ART AND ARTIFACTS - lindakreft.com · ART AND ARTIFACTS Hero Twins face Itzamna Detail from Rollout...
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ART AND ARTIFACTS Hero Twins face Itzamna Detail from Rollout K1183 Justin Kerr The Hero Twins of Ancient Maya Myth Barbara and Justin Kerr The Metropolitan Museum of Art Exhibition of Photographs 1994 The Maya painted and carved vases with many scenes from their mythology. These mythological tales were finally recorded in a sixteenth-century Quiche document called the Popol Vuh. However, the myths were certainly in place by the first century AD The main characters in the Popol Vuh are known as the Hero Twins, who were hunters, ballplayers, magicians, and scribes. They played in the ball court of the gods of the Underworld and finally vanquished them. The ancient Maya rulers often portrayed themselves as brave, as talented, and as powerful as the Hero Twins. The mythic Hero Twins were emulated by the elite, who played an endless repetition of the cosmic ball game with the gods, vying for control of nature’s forces. By this action the Maya rulers proved and held their power. Polychrome Vessel depicting Hunahpu Justin Kerr 5824 Briefly, this is a story of birth, death, and resurrection. The Hero Twins, named Hun Ahpu and Xbalanque, are the sons of a twin. Their father, whose name was Hun Hun Ahpu, and his twin brother, Vucub Hun Ahpu, were great ballplayers, but in their games with the Underworld lords were the losers. The Hero Twins’ father was decapitated, and his head was hung in a tree, whereupon the young daughter of an Underworld lord, being curious, approached the head in the tree. The head of Hun Hun Ahpu spat in her hand, and she became pregnant with the Hero Twins. Soon the twins were born with all the attributes of their many talents. In an earlier marriage Hun Hun Ahpu fathered another set of twins, named Hun Batz and Hun Chuen, who were eventually turned into monkeys by the Hero Twins and became scribes. After the Hero Twins grew up and had many adventures, they repeated the games their father played with gods in Xibalba, the Underworld. They resurrected their father, also known as the young Corn God, symbolizing new growth, and the three were united. For the Maya, time is cyclical not linear as it is in our world. Ancestors live on: communication with them continues. Popol Vuh: Sacred Book of the Ancinet Maya Victor Montejo One of the major themes in the Maya belief system is that of resurrection, that moment in time when a mortal attains godlike status. Many Maya rulers portray themselves at the moment of death as being transformed into one of the creatures of the Underworld. They often make the descent to the Underworld on
Transcript of ART AND ARTIFACTS - lindakreft.com · ART AND ARTIFACTS Hero Twins face Itzamna Detail from Rollout...
ART AND ARTIFACTS
Hero Twins face Itzamna Detail from Rollout K1183Justin Kerr
The Hero Twins of Ancient Maya MythBarbara and Justin KerrThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtExhibition of Photographs 1994
The Maya painted and carved vases with manyscenes from their mythology. Thesemythological tales were finally recorded in asixteenth-century Quiche document called thePopol Vuh. However, the myths were certainlyin place by the first century AD The maincharacters in the Popol Vuh are known as theHero Twins, who were hunters, ballplayers,magicians, and scribes. They played in the ballcourt of the gods of the Underworld and finallyvanquished them. The ancient Maya rulersoften portrayed themselves as brave, astalented, and as powerful as the Hero Twins.The mythic Hero Twins were emulated by theelite, who played an endless repetition of thecosmic ball game with the gods, vying forcontrol of nature’s forces. By this action theMaya rulers proved and held their power.
Polychrome Vessel depicting HunahpuJustin Kerr 5824
Briefly, this is a story of birth, death, andresurrection. The Hero Twins, named HunAhpu and Xbalanque, are the sons of a twin.Their father, whose name was Hun Hun Ahpu,and his twin brother, Vucub Hun Ahpu, weregreat ballplayers, but in their games with theUnderworld lords were the losers. The HeroTwins’ father was decapitated, and his headwas hung in a tree, whereupon the youngdaughter of an Underworld lord, being curious,approached the head in the tree. The head ofHun Hun Ahpu spat in her hand, and shebecame pregnant with the Hero Twins. Soonthe twins were born with all the attributes oftheir many talents. In an earlier marriage HunHun Ahpu fathered another set of twins,named Hun Batz and Hun Chuen, who wereeventually turned into monkeys by the HeroTwins and became scribes.
After the Hero Twins grew up and had manyadventures, they repeated the games theirfather played with gods in Xibalba, theUnderworld. They resurrected their father,also known as the young Corn God,symbolizing new growth, and the three wereunited. For the Maya, time is cyclical not linearas it is in our world. Ancestors live on:communication with them continues.
Popol Vuh: Sacred Book of the Ancinet Maya
Victor Montejo
One of the major themes in the Maya beliefsystem is that of resurrection, that moment intime when a mortal attains godlike status.Many Maya rulers portray themselves at themoment of death as being transformed intoone of the creatures of the Underworld. Theyoften make the descent to the Underworld on
the snout of a serpent monster that takesthem through the mouth of Xibalba into theUnderworld. Death is such a powerful themethat it is incorporated into the Maya mythologyas rebirth, both of an individual and of theearth. With the sprouting of corn the worldregenerates itself. The Maya saw the growingof corn not only as a food source but also asthe very essence of life. It is no wonder thanthat the father of the Hero Twins is also theCorn God, he who brings forth life and in hisresurrection through his children unites theforces of the universe. This theme emphasizesthe Maya concept that time is cyclical. Livingbeings are born, grow, die, and in the followingseason are reborn, just as the act of wateringthe growing corn plant resurrects its seed.
Prior to the use of the rollout camera, thescenes on Maya vases were photographed inmultiple views and pasted together. Often theindividual frames were assembled and drawnby an artist. This was a time-consuming andcostly endeavor. Because the individualsections of the vase were optically distortedfrom front to back, there was always thepossibility of misunderstanding some of theglyphic text.
After much research into the variousunsatisfactory methods of peripheralphotography, Justin Kerr built his own camerain 1975. Since then he has photographedapproximately twelve hundred vases. Thecompletion of a portable model of the rolloutcamera enabled him to go into the field tomake rollout photographs in museums andprivate collections in the quest for Maya vasesto expand his archives.
Rollout K6059
Justin Kerr
Rollout K1453
Justin Kerr
Rollout K0965
Justin Kerr
Rollout K5764
Justin Kerr
