MAYA, FROM DAWN TO CREPUSCULE
National Collections of Guatemala
06/21/11 – 10/02/11
Mezzanine East
Following an exhibition devoted to the civilization of Teotihuacan, the musée du quai Branly, in close association with Guatemala’s Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología, continues its mission to showcase Mesoamerican heritage. It is also the first time in France that such prestigious Guatemalan works have been brought together.
With over 160 exceptional pieces, most of which have never left their country of origin, the exhibition offers an insight into the Maya civilization of Guatemala, one of the three civilizations that marked the history of pre-Columbian America.
In a bid to promote the preservation of Guatemala’s national heritage, the exhibition highlights the latest major archaeological discoveries at several recently studied sites – including El Mirador, which tops the list of 5 sites selected for nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This latest research has made it possible to present a broader and more complex conception of Mayan civilization, describing the great variety and evolution of its social organization, architectural forms and artistic styles.
Painted ceramics, stelae, carved gemstones, funerary elements, architectural remains, ornaments… presented in chronological order, offer a complete panorama of Guatemalan Maya culture: its origins, development, apogee and decline.
The exhibition also offers a current portrait of this civilization, with a series of photographs and a multimedia presentation on contemporary Mayan culture.
The exhibition is striking not only for the beauty of the works on display, but also for the parallels drawn with contemporary Mayan culture.
Here are my favorites:
Curator: Juan-Carlos Meléndez
Scientific advisor: Richard D. Hansen
The exhibition is under the patronage of Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, and Mr. Álvaro Colom Caballeros, President of the Republic of Guatemala.
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
