Mayan Sistine Chapel

Here are excerpts from a fascinating article about the recent discovery of a 2,000 year old mural that some are calling the "Mayan Sistine Chapel". Make sure you pick up the January edition of National Geographic magazine for the full story!

Oldest Maya mural wows archaeologists
Randolph E. Schmid
Associated Press

A detail from a sacred Maya mural at San Bartolo, Guatemala — the earliest known Maya painting, depicting the birth of the cosmos and the divine right of a king — shows the son of the corn god, patron of kings, floating with a pair of birds tied to his woven hunting basket, letting blood and offering a sacrificed turkey before one of five cosmic trees.

Archaeologist William Saturno said Tuesday he was awe-struck when he uncovered a Maya mural not seen for nearly two millennia.

In brilliant color, the mural tells the Maya story of creation, he said. It was painted around the year 100 B.C., but later covered when the room was filled in.

National Geographic Society, which supported Saturno's work and will detail the finding in the January issue of its magazine, called it the oldest preserved Maya mural.

The mural includes four deities, which are variations of the same figure, the son of the corn god. The first deity stands in the water and offers a fish, establishing the watery underworld. The second stands on the ground and sacrifices a deer, establishing the land. The third floats in the air, offering a turkey, establishing the sky. The fourth stands in a field of flowers, the food of gods, establishing paradise.

Another section shows the corn god crowning himself king upon a wooden scaffold, and the final section shows a historic coronation of a Maya king.

Read the entire article

Tags: Guatemala, Mayan, Mural, Archeology, Maya