Perhaps no other ancient society has been associated with the descriptions “mysterious” and “lost” as often as the Maya civilization, says Dr. Nikolai Grube, professor of anthropology of the Americas at the University of Bonn in Germany. But the fact is, the Maya civilization was never lost.
The idea that it was? “A very romanticized 19th century European perspective on the Mayas,” says Grube, curator of the “Maya” exhibition to be displayed March 14 through Sept. 7 at Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. More than 300 original Maya artifacts will shed light on their enigmatic culture, showcasing the vibrancy and sophistication of the Maya culture not only through original artwork and relics, but using modern technology.
The exhibition focuses on the Maya culture from its classic peak to the present, aiming to show that the modern indigenous populations in Guatemala, southern Mexico and Belize maintain a cultural continuity from pre-Hispanic times to today.
The Maya civilization, at its height in 600 A.D., was the greatest in the world, its population density surpassing all others; its understanding of science, astronomy and mathematics equal to or greater than other world cultures at the time.
“The abandonment of large cities in the lowlands of Guatemala, Mexico, Belize and Honduras is one of the great mysteries of archaeology. However, the downfall of the big cities, with its high temples, royal palaces, public squares and wide ceremonial roads did not mean the end of Maya culture. On the contrary, this led to the development of new forms of cultural expression,” notes Grube, closely associated with several archaeology projects in the Maya area and director of the excavation of Uxul in Campeche, Mexico.
“What was lost were the big cities in the rainforest,” he points out. “However, the native people who lived and continue to live on the Yucatan peninsula and neighboring Guatemala always knew about these cities, at least about many of them. The Maya of today preserve many ideas, languages and forms of living of their ancestors who built these large cities. Therefore, we cannot say that Maya civilization was lost. It was lost only in the eyes of European explorers and scientists.”
According to Grube, the largest recent breakthrough in uncovering the mysteries of the Maya is the recent decipherment of Maya writing.
“Until then, nobody believed that Indians were able to develop a form of true writing. The decipherment of Maya hieroglyphic writing began in the 1950s but took on pace in the 1980s and 1990s. Now we can read a large amount of Maya hieroglyphic inscriptions. We understand most of them and know how the language of the inscriptions is linked to contemporary spoken Mayan languages.
“The decipherment now opens the door to a profound understanding of Maya history,” Grube continues. “For the first time, we have the names of kings and queens and know their biographies. We know what the Maya believed, we understand their concerns and their thinking. The decipherment has given us a key to enter into the minds of the Maya.”
Grube was kind enough to take time during his recent travels to answer a few questions for Venue Magazine regarding the upcoming Maya exhibit:
VM: What fuels your interest in, your passion for, the Maya civilization and all you have discovered about the culture?
NG: For me, Maya culture is so exciting because it is the most important indigenous civilization on the American continent. Here we can explore and see how people without any contact to other civilizations in Europe, Africa or Asia came up with similar ideas, inventions and solutions. The Maya have developed a script completely independently and without external inspiration that is structurally similar to the hieroglyphic script of Egypt or cuneiform script of Mesopotamia.
When I started to become interested in the Maya, the writing system was hardly understood. From the beginning I wanted to contribute to the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphic writing. It was above all the writing system that stimulated my passion for the Maya. I also wanted to communicate this in the exhibition. The exhibition therefore presents various inscribed stelea (carved stone slabs or pillars used for commemorative purposes) and stone monuments with translations.A replica of the Dresden Maya Codex, the most beautiful of the only four surviving Maya books, will also be shown in the exhibition with explanations. There will also be interactives which help guests to understand Maya writing.
The other aspect of the Maya culture that fascinated me from the beginning and that also plays a special role in the exhibition is the fact that the Maya are still alive today and are present in Guatemala, Mexico and Belize, and even make up the majority of the population. Mayan languages are still spoken by several million people today. These languages are closely related to the language of hieroglyphic inscriptions. But it is not only the languages that show such continuity, but also their religion and many elements of culture that the Maya of today have adopted from their ancestors.
VM: Please tell our readers a little bit about each of the following key artifacts to be displayed, and what makes them “key” — Seibal Stela 3: A fascinating stela of enormous dimensions from the period, when most Maya cities had already witnessed a collapse. In this time, Seibal enjoyed a late revitalization of its power. This was possible due to Seibal’s strong interaction with and support by foreigners who came from outside of the Maya world. This foreign influence can be seen in the iconography of this stela. Polychrome Stucco Figure of a Jaguar Warrior: a unique monumental stucco figure, it is unparalleled in the entire Maya world. I think it is the largest single Maya stucco figure which exists. It is beautifully preserved and shows a lot of detail of dress, and in some parts even the original paint has been preserved. Figurines from El Peru: This is the only time in the history of Maya archaeology that a complete figurine group has been discovered in situ (in its original position). The figurines are extraordinarily well preserved, most of them still have the original paint attached to them. The figurine group consists of 23 clay figurines which display members of the royal court who accompany the dead king on his travel in the underworld. Cave Painting: This is the only cave painting from the Maya which can be shown in an exhibition. The cave painting was stolen from a cave in Guatemala but was recovered and brought back into custody of La Ruta Maya foundation. It shows how important caves were for the Maya as sacred places where important rituals took place.
VM: What are some of the less “key” but nevertheless noteworthy artifacts CMC guests should keep an eye out for?
NG: There are so many “treasures” in this exhibition it’s impossible to list them all! I personally like the gold earrings from Q’umarkaaj very much because they give us a glimpse of the artistry of the Maya in the years just before the arrival of the Spaniards. And I love the stone box from the Hunal Ye cave because it has such a beautiful carving, showing the moon goddess embracing a rabbit, her pet (the Maya saw a rabbit on the face of the moon).
Finally, I would also point out the hieroglyphic steps from la Corona. These are absolutely important inscriptions which tell a long story about the interaction of the kings of La Corona with the lords of the powerful Kaanul dynasty, but also with other places in the Maya lowlands. These inscriptions, which were discovered only a few years ago by the ongoing La Corona archaeological project, show images of the kings of La Corona and members of the La Corona court and provide critically important data about the interaction of Maya kingdoms.
“Maya: The Exhibition” is open March 14 – Sept. 7, 2020 at Cincinnati Museum Center.
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is located at 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45203. For more information, visit www.cincymuseum.org.