A Look At Mayan Artifacts
Archeologists have found many Mayan Artifacts throughout various points in time. Stone tools, which were some of the first, Maya Artifacts found dated back as far as 9000 BC.
Among Mayan Artifacts are pottery made of clay, books called codices, which were written on fig-tree bark, religious tools and the monuments, and architectural feets left from millenniums past. Mayan ceramic artists were for the most part educated members of the elite part of their society.
The Mayan Artifacts show that the Mayan artists used slip paint, which is a mixture of finely ground pigments and clay and water to decorate their ceramic pieces. The ceramic Mayan artifacts depicted such things as their rituals, mythology, geometric designs and hieroglyphics. The Maya classical period from AD 250-900 developed the finest artists in the Mayan Civilization. There are Artifacts found from that period of sculpted stone, painted ceramics, clay figurines, screen folded bark books and hieroglyphic writings. The Maya Artifacts of ceramic were used as tableware, currency, status symbols and offerings to the dead. Clay pots were made for cooking and storing food as well.
A lot of the Mayan Artifacts depict the Jaguar, which was a very important element in Mayan Culture. The jaguar is shown on various Maya artifacts as a God that originally derived from the Olmec culture. Flared nostrils, scrolled eyebrows and pointed teeth are all characteristic depictions of the Jaguar. The Jaguar was also the Rain and Thunder God who lived in the underworld. Mayan Kings and Nobility wore Jaguar skins and headdresses to represent their elevated status. Many of the Mayan artifacts figurines that were found show the classic elite profile that was highly regarded. The Mayan created this profile by clamping the forehead of newborn babies between two boards for a number of months. Incised shells such as oyster shells, were also among prized Mayan artifacts. Shells were cut, painted with red pigment and incised with various images. Many had images of Noblemen and where fashioned into jewelry. Mayan artifacts were found that were tools used for both human sacrifice and human bloodletting. They were razor sharp obsidian blades, finely carved flint or sting rays tails that were carved for the use of human sacrifice and bloodletting. To verify that such rituals took place were clay vessels depicting human decapitation, sacrifice and bloodletting, which were also found. One of the many Maya Artifacts found depicts the common theme of a shaman piercing his genitals and letting the blood drip onto a paper in a bowl as a sacrifice. The art continues the story by showing the paper being burned by the shaman as an offering to reach the sky. In return the art also shows power being returned to the shaman. These rituals were performed as a guarantee of life continuing on this planet. Many Mayan artifacts showed the rituals and ceremonies, which played such a major factor in Mayan life. They were not viewed as barbarous practices but rather as important balances to maintain life on this planet. Mayan artifacts show that the whole of Mayan culture revolved around ceremonies and rituals as a way of life and ones purpose was to remain in balance with those forces of nature and gods that allowed them to be here in the first place.
Mayan Civilization Ancient Maya History
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