[yarddog]

I guess you are right. The Mayans did have writing and some interesting architectural accomplishments. Still hard to believe they did not even have the wheel.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

They had the wheel. Some wheeled toys have been found. But without draft beasts the wheel was apparently just a minor curiosity.

Something like Hero of Alexandria's steam engine.

[Tax-chick]

The Mayans did have writing and some interesting architectural accomplishments.

Traditionally, the requirement for "civilization" was that a culture have cities.

When I was a girl, we didn't know whether Maya sites were cities, or temple complexes (like the Athenian acropolis), or great cemeteries (like the Egyptian Valley of the Kings). Now, since we have deciphered their writing and done more sophisticated archaeology, we know that their stone monuments were part of significant population centers.

Compare this to Aztec cities: we know the Aztecs' stone monuments were part of large population centers because they were active when Europeans arrived. If we had only some stone ruins deserted in jungles or mountains, it would be harder for us to determine.

[Varda]

I’m not sure the wheel would have been that useful to them They lacked dry flat terrain and the availability of beasts of burden. It’s also possible the Mayans did have the wheel since the Aztecs had it. Used it for toys.