Museums

We went to two museums this week. The first national Museum was established in 1898. It was located at The Reforma Palace, which was destroyed by the earthquake of 1917-1918. This Museum reopened in The Calvario Church, from 1921 to 1926 and later moved to Salon del Te at Aurora Zoo and reopened its doors in 1931. At that time, the building needed remodeling and the National Museum was transferred in 1946 to the current building which is by the airport. The exhibit was changed in 1976 to the current display.

A statue of the Quetzal Bird which is the National Bird

One of the museums is the Archaeology and Ethnology. It presents the history of the Maya, starting with the first hunters and gatherers that passed throughout Guatemalan territory, concluding with the continuity of the current culture and the comprehension of the multiculturalism that generates a national identity through the archaeological and ethnological collection.  The archaeological exhibit illustrates the developments of the May groups organized in three periods, Pre-Classic (2,000 b.c. to 250 a.d.), Classic (250 to 900 a.d.) and Post-Classic (900 to 1,450 a.d.). At the beginning of the PreClassic period, the subsistence was based on hunting and gathering practices and a rising agriculture. In time, and with new techniques, they managed to develop a complex system of resources and sustain the population.  Towards the end of this period, the structure and organization of the population was in place for the development of the Maya Civilization. Important archaeological sites for this period were: Kaminaljuyu in Guatemala City, Uaxactun and El Mirador in Peten and El Baul in the Coast.  During the Classic Period a new political order was established through the structure of states with centralized hierarchies that were in constant conflict over power and authority. Some specific characteristics set the time frame for this period: The multicolor ceramics, the Mayan vault in architecture, altar and Stella complex, hieroglyphs and the use of the cosmological and solar calendar. Important archaeological sites for this period were: Tikal, Rio Azul and Naranjo in Peten and Takalik Abaj in Retalhuleu.  During the PostClassic period, the military power prevailed over the religious power, forcing the residents to migrate up north to Yucatan or to the Highlands of Guatemala and live in strategic places, such as mountainous slopes surrounded by ravines to make the access difficult. There was a strong influence between cultural groups of Mexico in the High Lands. Cultural groups like Quiches, Kakchiqueles, Tzutujiles, Mames, Pokomames, Chortis and Pipiles, were populating the Highlands and the Coast shore to gain control over the products and commercial routs, for example, salt, cacao and other marine products. All these cultures were disputing over territory and political alliances up to the time of the conquest and all of them became the multicultural groups that live up to this date. Important archaeological sites were: Tayasal in Peten and Zaculeu, Iximche and Gumarcaah in the High Lands.  At the beginning of the Colonial Period, the Maya people were disperse in the territory and were reorganized in new communities that acquire their own and particular characteristics,  The essence of the Maya still continue up to this time and is manifested through the languages, ideology, costumes, traditions and the continuance of some techniques, arts and crafts that are passed and modify through generations by oral tradition.

We were surprised to see a live Python. We would think that would be in the Zoo. It is fed 1 live rabbit per day.

a plate or platter

There is a mural which shows all the periods. This shows the PostClassic period.

This shows the cultures disputing for control

The different religion groups are shown here

Spain brought the Catholic religion

The end mural shows the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. John O'Donnal's wife, Carmen was the first convert and they later became the first President of the Guatemala City temple.

This picture shows the movements of the people

This picture shows the periods of time

This is a Quetzal bird on its nest

This is an alter used for sacrifices and some other artifacts

Pre-Classic period.
There are other displays showing other periods included on this blog.

These next few pictures show the traditional dress. These type of clothes are still worn today.

This shows the method of making fabric. This art is still used today.

When we were done at the museums we expected our Taxi to be there. So when a guide asked us if we needed them to call for a Taxi, we said no, we have one that is coming for us.  We waited and waited and waited. Finally the guards of the Museums were going to close the gates, so we were going to wait outside on the sidewalk for our Taxi. The guards would not let us wait outside the gates on the sidewalk. They said it was not safe. They talked with us while we waited. Then one of the guards called our taxi. He finally came, after having been called. We waited for over an hour.

This and the following nine pictures show the presumed way the land mass came to be as it is today.

This one looks like a puzzle

This picture was in the other museum we were in. It shows the birds and animals that are typical and their migrations.

This is the tree of Guatemala. It is a very big tree.

I am standing by a picture of the Ceiba Tree

a couple of the musical instruments that are and were popular here in Guatemala

Some pottery and items from sites

The current map of Guatemala

this looks like a statue of someone with a tummy ache

A closer view of the missionaries. As you can see the missionary tags are missing. Someone needs to paint them on, don't you think?

One of the three museums in the museum area. The third museum that we did not see is one of Modern Art

the other museum

the third museum

This plaque describes the game of ball

The Mayan consolations

A tomb or gave site