久しぶりに狂言面を打ちました。「乙」（おと）又は「乙御前」（おとごぜ） これは木地の状態ですが、実は神楽面を写したもので、正確にいえば狂言面風に仕立てたとい…

King Pakal of the Maya city of Palenque ruled his people for almost seventy years. His tomb, discovered in 1952, contained a wealth of information about this mysterious ancient culture.

Here is one of the projects I presented at my conference sessions. It's a papier mache mask based on an ancient Teotihuacan mask. I find it artistically interesting because of the use of a mosaic on the mask, that's not something you see everyday. Here is a picture of the original. This project was part of my "From Primitive to Post Modern" session. One of the advantages to this project is that because it is based on an ancient mask that is showing some decay or wear, the mosaic does not have to be fully finished. Museo Preistorico ed Etnografico Pigorini, Roma There is also a paper version I'll show you how to do at the end in case your are not up for papier mache. Before I start with the "how to" I have another featured Design post on the Hive right now that you might want to check out. the product I'm testing is Aleene's Paper Napkin Applique Glue and I show how to make this Star Wars book bag. MATERIALS REQUIRED: Papier Mache Version - a cardboard box - mask stencil that you will make - paper towels - newspaper - tape - white school glue - water and a recycled container - black paint, tempera or acrylic - red and green tempera paint - copies of archaeological maps, #1, #2 - white paper, posterboard, or bristol - string - red beads PROCEDURE: Take a piece of paper (8.5 X 11) and fold in half. Draw out 1/2 of the mask shape including an eye and mouth. Use the fold as the middle of the mask. Cut out your stencil. Take your cardboard box and tape your stencil on the side utilizing the corner to run down that middle line of your mask. Trace out the shape and then cut from the box. By using the corner you build in the angular shape to the mask. Roll up a piece of newspaper and tape into place for the nose. Using a 1 to 1 ratio mix up the white glue and water into your recycled container. Cut some strips from the paper towels and begin maching the mask. Try to overlap the strips in a criss cross manner. You only need about 1 to 2 coats here. Now you may find you cardboard starting to sag a bit, losing that angular shape due to the moisture so prop it into shape and leave to dry. Should only take about 24 hrs. To add an extra layer of meaning to your mask print off copies of the actual archaeological maps of the Teotihuacan site. (check google images) Paint these with the green and red tempera paint. We will use these papers for our mosaic. Let dry. In the meantime paint your mask black. Using posterboard, wc paper, or bristol tape in sections of paper on to the eye holes. Paint in some eyes on the paper. Lots of room here for different expressions. Take your red and green paper and cut into strips and then into squares. You don't want them to all be the same size. Make sure to keep about 1/2 a page of the red paper in reserve. Start gluing your mosaic into place. you can follow the design of the original or come up with your own. Take the reserved red paper and cut into long skinny triangles. Apply a little glue on the back and roll onto a pencil or knitting needle starting with the wide end. This will make some beads for the necklace. When you have a few beads tape a string under the jaw of the mask on one side. Line up your beads, (both your handmade ones as well as some pony beads and/or buttons). String these onto your piece of string and then secure the end on the other side of the jaw. Finally you can add a coat of Mod Podge if you wish. MATERIALS REQUIRED: Paper Version - black paper - pencil and eraser - red, green and white tempera paint - copies of archaeological maps - glue - white pencil crayon - white paper - black sharpie, pencil crayon, PROCEDURE: Take a sheet of black paper and trace out your mask shape in pencil. Using the white liquid tempera paint, paint in your eyes. Start gluing on your mosaic design. With paint, sharpie, or black pencil crayon color in your eyes. When the mosaic is dry cut out mask. You can add some detail with the white pencil crayon if you wish. Glue to a contrasting background. That's it.

Ten minutes into the British Museum's Moctezuma exhibition you come across a statue of an eagle with a cavity in its back - designed to hold the hearts of human sacrifices.

The jade death mask of Maya king Kinich Janaab Pakal, c. 683 CE, Palenque. (National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City)

Mosaic Skull, circa 1400-1521 Mixteca-Puebla Mexico, Western Oaxaca or Puebla Human skull with turquoise jadeite and shell overlay 6 1/2 x 6 x 8 in. (16.51 x 15.24 x 20.32 cm) Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Gift of Constance McCormick Fearing Photograph © 2002 Museum Associates/LACMA www.calacademy.org/exhibits/skulls/skulls_in_culture.html...

De Azteken waren niet enkel een volk dat hield van macht, oorlog en menselijke rituele offers. Het was ook een heel kunstzinnig volk. In hun kunst ver...

EL JADE EN LA CULTURA MAYARETRATO EN JADE DE PAKAL “EL GRANDE” CORTAR Y PULIR JADE: ¿COMO LO TRABAJARON; SI TIENE UNA DUREZA DE 7.5, SIENDO EL MÁXIMO DE 10, QUE SE ENCUENTRA EN EL DIAMANTE, 9 CORIN…

Unique design and unusual style. Bought in China during the 80’s. Probably a reproduction of an ancient design. In perfect condition. We added the glass top for turning it into a candle holder. Use the vessel for flowers or plants. Quite heavy. Or simply sit on a table or shelf for a dramatic addition to your interior. less

The so-called Smiling Figures from the Remojadas region of Veracruz are often regarded as expressions of Mesoamerican humor. These hollow ceramic sculpture...

Among the modern descendants of the Tairona archaeological culture, the Kogi believe the sun resides in a sky-house where it sits on a bench and chews coca, sometimes being portrayed with an extruding tongue. They associate the jaguar with the sun, and view the solar "being" as both a progenitor and a devourer. Kogi religion is focused on the need to maintain a balance among all things physical and spiritual, a concept reflected in the Kogi's model of a nine-level universe. Humanity resides in the middle-the fifth level-with four benevolent levels above and four malevolent levels below. A rich and varied tradition of performance rituals was developed to help maintain the ideal community in harmony with the natural, balanced order of the universe. The playing of musical instruments was integral to these performances. Certain sounds likely held symbolic meaning, although the Spanish massacre of the region's ruling families in the sixteenth century and the rapid native population decline caused by disease and despair destroyed much of the ritual life and spiritual beliefs of the Tairona. This ocarina is a multi-toned whistle with four finger holes on the front and the mouthpiece at the top of the figure. The personage may represent an aspect of the solar deity with his characteristic protruding tongue, rayed headdress, and double-headed caiman bench. Frequently, this type of black-slipped ocarina has fugitive white pigment rubbed into the incised lines. Today among the Kogi, this color combination symbolizes the seminal power of solar-related males within the dualistic Tairona universe.

Explore Stephen Bartlett Travels' 28958 photos on Flickr!

The GodSelf Icon is a central feature of art and artifacts found in almost every ancient of civilization can be traced back to a very ancient and formative era. Scholars of the New World have noted the importance of this symbol and they call this symbol the “staff god.” Despite recognizing the icon in their respective disciplines, scholars of Old World cultures and scholars of New World cultures have failed to recognize the icon’s presence worldwide, failed to understand the icon holds the same meaning worldwide, failed to connect and thus remain unaware that The Godself icon is the lost symbol of an ancient universal religion once known worldwide. However it appears that ancient cultures across different continents were somehow related even though these areas are geographically distant, so distant that any direct relationship seems impossible.

PolyWorld: Ancient East is a collection of architecture, foliage, clouds, and other props designed in the popular "low-poly" faceted art style. This pack contains artwork reminiscent of an eastern Chinese village with temples, statues, and cherry blossoms. It's excellent for graphic design and games! Details - Tons of architectural prefabs assembled like Lego blocks. - Modular walls and floors to bound and liven up your village. - Fencing, trees, plants, barrels, stumps, clouds, even treasure chests are all in the faceted style. - LODs included too! - No textures! Everything is vertex colored. *terrain not included. If you need to learn how to make terrain in your 3d app, email support. *scene also not included

www.ceramicmuseum.org/

My expedition to the ancient Maya ruins of Dzibilchaltun was a success, and an experience I'll never forget. It is hard to describe what it was like to walk in the footsteps of people that lived here over 2,000 years ago. I've wanted follow these paths ever since I was 6 years old and watched one of my favorite cartoons, "The Mysterious Cities of Gold." The stone at the entrance of the ruins Dzibilchaltun, which means, "writing stone," in Mayan, is an ancient Maya city in the north east of the Yucatan peninsula. Although not the largest of the Maya cities, archeologists think it is one of the oldest. At its height they estimate a population of 200,000 people and it covers an area of 35 square miles. It is believed that people first started living in this city around 300 B.C. Its famous structure, "The Temple of the Seven Dolls," was used as a tool to determine the start of spring and fall. The city was named Dzibilchaltun by archeologists due to all of the stones with writing on them found within the ruins. We took a 45 minute bus ride from Progreso to the ruins. There wasn't much to see because this part of the Yucatan is so flat. There is a museum at the site which holds many artifacts and delicate items found in the ruins, including things from the time after the Spanish conquest. They were really cool to see but what I was interested in was there long before the Spanish arrived. Our tour guide, Wilburt, explained that he was a direct descendant of the Maya people. Not only could he speak Spanish and English, but he knew the native Mayan language that was used 2,000 years ago. Wilburt explains that on the Spring and Autumn Equinox, the sun will align perfectly with the doorway of the temple and shine through and at noon the sun will be directly over head and illuminate the room inside. He said that the Maya used this to know when to plant and when to harvest their crops. Food was obviously a big deal to them so these days were very important. The "Mongolian Spot," is something I knew about before this trip but Wilburt explained that his people are born with this genetic mark. It is known as the Mongolian Spot because Mongolians are born with it and it means that you have Mongolian DNA. It is a wide belief that Native Americans came from Asia through Alaska, and this genetic birth mark could prove where the Maya and Mexicans came from originally. HOWEVER, something I found at the site makes me doubt this is entirely true.....(more on that later.) When you walk the winding path through the trees that lead to the ruin city, you come to a long road. This is the first sight you see to your left. In the distance is the Temple of the Seven Dolls. Amazing that it was built 2,000 years ago. This was to our left and to our right was the rest of the city and what is known as the central plaza. The road connected the temple to the rest of the city that had all of the other important buildings. Wilburt explained that the people didn't actually live in the city, they lived closely around it and the buildings were only for religious, civic, or celebratory reasons. These are stelae and they are the first thing you see. The center of the city was a large square. This was very important to the Maya culture because they believed the earth was flat and that it was a square so they found this shape to be how their city should be constructed. Squares and rectangles were highly important to the Maya when it came to design. The large building in the middle came later and was built by the Spanish after the conquest. It is a Catholic church. It is amazing to see something 100's of years old. The Maya people didn't appreciate having a church built in the middle of their city. This wall-looking structure is actually an ancient form of bleachers! People sat in the them for important religious ceremonies or important events. Directly across from them is the large pyramid of the city and I took these shots from the important section of seats. Wilburt explained that we were sitting in the area that would have been reserved for the rich or nobles. The large pyramid towers above the ruins. These extra seats were on the opposite side and the view was blocked by the big Church built by the Spanish. The Maya people would have never put any structure in the middle of their plaza but the Spanish didn't really care. The Spanish also used stones from other buildings so who knows what else was here before they showed up. Behind me is the cenote and I had a great view of it from here. A, "cenote," is a sinkhole and there are many of them throughout the Yucatan peninsula. I stand on some of the ruins. The inside of this church is actually in the museum and was very impressive for being so old. Cenotes can be found all over the Yucatan as it is made up almost entirely of limestone. This particular cenote was 146 feet deep. Many of the sinkholes were believed to be passage ways to the underworld because the Maya believed you needed water to travel to the underworld. In other sites they have found bones from bodies that were cast into the sinkholes to be messengers to the gods. The Maya didn't think throwing people into a deep pit killed them, but they continued to live in the underworld with some of the gods. Archeologists believe this sinkhole wasn't used for anything like that. You were allowed to swim in it and I couldn't wait because it was so hot out and this water looked so inviting! There were little fish in it that didn't seem to mind the people. In fact, the fish would come right up to you and I learned that this species of fish only exists right here in this sinkhole and no where else in the entire world, that's pretty amazing! After a lap around this ancient swimming hole, I was off to see more ruins. This large pyramid was very impressive and was a very important part of the city. I climbed to the top to get a good look of the city. The Maya lived on a cycle of 52 years. Every 52 years they should rebuild and add structures to their remaining structures because it was a time to renew and to start over. This pyramid started out much smaller but they added to it over the years. The view from the top was amazing. You can really see the design of the city and the square that they wanted was ruined by the Catholic church. The seating areas were also being updated every 52 years, I suspect most of it was due to the population getting larger over the years. From atop the pyramid, this view was directly below it. From atop the pyramid, this was the view slightly to the left. From atop the pyramid, this view was slightly to the right. This view was behind the pyramid. From on top of the pyramid you could see just about everything. I noticed an opening in part of the lower pyramid and thought I'd take a closer look. I found an opening and a stairway that led under the pyramid! I knew I had to go explore the inside. I spot an opening. I followed these stairs and found myself on the inside of the pyramid. No one from our group had done this yet. I have to say I really felt like Indiana Jones or someone going inside an Egyptian pyramid for the first time. I found some carved stones. This was hard to see and it looks extremely old but it was easier to see in person. This was the first carving at the bottom of the stairs when you first enter. This was an amazing find on the inside of the pyramid. It looks very similar to the one found in the museum and that one was supposed to honor the leader of the city. I touched this one and followed the carving with my hand, to think someone over 2,000 years ago created and touched this as well, is a pretty amazing feeling. As I took pictures and marveled at what I had found, I heard more people from our group walking outside and I heard one of them exclaim that he found a cave and that they should go into it. I thought, he will be shocked to find me down here so I better leave. I headed out and as I came up the stairs the other guy wasn't expecting this, he screamed like a girl and jumped! He clutched his chest and said, "Oh it's just a guy and not some ancient temple guard!" I told him there was some pretty neat stuff down there. I felt kind of bad for scaring him, considering his screams could be heard all over the ancient city. After leaving the pyramid, I walked for a while until I found this small temple by itself. I also bumped into our tour guide Wilburt, who had let us go and explore on our own. I had a talk with him and he was a very nice man. He also cleared up some confusion about Chac, the rain god, which I appreciated. Not sure what this temple was for but I wanted to go inside. Archeologists had made a wooden gate that you couldn't get past so I could only look inside. The view from the smaller temple. I went to the large seating area. When these were in use, they were completely covered with stucco. Some of it can still be seen. Wilburt said not only would they have been smooth with stucco, but they would have been brightly colored as well. In the center of these seats was another temple. Wilburt said it was the oldest part of the wall and it was clear that the Maya had continued to build on top of it, adding more and more over the years. You cold see down inside, but again a gate prevented me from getting a closer look. From on top of this structure you could see much of the city. There were many things behind this area as well. There is actually much more to uncover and discover in this ancient city and archeologists are still at work even though this site was first discovered in the 1950's. There are 8,000 documented structures in this city. A view from the very top. Behind the massive wall seats, another temple still being uncovered. You can see the seats in the distance. These were the important seats and it is where I was sitting earlier. This was the large pyramid that I had already explored. There were no people on it now so I thought I'd get pictures of it. I imagine it was probably covered in stucco and brightly colored at one point. You can be sure that some people were sacrificed here too. I was ready to head to the other end of the ruin city for what most people come to see, the famous, and scientifically and astronomically awesome, "Temple of the Seven Dolls." The temple is a good walk away and at this point my group had decided to call it quits and headed back to the museum, I went on alone. There is a big stelae in front of the temple. You can see right through the temple itself because the doorway is on both sides, that's on purpose. The Temple of the Seven Dolls was named that because when archeologists first found this structure, there were 7 dolls on the inside. Those dolls can now be seen in the museum. I imagine that the Maya probably dedicated this temple to the harvest or for planting because that was its main function, to tell the people when to start planting and when to harvest. Perhaps when it was in use it was called The Temple of Yum Kax, as he was the god of corn? If you can believe it, the Spring Equinox was taking place the very next week after these pictures were taken. I missed it by several days! Just like 2,000 years ago, when the sun rises on the Spring or Autumn Equinox, it will align perfectly with this opening and shine through. At noon when the sun is directly overhead, the opening in the top of the temple allows the suns rays to come down and the entire room is full of light. People come from all over to whiteness this event. This is what happens on the Equinox. I said goodbye to the ancient temple and headed back to the museum because there was so much more to see there! That is also where I made my most startling and mysterious discovery. These were some various statues that were placed around the outside of the museum. All of them very interesting in their own way. Just knowing these were carved 2,000 years ago by people that are no longer here made me marvel at them. One of them stood out more than the others. The statue below was startling and erie to see up close. Just look at the footwear, look at the waist and what it wears around it, and most importantly look at what is on its head. Many people, myself included, feel this clearly depicts the attire of an Egyptian. It is shocking and confusing why a statue would be found in Mexico over 2,000 years ago. We have many carvings and drawings from the ancient Maya and Aztecs, even from their Spanish conquerers and no where are they seen wearing these kinds of clothes. I know most scientists believe the native people came from Asia but when you view this statue it makes the idea of Egyptians coming to the Americas something to consider. The pyramid building alone has to raise questions but now looking at this statue I have to seriously wonder. Could it be that some how, at some point, Egyptians had contact with Mexico? Ancient Maya statue of an Egyptian??? Inside the museum were many wonderful artifacts and statues from long ago. There wasn't enough time for me to see everything in the detail that I had wanted but I still got some great shots. There were so many things that had been recovered from the ruins including pots, plates, statues, tools, carvings, and even a skeleton! A serpent statue A bat statue. Bats were believed to be messengers from the underworld. Not sure if this was a Spaniard or a Maya. Part of the inside of the church. And so my trip to Dzilbilchaltun had come to an end. I wish I could have spent more time there and I would love to go back. People say there are other Mayan ruins that are even better than this one, I find that hard to believe because I loved every second of this trip. It really did exceed my expectations, by a lot. I would recommend this trip to anyone, even if you aren't into history or the ancient Maya culture as I am, you can still appreciate and enjoy this ruin city.

The role the Anunnaki have played in human History which is recorded in the Bible starting with the creation of Man

Copan Ruinas in Honduras is a cute town with Mayan ruins, Macaw Mountain bird park and more - don’t underestimate what Copan has to offer

Not much to say. My idea was to use it as window display for christmas. Very easy and cheap to do, takes a lot of time thou.

The British Museum, London