Ancient Maya Art and Power
From imposing temples towering over the forest canopy to intricately carved stone monuments covered with images and hieroglyphs, the ancient Maya communicated power through the art and architecture that they created. This course delves into some of the most well-known displays of power in the ancient Maya world to address the following questions:
- What really happened between Tikal and Calakmul?
- What kind of interactions did Tikal have with Teotihuacan?
- Why is Palenque famous, and what do we know about its greatest ruler Pakal the Great?
- What do Lintels 25 and 24 from Yaxchilán Structure 33 tell us about the power of ancient Maya women, including the famous Lady Xoc?
- What sort of sacrifices were made at the Sacred Cenote of Chichen Itzá?
- What connections did Chichen Itzá have with Central Mexico and Central America?
The art and architecture of each of these ancient Maya cities provide important answers to these questions and many more. Over the course of four hour-long sessions, Dr. Catherine Nuckols will guide you through an analysis of how ancient Maya rulers communicated their power to their friends and enemies in the way they created and decorated buildings and cities. The course incorporates recent academic research, vibrant photographs and videos, and the instructor's personal experience visiting these sites to provide students with the most up-to-date answers on the history of the ancient Maya.
Two live sessions will run during the four-week period: one that will meet on Wednesdays at 8pm Eastern time (first session on May 1st), and another that will meet on Thursdays at 3pm Eastern time (first session on May 2nd).
Registration is limited to a maximum of 10 participants per group to provide a personalized experience for each attendee. Enroll today to save your spot!
Your Instructor
Catherine Nuckols holds a Ph.D. in Mesoamerican Art History from Tulane University and has travelled to over 30 Mesoamerican sites and a dozen museums. She has lived in Mexico and Panama and traveled through Guatemala and Honduras. She speaks English, Spanish, Maya Ch'orti', and Dulegaya (an indigenous dialect of Panama), and is a constant learner of Mayan and Central Mexican languages. She has a passion for teaching and loves sharing what she learns with others. When she is not learning or teaching, she is probably reading, walking, or spending time with her pets, Oakley and Willow.