Extra Credit: Revealing Creation: The Science and Art of Ancient Maya Ceramics

I attended LACMA for my extra credit events. I attended a unique exhibition where I was able to see the science and art of ancient Maya ceramics. Before coming to the exhibition, I was very confused what it meant but I found out that this was very interesting. The exhibition combines insight gained from technical analysis of ancient Maya ceramic vessels with indigenous knowledge, from the Maya religion and languages and archaeological findings. The research shows how Maya artists endeavored to manifest the cosmos by shaping painting, and firing clay.

Through these ceramics, you are truly able to see the correlation between art and science. The ceramics itself portrays the are while the technologies they used portray the science.
LACMA's scientific analyses illuminate Maya artists' techniques for making ceramic vessels. This was very interesting to me because I did not understand the correlation of science and art through Maya ceramics. For example, digital x-radiography confirms the vessels were coil-built by setting coils of rolled clay in stacked rings. X-rays reveal these rings and expose traces of tools and fingers used to smooth coils and adjust vessel walls. The X-ray also reveals the shapes of vessel walls, rattles inside bases and feet, and the sculptural forms made from molds.

 

This is called Vase with Monkey and Ritual Scenes. It was from northern Guatemala or Southeastern Mexico, and is 600-900 years old. This is a slip-painted ceramic with post-fire pigment. Like others in this exhibition, the vessel creatively combines ceramic vase and figurine traditions. X-ray radiographs reveal the monkey was made in two separate pieces, a hollow head that inserted into a hollow body. The parts were attached to the cylinder, which has two panels carved with intricate ritual scenes. The monkey, whose curling tail overlaps one panel, takes over as the central focus. He was adorned with Maya Blue after firing. 

This is called Cylinder Vessel with Palace Scene. It was from Guatemala, Peten, Dos Pilas or vicinity, Maya, 740-800 years. You can't see it through this image, but the image actually portrays K'awiil Chan K'inich, a Dos Pilas prince, before his accession to king. The painter's name, Akan Suutz', appears behind the prince's headdress, indicating the artist's prominence. This painter achieved remarkable colors, including lavender and punk, using iron-rich slips. Chemical analysis revealed he painted white highlights on the men's faces, feathers, and jewelry after the vessel was slipped and fired. 

These are the different types of technologies used:

IR photography requires images in the infrared region (700 to 1000nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Through X-radiographs, it reveals the rattles in the chamber at the bottom of the vessel. You would not be able to identify that without the technology. Also, it reveals inclusions in the clay. Horizontal orientation indicates coiling was used to build the vessel. The crack between the two coils in the ceramic was revealed.

This technology is called the XRF, which stands for x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. This machine gathers information about the elemental composition of the vessel's surface. 

Overall, through this exhibition, I was able to gather new insight by gaining more knowledge about the technical analysis of ancient Maya ceramic vessels.This exhibition considers ancient Maya ceramic production as both art and science and highlights how artisans worked to emulate acts of creation through their labor of shaping, painting, and molding clay. Not only did I learn about the correlation of science and art, that was discussed during week one, I was also able to learn more about the different type of technology they had used to reveal these hidden images. I definitely recommend coming to this exhibition while you are taking this class because it will help you better understand the topics.