Exclusive Pictures: Maya Murals Found in Family Kitchen

[Judi Lynn]

Exclusive Pictures: Maya Murals Found in Family Kitchen
Published September 7, 2012



Living With the Past
Photograph by Robert Slabonski

If these walls could talk, they'd solve a Maya mystery.

Five years ago Lucas Asicona Ramírez (far right, pictured with family) began scraping his walls while renovating his home in the Guatemalan village of Chajul. As the plaster fell away, a multi-wall Maya mural saw light for the first time in centuries, according to archaeologist Jarosław Źrałka, who recently revealed the finds to National Geographic News.

The paintings depict figures in procession, wearing a mix of traditional Maya and Spanish garb. Some may be holding human hearts, said Źrałka, who was working on the other side of Guatemala when a colleague tipped him off to the kitchen murals.

The recent exposure has faded the art considerably, leaving precious little time to unlock their secrets, he added.

That the paintings endure at all is "a fairly remarkable thing," according to Boston University archaeologist William Saturno, who examined pictures of the murals at National Geographic News's request and believes the art to be authentic.

More photos, information:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/09/pictures/120905-maya-murals-found-kitchen-science-mayan/

[iemitsu]

1. this is so cool.

i teach "The History of the Americas" to high school students enrolled in the international baccalaureate program. this discovery reveals work that had to be done soon after the conquest.
my students will enjoy the story, the pictures and the video associated with this story.
the ramirez family is living in an ancient and important home in Chajul. the door into the home is massive. i would bet the first inhabitants of this spanish style home were a mixed-race couple made up of a spanish conquistador and a mexican princess. this was the early marriage pattern in new spain but it was short lived. by 1570 the native population had plummeted and the types of scenes depicted in these murals would not have been painted after that.
again, this is very cool.
thanks for posting judi lynn.

[a la izquierda]

2. A Mexican princess?

In Guatemala? Explain, please.

[iemitsu]

3. ok, i was being sloppy.

i should have said "daughter of an indigenous chief or cacique". cacique is the taino word for political boss and it became the spanish and portuguese term for native "lords" or those with vassals.
the spanish used the native hierarchy to legitimize their take over of the land. they did this by marrying into the local aristocracy.
even isabel, the daughter of moctezuma II was married to three different spanish men. her spanish descendants include
Doña María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, 18th Duchess of Alba de Tormes, Grandee of Spain, the most titled woman in the world.

[a la izquierda]

4. I have a PhD in history, specializing in Latin American indigenous peoples.

An indigenous woman in Chajul, Guatemala in the colonial period would have been a K'iche speaker, most likely.
But I am very glad someone is teaching HS kids about this. My students literally know zero about Latin America, and I teach at a fairly prestigious university.

[iemitsu]

5. the course i teach is supposed to be a comparative at the americas

from contact through the modern era.
there is way to much to cover and my students are clueless about both latin american and US history. plus, my graduate work is in ancient and medieval europe so i have had to teach myself the content on the job.
i appreciate that you did not condemn my ignorance.
thank you for the correction.

[a la izquierda]

6. I get paid to teach...

Not condemn.

[iemitsu]

7. :)

what a great attitude.

[Voice for Peace]

8. this was a lovely exchange I must say

thanks to both of you.

[Retrograde]

9. Cool! There was a lot going on in the Americas pre-Columbus

but a lot of information has been lost. Are there any books you recommend on the subject?