The art of Maya

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The Art of Maya

The Mayan Civilization in Central America depicts a vague origin and is not well understood ADDIN EN .CITE Willis5Bill WillisAncient Mayan Art2001December 7 2007http /www .worsl eyschool .net /socialarts /mayan /art .htmlwww .worsleyschool .net (Willis . But , of the many features that the civilization has , it is probably their art that has contributed so much to their identity that in time lead to world recognition . The Mayans are known for their remarkable

arts and architecture . And just like any other civilization , their art is the expression and reflection of their lifestyle and culture . And , as we all know , Mayans are analogous to corn . Corn is the basis of their economy and it was the sole crop that made them from hunters to settlers . Truly , agriculture in general was very influential in their arts , culture and lives . Everyday scenery and royalty are the predominant characters in Mayan paintings whereas for architecture , it is their ability to make towers and buildings that have clean clines and hieroglyphic in nature . Paintings tell of stories about the royals and more often than not , symbolism is also applied in the paintings . Mayan artists are also very keen on the details - clothing styles , decorative pattern , face painting and gestures are among the many characteristics that set the art to its distinct form ADDIN EN .CITE Willis5Bill WillisAncient Mayan Art2001December 7 2007http /www .worsl eyschool .net /socialarts /mayan /art .htmlwww .worsleyschool .net (Willis . Drawings are also of great value in the Mayan art . Most of the time , their drawings are so rich and intricate . Often the details are hidden but then pop outs when you add color to it . In their drawings and paintings , the predominant theme or characteristic is their stress on the environment or more specifically , to corn - their bread and butter . There are a number of paintings that conjures the Mayans ' praise for that certain crop and mostly , it is depicted in their arts - may it be paintings , drawings or architecture . Somehow , they try to really incorporate the environment to their paintings . Their at is considered as the most refined and beautiful of the ancient New World

One may wonder where all these fascination for corn or the environment came from . This can be explained in the Popol Vuh which is the Sacred Book of the Mayans which contains the mythology , traditions and history of the race ADDIN EN .CITE Criscenzo3Jeeni CriscenzoPopol Vuh2000December 7 2007http /www .jagua r-sun .com /popolvuh .html (Criscenzo . In it , the creator , known as the Heart of Sky accomplished to create humans (that later became the True people ) by assembling humans with maize /corn ADDIN EN .CITE Criscenzo3Jeeni CriscenzoPopol Vuh2000December 7 2007http /www .jagua r-sun .com /popolvuh .html (Criscenzo . It is therefore not so surprising on how and why the Mayans give so much importance and honor to this certain crop . They believe that with the help of maize , the creator was able to mold a...