In 1839 in the rainforests of Central America, the first outsiders to journey through them John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood had discovered ruins of a great civilization that was uniquely American. After their travels through the rain forest they had brought back sketches of Maya civilization remains.
Out of all the wonders they found the one that caught their eyes the most was the monuments that stand out the most, and Stephen himself carved in his own excerpt into one of them regardless of their hefty carved stones.
Epigraphers and art historians have done what they can to understand and rebuild the culture and history of the classic periods in the middle Americas to get a better understanding of these flourishing times. An while …show more content…
Their vast cities were filled with amazing pyramids and sculptures that were built by the grandest architects and sculptors who were commissioned by wealthy rich elites, who competed for control of land and resources of the vast cities and states.
The monuments discovered held meaning to them as well, and served as a crucial social and political cohesion between the cities. As the small scales art works would be hidden and clustered away behind homes and other buildings. The larger works would be a standing principle for political and religious eloquence for the people in the city and states.
To fortitude and command respect, and recognition for the authority of rulers human scale renders and presentations of inspiring portraits were viewed for audiences in a form of slab stone work formed into faces that were placed on the base of pyramids and in open plazas.
To illuminate the king’s power and dominance, text would be carved onto stelae to idealize the kings great looks, age, athleticism. Oversized headdress were worn as well as ornaments, and symbols of kingship. An to give a brief account of the life of the ruler and ancestors, they would also be accompanied with hieroglyphics text elaborating their