MISSION STATEMENT
Over the years, Tulane University has been a pioneer in the field of Mesoamerican studies, with a long tradition of anthropological and historical research extending back to the archaeological expeditions conducted by the Middle American Research Institute (MARI) as early as 1925. The combination of educational resources, the research stimulus of MARI, the Latin American Library, and the dedicated faculty affiliated with the Anthropology Department and the Stone Center for Latin American Studies, has made Tulane a premier location for Maya studies.
In the spirit of previously established Maya events such as the Maya Meetings at the University of Texas, Austin, and the Maya Weekend at the University of Pennsylvania Museum, the Tulane Maya Symposium and Workshop was conceived to bring together experts in the fields of archaeology, art history, epigraphy, ethnohistory, and archaeo-astronomy, as well as interested students and members of the public, for a lecture series and workshops related to the ancient Maya civilization. The symposium aims to generate discussion and foster collaboration in an intimate setting conducive to interaction between speakers and the audience. Workshops provide unique educational opportunities for participants eager to engage first-hand in exploring the fascinating components of the ancient Maya world.
PAST SYMPOSIA
2022: due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Tulane Maya Symposium was not held
2021: due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Tulane Maya Symposium was not held
2020: Understanding Maya Fare: Beyond Tamales and Cacao
2019: The Center Could Not Hold: The Ancient Maya and Collapse
2018: The Blood Pooled, the Heads Piled Up: How the Maya Waged War
2017: Monumental Landscapes: How the Maya Shaped their World
2016: Ixiktaak: Ancient Maya Women
2015: Royal Chambers Unsealed: Tombs of the Classic Maya
2014: On the Maya Trail: Ancient Travelers, Epic Journeys
2013: Kaanal: The Snake Kingdom of the Classic Maya
2012: In the Time of the Maya
2011: The Rise of Maya Civilization
2010: Great River Cities of the Maya
2009: Maya Calendars and Creation
2008: Sacred Cenotes, Hidden Caves
2007: Murals and Painted Texts by Maya Ah Tz'ibob
2005-06: due to Hurricane Katrina the Tulane Maya Symposium was not held
2004: Fifteen Centuries of Maya Literature from the Northern Lowlands
2003: Cities and Towns of the Ancient Maya North in Classic Times
2002: Archaeology, Astronomy, and Texts from the Northern Maya Lowlands