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  • Exhibition “The Maya Water World”

La Ruta Maya Conservation Foundation, with the support of the Training Center of the Spanish Cooperation (CFCE, in Spanish) and the Embassy of Spain, opened the exhibition “The Maya Water World”. This exhibition presented almost a hundred Pre-Columbian objects whose materials and shapes are related to the aquatic and coastal marine world, illustrating the importance of water in nature, daily life, diet, trade, and ritual.

This archaeological exhibition was open to the public at the headquarters of the “Antiguo Colegio de la Compañia de Jesus” in Antigua Guatemala, from July 17 to November 8, 2015. This was the third temporary exhibition installed by the Foundation within the headquarters of the CFCE in order to approach the visitor to the Pre-Columbian cultures, specially the Maya, through different themes.

Water is present in all cultures of Mesoamerica, both in art and their worldview, but for the ancient Maya-considered one of the most important civilizations of the world-  the symbols associated with such element are represented in multiple ways in architecture, mural painting, ceramics, sculpture, and smaller portable objects. Pre-Columbian Maya also excelled in water management for agriculture and urban development, they took advantage of the water resources, and believed in deities who controlled the rain and water sources. Even today some beliefs and myths still exist regarding to the guardians of water in mountains, springs and caves.

This collection is under the custody of the La Ruta Maya Conservation Foundation for preservation, protection, research, education, and public display for educational purposes while seeking to promote awareness and pride in our past. As such, it is registered as Cultural Heritage of the Nation with the Registry of Cultural Patrimony of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

This exhibition was possible thanks to the support of:

Arca de Noé, Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española (CFCE), Comunicación Estratégica, Embajada de España, Escuela Superior de Gastronomía y Hostelería Las Margaritas, Familia Paiz-Schloesser and Fundación Paiz para la Educación y la Cultura.

  • Installation: Sofía Paredes Maury and Claudia Quintanilla
  • Graphic Design: Alexis García and Lucrecia Muñoz
  • Photography: Baltasar Castro Cocom (Mérida, Yucatán), Ricky López Bruni (Guatemala) and Douglas Celada
  • Volunteers: Susana Sánchez Agreda, Ximena Paredes and Ana Belén Gonzalez

THE MAYA WATER WORLD

Venue: Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española  (CFCE) 6ª avenida  Norte, entre 3ra y 4ta calle Poniente, Antigua Guatemala

Dates: July 17 to November 8, 2015

A photo album with explanations and labels is available in our Facebook page www.facebook.com/larutamaya