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Chichen Itza: Archaeological Paradise
Chichen Itza or as the Yucatec Maya called it Ch’iich’en itzam,[1] is one of the most well-known ancient Maya cities in the world. Labeled as one of the 7 wonders of the world by UNESCO, Chichen Itza…
Chichen Itza: The Tollan of the Yucatan
Chichen Itza’s timeline from the classical and post-classical period is shrouded in mystery from the surrounding Mayan civilization. The city-state of Chichen Itza itself has many features in…
Chichén Itzá’s Sacred Cenote
People migrated to the Yucatán Peninsula roughly 11,000 years ago. While ancient civilizations in the Middle East were able to develop along streams and alluvial rivers, the Yucatán Peninsula's…
Children of the Maya
The children of the Maya came up in two different social classes. Either they were of nobility or they were commoners. Regardless of what social class three things that all children had in common was…
Church of Saint Servatius
The Iglesia de San Servacio, or the Church of Saint Servatius, is located in the beautiful colonial city of Valladolid on the south edge of the Parque Francisco Canton. The city itself was founded by…
Church of Santiago Tlatelolco
The Church of Santiago Tlatelolco was built as a symbol of the Spanish conquest in 1521. This was the first cathedral built during the period of the Spanish trying to establish a new-found…
Church of Santo Domingo
The Church of Santo Domingo in Oaxaca was established by the Dominicans in the seventeenth century. Construction for the Church of Santo Domingo began in 1575, it did not finish until 1731 when the…
Churrería El Moro
Who can deny “the drink of the gods” and the delicious sweetness of churros? The oldest churrería in Mexico can be found in Mexico City in an important historical center, just a few blocks away from…
Cochineal: Red Dye for the World
The cochineal insect, Dactylopius coccus, can be found on the pads of the nopal cactus. The crushed bodies, fresh or dried, make a bright red dye. Cochineal cultivation is very hard work and requires…
Copal
Copal is a tree resin derived from trees in the Burseraceae family. Trees and other types of flowering plants in the Burseraceae are known for the aromatic saps and oils, also known as incense trees.…
Cozumel
Human occupation of Cozumel began in the Preclassic as the island offered hunting and fishing to semi-nomadic peoples. Population growth continued at a slow, steady level through the Classic period,…
Cranial Deformation
Cranial Deformation, head flattening, head binding is a form of body alteration in which the skull of a human being is deformed intentionally. It is seen in ancient civilizations across the…
Cross Group at Palenque
The Cross Group at Palenque are the first and last set of buildings of their kind that were designed to honor the three set of gods of Palenque . The three buildings were constructed during the reign…
Cyrus Longworth Lundell
A native of Texas, Cyrus Longworth Lundell was born November 5, 1907. He attend both Columbia University and Southern Methodist University (B.A., 1932). He studied in the Graduate School of Business…
David Alfaro Siqueiros and the First Mexican Strike
In the Castle of Chapultepec, Mexico City, the mural “From the Porfirianism to the Revolution,” by David Alfaro Siqueiros, narrates a pivotal moment in Mexican history. Covering 4,500 square foot, the…
Diccionario Maya Cordemex
While walking in El Gran Museo Del Mundo Maya de Mérida, my attention was caught by a very large book. It was much larger than others I had seen in museums, and newer. It was the “Cordemex Maya…
Diego Rivera's Illustrated Popol Vuh
The Popol Vuh is one of the most important stories ever created by the Quiche Maya people. It contains epic tales of the Hero Twins, early migrations and settlements, the creation of the world and…
Echoes of Pyramid B: Understanding Toltec Inspiration at Chichén Itzá
Along the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, there was once a mighty city described by Father Diego de Landa as “as great as gold and silver”[1]. It was a center of trade and religion for the Mayas of…
Ed Ricketts: Life, Friendship, and Adventure
“Half-Christ and half-goat,”[1] this was how Edward Flanders Ricketts was described. He was a marine biologist, based in Monterey, California on Ocean View Avenue. He is known for his book, “Between…
El Idolo y El Hombre: Understanding the Life and Legacy of Pedro Infante
Unfamiliar to a large portion of US culture, it is crucial to understand the impact that the actor Pedro Infante has on Mexican cinema. Viewed by many as one of the quintessential stars of La época…
Elizabeth Catlett and the Cold War
Elizabeth Catlett, an African American Artist at the height of the Cold War, chose to leave possible persecution in the United States. With this decision in mind, she settled in Mexico to work with a…
Empire of Oil
In 1900 using their paper the Regeneracion, the Magón brothers continually fanned the flames of revolution against the regime of then President of Mexico Porfirio Díaz.[1] Like steam from a teapot,…
Empires of Glass: The Importance of Obsidian in Mesoamerican Societies
Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent ingrained in the historiography of Mesoamerica cultures, is steeped in mystic symbolism that permeates almost every aspect of the Mesoamerican cultures dating back…
Environmental History of Howler Monkeys
Deep in the lush jungles of Central America lives an abundance of unique wildlife. The sounds of the jungle thrive and harmonize as the tropical birds, frogs, and insects call to one another. Within…
Estadio Azteca
The stadium’s construction first broke ground in 1962, and was finished in 1966, in preparation for the 1968 Olympics that were held in Mexico. The site cost 260 million pesos, and is the only stadium…
Fernando Castro Pacheco and the Palacio de Government
In the city of Merida their lies a hidden gem that contains beautiful artworks by a local painter. In the Government Palace, located in the central plaza, artist Fernando Castro Pacheco has painted…
Finding Tollan at Xochicalco
Over the course of centuries, beginning with Fray Bernardino de Sahagún's mention during the sixteenth century, the ancient Mesoamerican site of Xochicalco, which is in the state of Morelos, Mexico,…
Frans Blom
Frans Blom was a notable archaeologist who had many great explorations and discoveries that contributed to the field of Mesoamerican studies. One of his greatest accomplishments, was his founding of…
Frederick Catherwood At Palenque
A middle aged man drenched in sweat and overcome by exhaustion stands amidst the heat of the jungle. Swatting at mosquitos and never losing focus, he is determined to finish what he started. With the…
From Chains to Freedom: The evolution of slavery in the Yucatan
When discussing the transatlantic slave trade and the effects of the involuntary forced migration of Africans, places such as The United States, Jamaica, and Brazil are commonly the focal point of…