The Artifacts of Dzbilchaltun, Yucatan, Mexico: Shell, Polished Stone, Bone, Wood and Ceramics
Author: Jennifer T Taschek (1945- )
Year: 1994
Publisher: Tulane University Press
Place: New Orleans
Description:
xiv+304 pages with maps including pocket map, charts, figures, glossary and index. Quarto (10 3/4" x 8") bound in original publisher's green cloth with gilt lettering to spine and cover. Middle American Research Institute publication number 50. First edition.
The archaeological site of Dzibilchaltun is located on the southwestern coastal plain of the Yucatan Peninsula, approximately 20 kilometers south of the Gulf of Mexico and 15 kilometers north of the modern city of Merida. The region is a flat limestone plain about 5 meters above sea level. One large and deep natural well, Cenote Xlacah, is located near the center of the archaeological site. The site has been continuously occupied for thousands of years, although it has expanded and contracted from mid-sized city to small town more than once in its long history. The most famous structure is the Temple of the Seven Dolls. The temple was discovered by archaeologists in the 1950s under the ruins of a larger pyramid which was constructed on top of The Temple of the Dolls. Building temples on top of temples was a common practice with the Maya. The dolls were found in the buried temple, but are now housed in the museum to protect and preserve these architectural features. Though the dolls have been moved, the ingenuity of this building remains. The Temple of the Dolls and its temple doorways were constructed in a specific and deliberate direction that confirms the Maya understanding of the solar system. During the Spring and Autumn equinox, the sun’s rays pass through the doorways of the temples. Since corn remained a major part of the Maya diet, this event had great significance to the Maya as it represented the beginning and end of harvest season honoring Yum Kax, the Maya god of corn.
Condition:
Corners and spine ends bumped, previous owner's name on front end paper else a very good copy issued without jacket.
Year: 1994
Publisher: Tulane University Press
Place: New Orleans
Description:
xiv+304 pages with maps including pocket map, charts, figures, glossary and index. Quarto (10 3/4" x 8") bound in original publisher's green cloth with gilt lettering to spine and cover. Middle American Research Institute publication number 50. First edition.
The archaeological site of Dzibilchaltun is located on the southwestern coastal plain of the Yucatan Peninsula, approximately 20 kilometers south of the Gulf of Mexico and 15 kilometers north of the modern city of Merida. The region is a flat limestone plain about 5 meters above sea level. One large and deep natural well, Cenote Xlacah, is located near the center of the archaeological site. The site has been continuously occupied for thousands of years, although it has expanded and contracted from mid-sized city to small town more than once in its long history. The most famous structure is the Temple of the Seven Dolls. The temple was discovered by archaeologists in the 1950s under the ruins of a larger pyramid which was constructed on top of The Temple of the Dolls. Building temples on top of temples was a common practice with the Maya. The dolls were found in the buried temple, but are now housed in the museum to protect and preserve these architectural features. Though the dolls have been moved, the ingenuity of this building remains. The Temple of the Dolls and its temple doorways were constructed in a specific and deliberate direction that confirms the Maya understanding of the solar system. During the Spring and Autumn equinox, the sun’s rays pass through the doorways of the temples. Since corn remained a major part of the Maya diet, this event had great significance to the Maya as it represented the beginning and end of harvest season honoring Yum Kax, the Maya god of corn.
Condition:
Corners and spine ends bumped, previous owner's name on front end paper else a very good copy issued without jacket.
