![]() ![]() The Regional Museum of Anthropology of Mérida, together with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), has artifacts collected during the excavation work of the Maní site on display, such as ceremonial masks, votive offerings, idols, offerings, all of which are pre-Columbian and point towards the people’s continued worship, both before and after 1562. At the time, it was led by the head of the Franciscan province of Yucatán, Bishop Diego de Landa Calderón. On the 461st anniversary of the destruction of thousands of sacred objects, artifacts which were later studied and recorded in the quintessential Yucatecan encyclopedia “Yucatán en el tiempo” by various authors (Mérida, 1998), you’ll discover the stories of the indigenous Christians who were accused of being idolaters and tried by the Inquisition. Joseph Désiré Charnay, Governor’s Palace in Uxmal, 1860Īn important set of sculptures, ceremonial objects and remnants of Mayan manuscripts that were burned during the so-called “Auto de fe de Maní” in 1562 form part of the second exhibit “Idols, Persistences/Resistances”. Photos such as those of Chichen Itzá or those of the pyramids of Uxmal, together with a replica of the heavy camera used by Charnay, are worth the visit. ![]() ![]() The exhibition showcases more than 50 photographs and daguerreotypes of Yucatecan archaeological sites as they were, in a semi-ruined state, at the end of the 19th century, together with new and old findings and interpretations of historical events that occurred in the area of Ek’ balam. The record he made of places like Izamal, Uxmal and Chichén-Itzá in Yucatán, together with the enormous effort involved in moving camera equipment that weighed 1,800 kilos and the political situation in the country, as well as the lengths he went to to obtain the various materials, improvising solutions for the photographic shots, has made Charnay’s work an enduring and pioneering record for history and archaeology. The novelty, for his time, of the historical, architectural, archaeological and artistic account that he created, is noteworthy. During these visits, he used a camera to photograph for the first time ever the archaeological sites he encountered. The French explorer Joseph Désiré Charnay visited Yucatán on several occasions, between 18, during his trips through what is today Mexico. Joseph Désiré Charnay, Nun’s Palace in Chichén Itzá, 1860 The temporary exhibition “Joseph Désiré Charnay, traveler and explorer of pre-Columbian Mexico,” shares the perspective of a European who achieved worldwide fame for his visits to the archaeological sites of Yucatan, and particularly to Ek’ Balam. ![]() In the emblem glyph discovered on several stone monuments called “Las Serpientes Hieroglyphics,” Ek’ Balam is mentioned as the name of the site in the Mesoamerican Classic period (200 to 900 AD). In “Relación de Ek’ Balam,” written in 1579 by the documenter Juan Gutiérrez Picón, the author mentions that the name of the site comes from a revered man named Ek’ Balam or Coch Cal Balam, who founded the city and ruled for 40 years. The name of the site is made up of two words from the Yucatecan Mayan dialect: ek’, which refers to the color black and which also means “star” and balam, which means “jaguar”. The latest discoveries made by archaeologists Leticia Vargas and Víctor Castillo shed light on both the recently found pre-Columbian artifacts, and on the interpretation of historical facts. Under the broad title of “Ek’ Balam Polifónico,” two temporary exhibits offer context and information on the advances discovered on the archaeological site of Ek’ Balam, with each new finding key to further understanding the Mayan world – its anthropology, art and architecture – on the Yucatan peninsula. One focuses on the late 19th century European documentation of ruined Mayan culture through the French photographer Charnay the other centers on a time of resistance of the Mayan people during the first years after the arrival of the Spaniards in Yucatán in the 16th century. Two interesting temporary exhibitions at the Regional Museum of Anthropology of Mérida (Yucatán) include pre-Columbian artifacts from various periods, photographs, infographics, remnants of Mayan structures, and videos. View of the exhibition Ek’ Balam Polifónico, Regional Museum of Anthropology of Mérida ![]()
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