their calendar system stands out because of its complexity and accuracy, which is still admired by scientists and historians today.