We invite you to join us on February 15-17, 2008 as we explore the physical and sacred geography of the Maya region, Maya origin stories and beliefs focusing on caves and cenotes, and rituals associated with these locales.
NEW ADDITIONS TO THE PROGRAM:
EXHIBIT IN THE LATIN AMERICAN LIBRARY: Sacred Cenotes, Hidden Caverns: Fifty Years of Research in the Maya Area (4th floor of Howard-Tilton Library).
Venture into the realm of the Hero Twins and the rain gods with a visit to the Maya Underworld. Featured in the exhibit are photographs and drawings of explorations at three cave and cenote sites – Balankanché near Chichén Itzá; Cenote Xlacah at Dzibilchaltún in Yucatán; and Naj Tunich in the Petén, Guatemala. Tulane was instrumental in research at Balankanché and Dzibilchaltún under the direction of E. Wyllys Andrews IV, in projects co-sponsored by the National Geographic Society. George Stuart of the NGS participated in all three projects, which will be the subject of his keynote address on Friday, February 15th. We are grateful to Dr. Stuart, Tulane’s Middle American Research Institute, and the Latin American Library for making the exhibition possible.
Speakers
"The Maya Underground: An Introduction to the Ancient Maya and their Ideas about Caves, Cenotes, and the Underworld" -- Bryan Just
"Sacred Cenotes, Hidden Caverns: Fifty Years of Research in the Maya Area" -- Christine Hernández and Gabrielle Vail
"Caves, Cenotes, Cosmology, and Calculations" -- Anthony Aveni
"Maya Glyphic Inscriptions in the Naj Tunich Cave" -- Markus Eberl
"Teaching the Maya: An Exploration through Geography" –- Denise Woltering, Carol Hester, Bryan Just
"The Hole Truth: Reflections on Fifty Years of Maya Cave and Cenote Research" -- George Stuart
"Cenotes and Caves of the Maya Region: Natural Archives of Paleoenvironmental Information" -- Mark Brenner
"Emerging from the Dark: The Development of Maya Cave Archaeology" -- James Brady
"Rituals and Meanings Related to Maya Human Disposals in Caves and Cenotes" -- Vera Tiesler and Andrea Cucina
"Caves, Sinkholes, and Springs in Maya Art and Writing" -- Marc Zender
"“Giving the Devil His Due…”: Ah Tanlahob Chac(The Servants of Chac) and Colonial Yucatec Maya Rituals and Offerings in Caves and Cenotes, 1550 – 1750" -- John Chuchiak
"Prohibido Tocar Este Cenote: The Archaeological Basis for the Titles of Ebtun" -- Rani Alexander
"Modern Kaqchikel Altars: Making and Re-making Sacred Spaces" -- Judith Maxwell