For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON—The story of the Maya people, whose pyramid temples, rich royal tombs, sophisticated art style, and complex calendar and writing system have intrigued explorers, writers, treasure seekers and scientists for more than two centuries, will be on display in the National Geographic Society’s museum Explorers Hall from March 1 through June 6, 1999.

The exhibit, “Maya: Portraits of a People,” focuses on the Maya—past and present. Currently living in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and in the neighboring countries of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize, the Maya today number more than 4 million. These strong and dynamic people are the descendants of one of the world’s great civilizations, which reached its peak of development between 250 and 950 A.D. Most objects in the exhibit are from the Classic Maya period, circa 400 to 900, and are on loan from Jay and Jean Kislak and the Jay I. Kislak Foundation Collection.

“The rich resources of the rarely seen Kislak Collection give us the golden opportunity to examine what sorts of individuals made up Maya society,” said George Stuart, curator of the exhibit. “Depicting everything from ancient merchants, warriors and kings to modern-day Maya weavers, the exhibit tells the public about the lives and rich heritage of the Maya people.”

The exhibit will focus on different components of the Maya world: households, farmers and hunters, merchants and traders, warriors, ballplayers, scribes, rulers and court life, and priests and gods. Artifacts on display include painted ceramic vases, carved jade plaques and pendants, figurines, containers and stone carvings. One extraordinary object is the miraculously preserved carved wooden box dating to the end of the seventh century showing the ruler Ah K’ax-Balam and text panels in Mayan glyphs. Another interesting artifact is a stone ceremonial mace-head finely carved with a phrase citing that the mace was dedicated or given, by or to, a young lord on September 6, 380.

A collection of painted vases showing royal men and women dressed in elaborate regalia helps to illustrate Maya court life. The ballgame, which was an integral part of the cultures of Mesoamerica, is represented by four objects: a painted vase depicting players and rubber balls, a container modeled as a ball court, an effigy of a kneeling ballplayer, and a carved stone ceremonial yoke. There is also an array of carved jade items depicting warriors and gods. National Geographic Society photographs, maps and original art reconstructing ancient Maya life and beliefs supplement the artifacts and help place the Maya in the cultural and chronological context of greater Mesoamerica and its other peoples, the Olmec, the Teotihuacanos, the Toltec, the Mixtec and the Aztec. George Stuart, Maya archaeologist and retired chairman of the Committee for Research and Exploration at the National Geographic Society, will give a lecture, “Maya: Portrait of a People,” on Wednesday, April 14, at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. People wanting tickets should call +1 202 857 7700.

Maya: Portraits of a People was organized by the National Geographic Society and the Frank H. McClung Museum of Knoxville, Tennessee, where it was exhibited from July 1998 through January 1999. The exhibit will be on display at the National Geographic Society’s Explorers Hall museum, 17th and M streets N.W., Washington, D.C. March 1, 1999, through June 6, 1999. Explorers Hall hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and holidays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The museum is closed on December 25. Admission is free. For more information about Explorers Hall call +1 202 857 7588.

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