Hi,

What kind of appositive "the Maya" is? It's not non-restrictive since it doesn't have commas on both side of it. It's also not restrictive because it has a comma before it (restrictive appositives have no commas). Is there a commas before "the Maya" because it refers to two nouns preceding it?

Architects and stonemasons, the Maya built huge palace and temple clusters without the benefit of animal transport or the wheel.

It's just a somewhat less common word order for apposition. 'The Maya' is the more important of the two phrases. The sentence could be rewritten as

The Maya, (who were) architects and stonemasons, built huge palace and temple clusters without the benefit of animal transport or the wheel.

Best wishes, Clive

 

 

Hi,

Architects and stonemasons, the Maya built huge palace and temple clusters without the benefit of animal transport or the wheel.

OK. First, do you see that the original sentence can also be written as follows?

The Maya, (who were) architects and stonemasons, built huge palace and temple clusters without the benefit of animal transport or the wheel.

Next, do you see that the writer's focus, in both these sentences, is to tell the reader something about the Maya?

Clive