In the Realm of Rain Gods: The Role of Caves in Maya Worldview. Hear from local Maya expert and archaeologist Dr. Dominique Rissolo about his research on the Maya ritual cave use and how that has furthered our understanding of their culture and beliefs.
Upon the walls and altars of watery caves, the Maya of the Yucatan Peninsula evoked and appealed to the mythical Chacs -- the bringers of rain and ensurers of agricultural fertility. In a land devoid of rivers and lakes, caves and cenotes (natural pits or sinkholes) often provided the only access to water, and the stormy Chacs dwelled within their subterranean depths.
Recent research in Quintana Roo, Mexico, has not only added to the growing corpus of rock art and cave architecture in the northern Maya lowlands but has served to integrate the imagery and artifacts into the broader study of ancient Maya ritual practice. As cave archaeologists begin to evaluate the contextual relationships between natural and cultural features within caves, a clearer picture emerges of how and why the Maya appropriated and transformed these dark and often forbidding places. Special thanks to media partner KPBS for their support of this NATtalk.
Admission/Cost:
Location:
San Diego Natural History Museum
1788 El Prado
San Diego, 92101
Wednesday, September 23 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
For more information, please call (619) 232-3821
Upon the walls and altars of watery caves, the Maya of the Yucatan Peninsula evoked and appealed to the mythical Chacs -- the bringers of rain and ensurers of agricultural fertility. In a land devoid of rivers and lakes, caves and cenotes (natural pits or sinkholes) often provided the only access to water, and the stormy Chacs dwelled within their subterranean depths.
Recent research in Quintana Roo, Mexico, has not only added to the growing corpus of rock art and cave architecture in the northern Maya lowlands but has served to integrate the imagery and artifacts into the broader study of ancient Maya ritual practice. As cave archaeologists begin to evaluate the contextual relationships between natural and cultural features within caves, a clearer picture emerges of how and why the Maya appropriated and transformed these dark and often forbidding places. Special thanks to media partner KPBS for their support of this NATtalk.
Admission/Cost:
Location:
San Diego Natural History Museum
1788 El Prado
San Diego, 92101
Wednesday, September 23 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
For more information, please call (619) 232-3821
