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Ancient Mayan Muralists had to be ‘scientists’ too

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European Frescoes have nothing on ancient Mayan murals — that was one fascinating take away from a lecture at the Mexican Cultural Institute last night.

The techniques used to create frescoes are well understood, having experienced revivals several times throughout the centuries — even by Mexico’s most famous 20th century muralist, Diego Rivera. The ancient Mayan techniques, in contrast, have been lost to history but it is now clear that the painters who left their masterpieces on the walls of Bonampak and other ancient ruins used an entirely different approach, one shaped in many ways by the challenging climate they lived in, according to Diana Magaloni, director of Mexico’s Museum of Anthropology and History.

All do respect to Michelangelo! Creating murals in the jungle – with its humidity, heavy rains and extreme temperature swings – sounds like a much more challenging affair. It required a sort of “scientific” mind for formulating durable paints and plasters, said Magaloni, an expert on mural restoration, who has developed a method for studying the ancient works through various lenses – from chemistry and physics to archaeology, ethnography and art history.

In this one-minute video, Magaloni explains why she thinks that if the ancient Mayan muralists were alive today they would probably win a Nobel Prize.

Hola Cultura