By: Sybille

Mayan art is undoubtedly an awesome expression of the Mayan people’s cosmovision, which is completely different as the occidental one.

Mayan art is omnipresent in the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador, but as the Mayan world is so widely spread and rich in art, I will just cover the Mayan art in the territory of Mexico.

The Maya civilization gave its artists a free reign, and they produced Mayan ceramic vessels, which are simply outstanding in style and design.

Mayan pottery for everyday use was less decorated, but the finest pieces of art with sophisticated patterns, exquisite colors, and images of human beings, animals or mythological creatures were made for the royalty.

Mayan paintings are another brilliance of the Mayan art.

Mayan murals, decorated tomb walls and temple chambers were painted with excellence. These spectacular works of art also reveal the Mayan mythology.

Tombs in the Yucatan Peninsula like the ones of Palenque, in Chiapas state, of Calakmul, in Campeche state, and of Dzibanche, in Quintana Roo state, are exceptional, as they were decorated with a considerable range of colors, including the Maya Blue.

Performing arts, including Mayan dance and Mayan music, was and still is an integral part of the society, whether at individual or ceremonial functions.

Mayan music was a cultural activity for children and adults on every level, but the instruction of playing musical instruments was only given to artists.

Paintings on different Mayan murals show these performing arts, where people with different musical instruments and performers dressed in supernatural costumes are representing mythical scenes or important events, like on the famous Mayan murals of Bonampak, in the state of Chiapas, Mexico.

Tombs in the Yucatan Peninsula like the ones in Calakmul, Campeche state, and in Dzibanche, Quintana Roo state, are exceptional, as they were decorated with a considerable range of colors, including the Maya Blue.

The steles, large stone slabs covered with carvings, were a common form of Mayan sculpture.

Each stela was mainly dedicated to represent the men and women of the governing class, and Mayan glyphs were elaborately carved to state the name, the dates and deeds of each one.

The Mayans also created ritual objects, funeral offerings, and the most beautiful personal ornaments for the members of the high ranking class, like Mayan masks, earrings, necklaces and pectorals.

Among the most famous funeral Mayan masks are the ones belonging to king Pakal and to the “Red Queen” of Palenque, in the Mexican state of Chiapas, with delicately elaborated plates of jade, integrated with turquoise, obsidian and mother of pearl and assembled to imitate the features of the dead king and queen.

Mayan art includes other genres like Mayan literature, Mayan writings of Mayan Codices on paper produced of fig tree bark, and the innumerable amount of masks carved in stone and made of stucco on pyramids and temples in every part of the Mayan world, which depict the brilliance and uniqueness of this civilization.

About Author:

Sybille from www.MayanTravelGuide.com shares useful information to experience the Mayans journey in the southeast of Mexico, from the beautiful beaches and amazing Mayan archaeological sites in the Yucatan Peninsula to Chiapas.

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More than just ornamentation for the body, jewelry has long served as a palette for artistic expression. From Bulgari to Cartier to Harry Winston, the world’s famous jewelers have created pieces of bejeweled art that have captured the attention of collectors worldwide, as well as the imagination of those who appreciate fine jewelry.

Frederic Boucheron

Acquiring fame as an expert in precious stones, Frederic Boucheron opened his first jewelry salon at the Palais Royal in 1858. The masterful creator of beautiful jewelry, Boucheron also set up shop at the Place Vendome in 1893, which is still in successful operation today. Boucheron branches are also located in Moscow, Japan, London, and the Far East. Historical international expositions included exhibitions of Boucheron’s pieces, including the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial, the 1889 and 1990 Expositions Universelle, and the 1925 Exposition des Arts Decoratifs, all in Paris.

Sotirio Bulgari

Sotirio Bulgari of Greece began his firm in 1879 when he moved to Rome to open his first shop in Via Sistina. Bulgari’s distinctive style was carried on by his sons after his death in 1932. Bulgari jewelry-lovers admire the firm’s classical and Renaissance-inspired art, which features colors and patterns found in mosaics. Bulgari is also famous for transforming ancient coins into jewels. Bulgari boutiques grace Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Milan, New York, Paris, Singapore, and Tokyo. In 1998, a Bulgari diamond and colored diamond brooch auctioned at Christie’s for $1,186,400.

Louis-Francois Cartier

Renowned French jewelry and watch maker, Cartier may have gotten its start in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier, but it took it his grandsons Louis, Pierre and Jacques to build Cartier into the world famous empire it is today. Throughout its history, Cartier has undergone continued changes which have made it an international phenomenon. In 1983, the Cartier Museum was initiated; and in 1993, Cartier became a part of the Vendome Luxury Group.

Joseph Chaumet

Official jeweler to Napoleon:Chaumet was originally founded under another name. This jewelry firm captured favor for its grandiose creations and royal clientele including the Empress Josephine and later Empress Marie-Louise. Following the fall of Napoleon, the firm garnered continued acclaim under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Fossin and his son, Jules. Both were artists in their right who captured a spirit of Romanticism in their jeweled creations. In 1889, Joseph Chaumet, a Bordeaux jeweler took over the company and changed its name to Chaumet. The successful change in ownership thrust Chaumet onto the international scene, serving as jeweler to European royal houses and winning copious awards at international exhibitions.

Laurence Graff

Creating jewelry with some of the rarest gems available, Graff Diamonds was founded in London in 1960. The revered firm has handled some of the world’s most treasured gemstones, including The Idol’s Eye, The Emperor Maximillian, and The Begum Blue. The jewelry maker’s glamorous style is a result of its highly skilled in-house craftsmen. In 2002, a pair of Graff diamond and emerald ear-pendants sold at auction for $772,000. The House of Graff has locations in London, New York City, Monte Carlo, Dubai, and Moscow.

Tiffany & Co.

While Tiffany & Co. may have begun as a fancy goods store in the 1800s, by the 1950s Tiffany & Co. had captured its emphasis on the jewelry business. Its most famous pieces were created and sold by the founder’s son, Louis Comfort Tiffany. However, other esteemed jewelry designers, as well as renowned gemologist George Frederick Kunz were later instrumental in propelling Tiffany & Co. to international jewelry stardom. Today, Tiffany & Co. can be found in more than 100 locations worldwide.

Harry Winston

At only 24 years of age, Harry Winston opened his first jewelry store in New York City. A little more than a decade later, Winston established a company under his own name. Here, he handled such famous diamonds as the Jonker, the Taylor-Burton, the Star of Sierra Leone, and the Vargas. He was also responsible for donating The Hope, The Portuguese and, the Oppenheimer diamonds to the Smithsonian. Known as the “King of Diamonds,” Winston owned nearly one third of all the famous museum diamonds at one time or another. After his father’s death, Ronald Winston continued the Winston dynasty, expanding into additional markets in Tokyo and Beverly Hills.

While some of the world’s most famous jewelers have made their mark in history, many local jewelers also carry on this tradition of beauty – fashioning jewelry that delights and commemorates. Whether famous globally or just well-known to a local community, artists in jewels are part of a long legacy – creating today’s jewelry for tomorrow.