Link, Title, and Description

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFnHCEGVDWJu53yyZeLRxxd_92wskSDB_

Maya Language & Culture Course

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KnWgctuxBc

Tokovinine Lecture 1. Introduction - the context of Maya writing, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTYh1TYyLiE

Tokovinine Lecture 3. An overview of the Classic Maya script, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC-mttsfg4U

Tokovinine Lecture 4. Word and Image in Maya writing, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVUHN44o2Uo

Tokovinine Lecture 5. Classic Maya calendar - a very, very brief introduction, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NXza9SnIkE

Tokovinine Lecture 7. Classic Maya writing - spelling rules, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o9nj_zybgM

Tokovinine Lecture 8. Hieroglyphic Mayan - the pronouns, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8veQp-WPPg

Tokovinine Lecture 9. Tags and tagging in Classic Maya texts and images, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23BDttXaWc8

Tokovinine Lecture 10. Nouns and possession in Hieroglyphic Mayan, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLBUs01dbDI

Tokovinine Lecture 11. Maya glyphs on pots, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKQZUBE3xu0

Tokovinine Lecture 12. More on Classic Maya nouns and adjectives, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX81GklLSVQ

Tokovinine Lecture 13. Classic Maya personhood and names, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXzPTwCbJFM

Tokovinine Lecture 14. Verbs in Hieroglyphic Mayan - an introduction, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx6WvwThGAQ

Tokovinine Lecture 15. People and places in Classic Maya texts, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX4eiIcTnHU

Tokovinine Lecture 16. Intransitive verbs in Hieroglyphic Mayan, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2pYtVwVWNI

Tokovinine Lecture 17. Classic Maya cities in their own words, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUtHiidNSkA

Tokovinine Lecture 18. Transitive verbs in Hieroglyphic Mayan, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T1hYTS5vO8

Tokovinine Lecture 19. Ancient Maya gods, part 1 - major deities and narratives, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTBywbPqcYM

Tokovinine Lecture 20. Derived transitives, relational nouns, and adverbs, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGOJcgg5w0k

Tokovinine Lecture 21. Ancient Maya gods, part 2 – gods, ancestors, and naguales, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtv50vnTVQw

Tokovinine Lecture 22. Deixis in Classic Maya texts, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv3mokidSzg

Tokovinine Lecture 23. Maya time and time lords, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R04_xEBx3XU

Tokovinine Lecture 24. Classic Maya courtly culture, part I, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG1dPBlxcfY

Tokovinine Lecture 25. Classic Maya courtly culture, part II, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc6VB1CAYQc

Tokovinine Lecture 26. Ancient Maya graffiti and dipinti, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoulAvhaULQ

Tokovinine Lecture 27. Classic Maya texts as literature, University of Alabama, 2021-2022.

Link, Title, and Description

Tokovinine lectures given at Harvard University in 2015-2016, no longer available on the Web.

Tokovinine Lecture 1. Introduction, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 2. Decipherment, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 3. Overview, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 4. Epigraphy, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 5. Writing Art, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 6. Numbers, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 7. Calendar, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 8. Language, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 9. Spelling, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 10. Pronouns, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 11. Tags, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 12. Nouns, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 13. Texts on Pots, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 14. Adjectives, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 15. Names, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 16. Verbs Tense Aspect, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 17. Places, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 18. Intransitive Verbs, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 19. Built Landscape, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 20. Transitive Verbs, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 21. Time, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 22. Derived Transitives, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 23. Gods, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 24. Clitics, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 25. Courtly Life, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 26. Literature, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 27. Collapse, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Tokovinine Lecture 28. Summary, Harvard University, 2015-2016.

Link, Title, and Description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So42IgO4fJU

Archaeologist Explains - 2012 Maya Prophecy

25 Apr 2025

Did the ancient Maya actually predict the end of the world in 2012? Or was that just a massive misunderstanding from the Western world? // Dr. Ed Barnhart – archaeologist, Maya calendar expert, and director of the Maya Exploration Center – breaks down the real story behind the 2012 prophecy. With over 30 years of experience studying the Maya calendar and decoding ancient texts, Ed reveals:

o) How the 2012 end-of-world theory even started

o) Why it was never what the Maya intended

o) The real meaning behind “13 baktuns” and the Long Count calendar

o) Who popularized the theory – and later regretted it

o) What Maya texts actually said would happen in 2012 (spoiler: it was a celebration)

o) And how Western thinking clashed with Maya views of time and cycles

Get ready for an eye-opening, myth-busting journey through ancient history and archaeology – directly from someone who’s studied the monuments and texts firsthand. [AEB = “Archaeologist Ed Barnhart”, YouTube channel.]

9 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeKRw9sv8-I

Archaeologist Reacts - Tomb of Maya King Discovered!

16 Aug 2025

A groundbreaking Maya archaeology discovery has just been made – the tomb of the founding king of Caracol in Belize! In this video, archaeologist Dr. Ed Barnhart breaks down why this is such a historic find, sharing three unique insights you won’t hear in the headlines:

1) Why it’s so rare – Only the second time in over 100 years a founder’s tomb has been uncovered.

2) Teotihuacan connections – What pottery and artifacts reveal about early influence from this powerful city.

3) The archaeologists behind it – Celebrating Diane and Arlen Chase’s 40 years of dedication to Caracol.

You’ll also learn how this discovery reshapes our understanding of the Maya political landscape, the Peten Wars, and the ancient alliances between Caracol, Tikal, and Teotihuacan. // About Dr. Ed Barnhart: Dr. Barnhart is a renowned Maya archaeologist, researcher, and educator with decades of field experience across Mesoamerica. [AEB = “Archaeologist Ed Barnhart”, YouTube channel.]

6 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXT_DlODMDs

I Discovered an Ancient Maya City in my 20s

12 Mar 2025

In a recent video I made for Wired magazine, I spoke about discovering an ancient Maya city. Everyone in the comments seemed to love it, so I decided to make a whole video about it! [AEB = “Archaeologist Ed Barnhart”, YouTube channel.]

9 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K00Ycq6aSmE

I Found a 1500-Year-Old Building in Palenque

13 Feb 2026

The ancient Maya city of Palenque has been studied for over a century, yet its largest building remained hidden from researchers until 1999. In this video, I share the story of how a local guide led me to Templo Escondido (the Hidden Temple), a massive structure larger than the famous Palace in the city center.

The Discovery & The Dimensions

While mapping the western edge of the site in an area called La Kota, I was approached by a local man who offered to show me a building "100 meters tall". What we found was a gargantuan platform: // Massive Scale: The building measures approximately 70m by 150m. // The Drop: While the southern approach is only 10m high, the northern edge drops nearly 100m down a cliffside. // Royal Residence?: The top features a 50m x 50m area once used as a cornfield, along with an L-shaped building that may have been a royal residence.

Why This Building Matters

I believe Templo Escondido is the key to Palenque’s earliest history. My theory is that this massive platform encapsulates the city’s first palace. // The Elevation Mystery: Mapping reveals the base of Templo Escondido is at the exact same elevation as the Palace a kilometer away – suggesting the Palace was built to emulate this older site. // Oldest Ceramics: Studies in the 1970s found the site's oldest ceramics – dating back to the 400s CE – in the river right next to this building. // The Forgotten Connection: King Pakal built the "Olvido" [Olvidado] temple nearby, likely to link his lineage to the ancient authority of this area. [AEB = “Archaeologist Ed Barnhart”, YouTube channel.]

15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ID8uhmSio

Maya Ballgame Explained by an Archaeologist

17 Apr 2025

Step into the ancient world of the Maya with archaeologist Dr. Ed Barnhart as he unpacks the origins, meaning, and mechanics of the Maya Ballgame – one of the oldest team sports in human history. // In this video, you'll learn:

o) How the Maya built and designed their iconic stone ball courts

o) The fascinating rules of the game (spoiler: no hands or feet!)

o) How the ballgame ties into the Popol Vuh, the Maya creation story

o) Why this wasn’t just a sport – it was a ritual battle between life and death

o) How the game evolved across Mesoamerica, from the Zapotecs to Central Mexico

o) And why the Maya were the first civilization in the world to invent the rubber ball

With over 30 years of experience exploring Mesoamerican ruins and more than 100 ball courts visited, Dr. Barnhart brings a rare depth of insight to one of the most symbolic games in ancient history. // Watch till the end to learn how the Maya game predates sports like soccer, polo, and even China's cuju by over a thousand years. [AEB = “Archaeologist Ed Barnhart”, YouTube channel.]

9 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY2P0zyiDCM

Maya Expert Explains Maya Astronomy

20 Mar 2025

In this video, Ed explores how the ancient Maya tracked celestial bodies with remarkable precision using surprisingly simple tools. Drawing from his nearly 30 years as an archaeoastronomer studying astronomical sites worldwide, Ed explains the Maya's horizon-based approach to astronomy. // The Maya primarily observed sunrise and sunset positions rather than the entire sky, using just two sticks and a rope to map the movements of the sun, moon, and planets within a 60° band of the horizon. Ed demonstrates how they recognized that while stars moved as one unified backdrop, planets "danced" independently across this celestial stage. // Their calculations were impressively accurate - their Venus cycle estimate was only 0.006 days off modern measurements, achieved through generations of careful observation and documentation rather than any outside influence. [AEB = “Archaeologist Ed Barnhart”, YouTube channel.]

8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_uv_DmuRYw

Maya Expert Reveals - A Day in the Life of the Maya

15 Mar 2025

Join Dr. Ed Barnhart, archaeologist with over 30 years of experience excavating Maya cities, as he walks you through a typical day in ancient Maya civilization. Discover the vibrant urban life in cities like Palenque, from the stone residences of merchants and artisans to the farming communities on the outskirts. Learn how Maya people of different social classes spent their days – from sunrise farming to midday market activities and evening family time. Dr. Barnhart explains Maya education, social dynamics, and daily routines, drawing connections between ancient practices and today's Maya communities. This expert breakdown challenges Hollywood stereotypes by revealing the peaceful, community-centered reality of everyday Maya life. [AEB = “Archaeologist Ed Barnhart”, YouTube channel.]

8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-o_m6wsTXg

Pakal - The Most Famous Maya Ruler Ever

7 Apr 2026

Meet K'inich Janaab Pakal, the most famous king of the ancient Maya world. Born in March 603 CE into a time of war, destruction, and political collapse, Pakal took the throne of Palenque at just 12 years old in 615 CE and transformed a devastated city into one of the greatest of all Classic Maya kingdoms. He ruled for 68 years until his death at age 80, making his reign one of the longest verified in world history.

In this video, we go beyond the archaeology and tell Pakal's story as a human being, from the wars that tore apart his homeland to the remarkable mother who paved his way to power. [AEB = “Archaeologist Ed Barnhart”, YouTube channel.]

22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKW4u9veLfg

Why these Ancient Cities Stay Hidden for Centuries

20 Feb 2026

Did archaeologists just discover another massive Maya city hiding in the jungle? // Archaeologist Dr. Ed Barnhart breaks down the discovery of Valeriana, a newly identified Maya city in Campeche, Mexico – revealed not by machetes, but by LiDAR. // Using repurposed forest-monitoring scans, researchers uncovered a sprawling urban center with pyramids, a ballcourt, reservoirs, and an estimated 6,000 buildings – rivaling the great city of Calakmul itself. But here’s the bigger story… // This region of the southern Yucatán has long been known to hold secrets. From ornate Terminal Classic “Chenes-style” sites along the highway to vast, unmapped forests stretching toward Guatemala’s Petén, archaeologists have suspected for decades that major cities remain hidden. // In this episode, Dr. Barnhart explores:

o) What makes Valeriana so significant

o) Why this region remained unexplored for so long

o) How LiDAR technology is transforming archaeology

o) Why open-source software and AI could spark a new revolution

o) And why boots-on-the-ground exploration still matters. //

LiDAR is changing the game – but it hasn’t replaced the archaeologist. In fact, it may be making the to-do list longer than ever. // This is the future of discovery – and we’re just getting started. // [About the discovery of Valeriana.] [AEB = “Archaeologist Ed Barnhart”, YouTube channel.]

10 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T--VTvMw2c0

ArchaeoEd S3E4 - 260 Days

1 Dec 2021

The 260-day calendar of Mesoamerica is its oldest and most enduring measurement of time. In this episode I'll explain how it works, what it means to modern Maya people, and how the Dresden Codex contains important links between the past and present uses of the sacred Tzolk'in calendar. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

39 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdOtfDIx3qc

Ancient American Weapons - ArchaeoEd S5 E7

1 Mar 2024

There were multiple militaristic civilizations in the ancient Americas. In this episode, Ed talks about their rise to power and weapons of choice. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOyhPizMWbQ

Copan 1997 - ArchaeoEd S5E8

1 Apr 2024

In 1997, Ed was part of the excavations that discovered the tomb of Copan's first ruler - Yax K'uk' Mo'. Join him as he tells the story in his usual humorous style. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

42 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1rknTxk-PQ

ArchaeoEd S5E1 - Ed's Origin Story at Copan

1 Sep 2023

Ever wonder how Ed became an archaeologist? Well, here's the story. The year was 1990 and the place was Copan, Honduras. A field school experience for the record books! [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

32 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP19Loy5Tus

ArchaeoEd S4E5 - How I Mapped Palenque (Part 1)

1 Jan 2023

From 1998 to 2000, I (Dr. Edwin Barnhart) led the Palenque Mapping Project. In this episode I'll share the behind-the-scenes story of how I got the job and the strange things that happened while making the map. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

37 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3JMn-cpL1c

ArchaeoEd S4E6 - How I Mapped Palenque (Part 2)

1 Feb 2023

The continued story of how I mapped Palenque - still in 1998, field season 1 of 3. In this episode - forest fires, mangos, and skinny dipping. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

40 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-gUCUFwnpA

ArchaeoEd S4E7 - How I Mapped Palenque (Part 3)

1 Mar 2023

The final chapter of the Palenque Mapping Project, Season 1. More snakes, more temples, an exploding Barney the Dinosaur, and a robbery at gun point! I got by with a little help from my friends. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

33 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lKa0Vfmk20

How I Mapped Palenque - Part 4 - ArchaeoEd S6E1

1 Sep 2024

The year was 1999. Ed and his crew started year two of the Palenque Mapping Project. Ed recounts the story - snakes, pyramids, tombs, and a visit from the President of Mexico! [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

37 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvFtzmBVXew

How I Mapped Palenque, Part 5 - ArchaeoEd S6E2

1 Oct 2024

In May and June of 1999, Ed and his mapping crew were hard at work puzzling out western Palenque. More deadly snakes, collapsed tombs, and 100's of ancient buildings were waiting for them in the jungle. Season 6 Episode 2, aired October 1, 2024. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

35 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In06-VDpoDs

How I Mapped Palenque, Part 6 - ArchaeoEd S6E3

9 Nov 2024

In the summer of 1999, Ed and crew were risking life and limb to map the western side of Palenque. More snakes, more fantastic discoveries, and more crazy stories of life in Chiapas, Mexico. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

30 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cszDxRoQO8

How I Mapped Palenque Part 7 - ArchaeoEd S7E4

5 Dec 2025

Part 7 in the 9-part story of how I mapped Palenque. In this episode, you'll hear about hidden caves, feats of ancient hydraulic engineering, and naked women. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

31 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfOaVr-E0j0

How I Mapped Palenque Part 8 - ArchaeoEd S7E5

2 Jan 2026

Part 8 of the story behind the Palenque Mapping Project. In this episode, the team climbs waterfalls, encounters a Maya giant, and maps their way towards the eastern edge of Palenque. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

27 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZxCca3lTI4&t=1565s

How I Mapped Palenque Part 9 - ArchaeoEd S7E6

1 Feb 2026

In this episode, the mapping crew explores eastern Palenque, finding a hidden waterfall and a massive building hiding right next to a tourist campground. They also have more run ins with the landowners of the west. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

28 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqyp3F7fyvc

How I Mapped Palenque Part 10 - ArchaeoEd S7E7

1 Mar 2026

The final chapter of How I Mapped Palenque! In this episode the team photo documents Palenque's hidden architecture, Ed drives an invisible car over the Belizean border, and three years of the Palenque Mapping Project comes to a celebratory end. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

27 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgiPPmq5vH0

Linda Schele - ArchaeoEd S5E6

1 Feb 2024

Linda Schele was the most influential Mayanist of her time. Ed had the good fortune to be counted among her graduate students. In this episode, he'll tell you some stories from his time with her. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

41 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_ojZ66tLDM

ArchaeoEd S2E4 - MaaxNa - Part 1

1 Apr 2021

In 1995, I discovered a lost Maya city in the jungles of Northwest Belize. This podcast is the story of how I did it. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

35 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FKGBM18G_c

ArchaeoEd S2E5 - MaaxNa - Part 2 and Other Tales

1 May 2021

This episode is part two of the Ma'ax Na story. I cover the 3rd and 4th seasons of my adventures mapping Ma'ax Na, plus some other things that happened in my archaeological career back in 1996 and 1997. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

39 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMHkv4j3Pbw

The Maya Ballgame in the Popol Vuh - ArchaeoEd teaser

Premiered on 10 Jul 2024

A short clip from the ArchaeoEd Podcast on the Mesoamerican Ballgame. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

1 minute 31 seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXQiUFjtSlc

ArchaeoEd S3E5 - Moises Morales

1 Jan 2022

Moises Morales was a legend in Mexico. His contributions to our knowledge and the protection of the Maya ruins of Palenque are unparalleled. In this episode, I'll tell you some stories about my dear friend Moi. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

32 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX5cWF7d-ro

ArchaeoEd Episode 2 - Palenque

30 Sep 2020

Palenque was arguably the most beautiful and sophisticated of all the Maya Classic Period cities. Learn all about it from the guy who literally map the map of its ruins - me! [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

33 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiEZvL_EpT4

Teotihuacan - ArchaeoEd S5E4

1 Dec 2023

Teotihuacan was the most important city in all of ancient Mesoamerican history. Despite almost 200 years of archaeology there, there's a whole lot we don't understand. Join Ed for a discussion of what we know - and still don't know - about Teotihuacan. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

50 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzJvz0cLIRQ

ArchaeoEd S3E9 - The Mesoamerican Ballgame

1 May 2022

About 4000 years ago, the civilizations of Mesoamerica created the world's first team sport - older by centuries than any other. It was played with a big rubber ball, in a stone-built ball court, and enjoyed from the Chihuahua Desert to the rainforests of Honduras. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

41 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMr0uLUpIG8

The Milky Way - Path to the Otherworld, ArchaeoEd S5 E5

1 Jan 2024

All over the ancient Americas, from Chile to Alaska, the Milky Way was seen as the path to the otherworld. Join Ed as he explains his evidence for that assertion. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

43 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLGDRUJ1ND4

ArchaeoEd S3E6 - The Olmecs

1 Feb 2022

The Olmecs are widely considered Mesoamerica's "mother culture". In this episode I'll talk about that amazing civilization's achievements and how recent discoveries may change what we think we know about them. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

38 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjtt9wP2VZw

ArchaeoEd Episode 4 - Tulum

1 Oct 2020

At Spanish contact, was the Maya port city of Tulum also an Aztec military outpost? I think so. Let me tell you why. [AEP = “ArchaeoEd Podcast”, YouTube channel.]

36 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TthXzCGb9yA

Decoding the Mayan Hieroglyphic Code - Ed Barnhart and Lex Fridman

2 Oct 2024

Guest Bio: Ed Barnhart is an archaeologist and explorer specializing in ancient civilizations of the Americas. He is the Director of the Maya Exploration Center, host of the ArchaeoEd Podcast, and lecturer on the ancient history of North, Central, and South America. Ed is in part known for his groundbreaking work on ancient astronomy, mathematics, and calendar systems. [LC = “Lex Clips”, YouTube channel.]

11 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCzUL8ikVf0

Maya Calendar Explained by Archeologist - Ed Barnhart and Lex Fridman

6 Oct 2024

[Lex Fridman Interviews Ed Barnhart about the Maya calendar(s).] [LC = “Lex Clips”, YouTube channel.]

19 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtoeUn1Cwko

1 CHAP Event - Dr Ed Barnhart on Maya Hieroglyphs

22 Mar 2023

CHAP is committed to providing accurate and high-quality content and appreciates your interest. Unfortunately, during Dr. Ed Barnhart's presentation on the Mayan hieroglyphs, some footage of the laser pointer on the projection screen was unclear and/or indecipherable. This takes place from 10:51 - 11:22, 18:56 - 19:24, 25:21 - 26:12, 34:23 - 34:31, 39:43 - 40:34, 41:55 - 42:07, 45:33 - 45:59, 46:56 - 47:01, and 47:22 - 50:36. // We have included the original PowerPoint slides during these intervals. We understand that losing the details provided by Dr. Barnhart may cause confusion for some viewers and apologize for the inconvenience. [CHAP = “Porterville College Cultural and Historical Awareness Program”.] [PC = “Porterville College”, YouTube channel.]

1 hour 8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXJI7i7W4Pc

Maya Expert Answers Maya Civilization Questions from Twitter

22 May 2024

Dr. Ed Barnhart, an American archaeologist, answers the internet's burning questions about the ancient Maya civilization. Why was the Maya calendar year only 260 days? Who did they sacrifice? Did they build more pyramids than the Egyptians? This Maya expert answers all these questions and much more. [“WIRED”, YouTube channel.]

23 minutes

Link, Title, and Description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a71jpCvE60

Lecture 7 - Intro to Maya [title in video - Introduction to the Maya & Pre-Classic Maya]

10 Feb 2021

ARTH350G Latin American Art History. // Travis Lee Clark. // Utah Valley University.

1 hour 30 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4aQqasBvwY

Lecture 6 - Mesoamerican Classic Cultures - The Maya

9 Feb 2021

ARTH309G Non-Western Art History. // Travis Lee Clark. // Utah Valley University.

1 hour 24 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3aFkdBAMtw

Lecture 5 - Pre-Classic Cultures - Olmecs & Teotihuacan

9 Feb 2021

ARTH309G Non-Western Art History. // Travis Lee Clark. // Utah Valley University.

57 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQfZx4tASGA

Lecture 9 - Postclassic Maya & Toltec

24 Feb 2021

ARTH350G Latin American Art. // Travis Lee Clark. // Utah Valley University.

1 hour 20 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTHngCrmkXw

Lecture 8 - The Classic Maya

18 Feb 2021

ARTH350G Latin American Art. // Travis Lee Clark. // Utah Valley University.

1 hour 25 minutes

Link, Title, and Description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ABFbQKLH3g

“My Apprenticeship with Maya Shaman Elijio Panti” with Dr. Rosita Arvigo

18 Jul 2023

Rosita Arvigo is a life-long empirical herbalist with a doctorate of Naprapathy. Her obsession and passion have been medicinal plants of the Americas and abdominal therapy. Plants and their relationship to human health has been the primary focus of her professional... and personal life. She is the author of numerous books on Maya medical plants and healing practices and many other topics. She shares stories and anecdotes about her thirteen-year apprenticeship with Belize’s most famous Maya healer, Don Elijio Panti. She answers questions about this fascinating area of ancient Maya culture still practiced today in Maya communities throughout Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras. // Don Elijio Panti (1893–1996) gained international recognition as one of the last living links of an ancient Maya system of healing that employs medicinal plants, massage, acupuncture, herbal and sweat baths, and prayers to effect cures on a wide range of maladies. // Rosita was very close to Don Elijio in his final years, and in addition to this knowledge, she will impart some of her experiences and anecdotes about this fascinating man who was one of Belize’s last living links to thousands of years of Maya knowledge.

1 hour 26 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ype_z1pmoFY

A Visit to Baking Pot in Belize with Jaime Awe

12 Mar 2023

In this video by Jim Reed, Jaime Awe takes us on a personal tour of Baking Pot, accompanied by young Maya glyph artist Frank Dzib. Jaime Awe, of Northern Arizona University, is Belize’s technical representative to the Mundo Maya Organization and Director of the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project. // Baking Pot is an ancient Maya archaeological site located in the Belize River Valley on the southern bank of the river, northeast of modern-day town of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize. // Baking Pot is associated with an extensive amount of research into Maya settlements, community-based archaeology, and of agricultural production; the site possesses lithic workshops, and evidence of cash-cropping cacao as well as a long occupation from the Preclassic through to the Postclassic period.

35 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsYh9DcDt1I

Xunantunich 2022 Field Season Excavations with Dr. Jaime Awe

9 Aug 2022

Thanks for accessing the Institute of Maya Studies YouTube channel. In June of 2022, IMS Explorer newsletter editor Jim Reed enjoyed a Maya adventure in Western Belize. Archaeologist Dr. Jaime Awe showed him the excavations at Xunantunich. This video shows Awe describing Middle Preclassic structure excavations at one end of a ballcourt; excavations of a sweatbath; the important hieroglyphic Panels 3 & 4 uncovered in front of Structure A-9; and the tomb of a female within Structure A-9. The Panels will play an important part of the discussion at an Institute of Maya Studies’ sponsored symposium/roundtable at this year’s Maya at the Playa event on Saturday, October 1st.

35 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQHCH2oihVs

Jean-Frédéric Waldeck’s Palenque Field Diaries (1832-33) - Part I

27 Oct 2025

Forgotten Journals from a Lost City: Jean-Frédéric Waldeck’s Palenque Field Diaries (1832-33) – An Early Testimony of Maya Art, Architecture, and Writing with Johann Begel, Carl D. Callaway, and José Daniel Martínez Gastélum. // Archaeologist Dr. Peter Mathews spent decades meticulously collecting the diaries, letters, and drawings of artist Jean-Frédéric Waldeck. The diaries and field sketches especially, hold a wealth of information by an early Palenque explorer who visited the Maya site from 1832–1833. Several students and colleagues joined Mathews in his research, such as Peter Biro, Carl D. Callaway, Paul Johnson, Johann Begel, and José Daniel Martínez Gastélum. Eventually, a collective effort formed to rescue Waldeck’s work from the dustbin of history and reassess its value. In 2023, Mathews and Begel consulted the artist’s original paintings, drawings, and lithographs preserved at the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris. In 2024, Callaway and Begel traveled to Chicago on a research fellowship from the Newberry Library and were granted access to the diaries along with a host of notes, letters, drawings, and ephemera preserved in the Edward E. Ayer collection. // In Part I, Johann presents an Intro on all things Waldeck and Daniel will follow up with Waldeck's attempts at Maya and Aztec decipherment of hieroglyphic writing. In Part II, Carl will present Insights gained in Palenque Iconography and Epigraphy. This trio of Waldeck researchers reveal their findings and share many images by Waldeck that have never been seen before by the public. Look for Part II with Carl Callaway on this channel soon. // Johann Begel, PhD, specializes in ritual deposits in the Maya region and Mesoamerica. He is involved in the Proyecto Plaza Este de Tikal and the PACUNAM LiDAR Initiative for the Naachtun region. As part of his current postdoctoral research, he is working on the French transcription and Spanish and English translation of Jean-Frédéric Waldeck's expedition diaries, as well as the study of these unpublished multidisciplinary field data. // José Daniel Martínez Gastélum, PhD, is a historian, archaeologist, and federal tour guide based in Merida, Yucatan. His current research focuses on Maya and central Mexican writing systems, the relationship between the Maya, Teotihuacan, and the Mixe-Zoque, and the culture and history of the former Maya town of Chuburna. [Part 1 is given by Begel and Martínez Gastélum, Part 2, on a different day soon after, by Callaway.]

1 hour 26 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB7ibf2vq24

“Ritual Deposits in the Maya Region and Mesoamerica” with Johann Begel, PhD

18 Feb 2026

Johann Begel obtained his PhD in Archaeology from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, specializing in ritual deposits in the Maya region and Mesoamerica. He is involved in the Proyecto Plaza Este de Tikal (consulting scholar at the Penn Museum of Philadelphia) and the Guatemalan PACUNAM LiDAR Initiative for the Naachtun region. As part of his current postdoctoral research at the Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas at the UNAM México, his other research topic concerns Jean-Frédéric Waldeck’s expedition diaries written during his trip in Palenque and Yucatan (1832-1836). // From the earliest traces of rituals documented by archaeology to the present day, rituals in Mesoamerica have been organized, codified, and repeated in the form of recurring Ritual Complexes. This lecture aims to take you on a journey spanning almost four millennia, exploring the ceremonial practices of the Olmec precursors, then their Maya, Teotihuacan, Lenca, Epi-Olmec, Zapotec, and Mexica successors, up to the testimonies and meta-discourse of today’s ritual specialists. These rituals can take various forms or serve distinct purposes: caches, sacrificial deposits, burials, foundation, dedication, or closing rituals. The vast majority of them has been memorized and sometimes transmitted and institutionalized through the repetition of the same protocols, century after century. While there are local or regional models and variations from one site or culture to another, a common foundation of sacred knowledge underpinned both beliefs and practices. This is a new marker of Mesoamerica as a cultural area that remains to be explored in all its complexity.

1 hour 53 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70x3WLkfd7k

“A Resplendent Tree Hiding in the Forest the ‘Maya Cross’ at Palenque” with Carl D. Callaway

14 Dec 2022

Carl’s talk reevaluates one of the most famous images in Classic Maya art, the figure known as the Maya cross from Palenque, Mexico (250-900 CE). The cross is prominently displayed as the central motif on the sarcophagus lid from K'inich Janaab' Pakal I’s tomb and on the inner sanctuary panel of K'inich Kan B'alam II’s Temple of the Cross. // The presentation offers new findings that revise past ideas about the cross’s material identity, mythical origins, and proper name. Prior scholarship conceived the image to be a mythical tree, inhabiting the axis-mundi of the world. New iconographic, epigraphic, and archaeological evidence strongly suggests that the Maya identified Palenque’s cross as a tangible object, a jade tree that originated in the east, with the revered title, “Resplendent-Jade Jewel Tree.” This Aztlander program was hosted by Jim Reed. // Carl D. Callaway, PhD, is Adjunct Professor, Austin Community College, Department of Art History. He is an archaeologist, art historian, and folklorist. Recently, he published “Rubbings of Ancient Maya Sculpture by Joan W. Patten” (Mayaweb Art Press).

2 hours 55 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCnn9Sy0vso

Jean-Frédéric Waldeck’s Palenque Field Diaries (1832-33) - Part 2

30 Oct 2025

An Early Testimony of Maya Art, Architecture, and Writing with Carl D. Callaway

Archaeologist Dr. Peter Mathews spent decades meticulously collecting the diaries, letters, and drawings of artist Jean-Frédéric Waldeck. The diaries and field sketches especially, hold a wealth of information by an early Palenque explorer who visited the Maya site from 1832–1833. Several students and colleagues joined Mathews in his research, such as Peter Biro, Carl D. Callaway, Paul Johnson, Johann Begel, and José Daniel Martínez Gastélum. Eventually, a collective effort formed to rescue Waldeck’s work from the dustbin of history and reassess its value. In 2023, Mathews and Begel consulted the artist’s original paintings, drawings, and lithographs preserved at the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris. In 2024, Callaway and Begel traveled to Chicago on a research fellowship from the Newberry Library and were granted access to the diaries along with a host of notes, letters, drawings, and ephemera preserved in the Edward E. Ayer collection. // In Part 2, Carl will present Insights gained in Palenque Iconography and Epigraphy. This trio of Waldeck researchers reveal their findings and share many images by Waldeck that have never been seen before by the public. // Carl D. Callaway, PhD, is an art historian and archaeologist currently living and researching in Texas and California. He is the lead art conservator for the Joan W. Patten Rubbings Collection of Ancient Maya Sculpture. For 35 years, he has travelled extensively throughout Central America with interests in Pre-Columbian art, architecture, astronomy, mathematics, and writing. In 2024, he was awarded a Newberry Research Fellowship to transcribe and translate the Palenque field diaries of Jean-Frédéric Waldeck and to study the artist's sketches and illustrations. [Part 1 is given by Begel and Martínez Gastélum, Part 2, on a different day soon after, by Callaway.]

1 hour 43 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndMtUrS3hOo

“Maya Deep-Time Breakthroughs at Quirigua, Yaxchilan, Palenque, and Coba” with Carl D. Callaway, PhD

17 Aug 2025

Carl D. Callaway is an Independent Researcher, archaeologist, art historian, and folklorist. // Carl proposes solutions for the vexing, deep-time spans recorded on Quirigua Stela A, D, E, and F. These monuments hold Distance Numbers and target dates that remain stubbornly unsolvable, even when the value of periods and dates are known. However, Carl proposes that a type of notation (similar to bar notation used in mathematics) given on Quirigua Stela F holds the key to a solution using “cumulative counts”, that are numerically similar in character to Grand Long Counts found at Coba and Yaxchilan. Cumulative counts are Distance Numbers with a chain of Higher Periods marked by repeating coefficients (e.g. 13.13.13.13.00.00.00.00 or 19.19.19.19.19.19.00.00.00.00) that start at the level of the Bak’tun and rise in magnitude. Carl’s presentation shows how cumulative counts solve the previously unsolvable mathematics not only at Quirigua, but also at Yaxchilan, Palenque, and Coba. It offers a glimpse into Maya conceptions of deep time and how scribes quantified the infinite.

2 hours 51 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihkvJg113a4

“Teotihuacan - A Social History of the Early Mexican Metropolis” with David M. Carballo

7 Nov 2023

In this presentation I approach Teotihuacan through a lens of social history, by which I mean an emphasis on social structures and the interactions of different social groups who inhabited the city or interacted with it within a broader sphere of influence. I focus on issues of urban daily life among diverse groups of Teotihuacanos, including neighborhood organization, craft production, governing institutions, and the city’s contemporary relevance as an example of a multiethnic, economically robust, and prestigious place that was the largest city in the Americas for centuries. I will also compare lifeways at Tlajinga with excavated residential zones elsewhere in the city in promoting a more bottom-up social history of the city and its inhabitants. // David M. Carballo is Professor of Anthropology, Archaeology, and Latin American Studies at Boston University. He specializes in the archaeology of Latin America, especially central Mexico, but has also conducted research in Honduras, Belize, Peru, and the U.S., with topical interests in households, urbanism, religion, social inequality, and working with contemporary communities in understanding ancient ones. Current investigations focus on Teotihuacan’s Tlajinga district, a cluster of non-elite neighborhoods on the periphery of what was then the largest city in the Americas.

1 hour 48 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKElkbqYjdI

“A Putun Entrada? War and Political Reconfiguration in the Southern Maya Lowlands” with Nick Carter

28 Feb 2025

Sir Eric Thompson famously proposed that a Maya ethnic group – the Putun or Chontal people – expanded from their homeland, where the Grijalva and Usumacinta rivers empty into the Gulf of Mexico, to dominate large areas of the Maya world during the eighth and ninth centuries. In part, his “Putun hypothesis” sought to explain well-documented changes in material culture, hieroglyphic writing, and monumental iconography during that period. In recent decades, Thompson’s migration-centered model has largely fallen out of favor, supplanted by the diffusion of ideas at the level of the elite. But, as researchers including Simon Martin have pointed out, there is some reason to think that at least one Terminal Classic magnate – Papmalil, who ruled at Ucanal and dominated formerly more powerful kingdoms – really did have roots in the Gulf Coast region. Without wishing to resurrect the idea of massive migrations, I propose that a group of Gulf Coastal warrior elites entered the southeastern lowlands in the context of the great conflict between Naranjo and Tikal at the end of the eighth century, eventually taking advantage of those wars to establish themselves as regional hegemons. The ways in which these leaders, their allies, and their descendants represented themselves in monumental art and writing recapitulate, to some extent, similar processes around the Early Classic Teotihuacan entrada into Peten. // Nick Carter is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Texas State University, specializing in the archaeology and writing systems of Mesoamerica and in the curation and management of cultural heritage. Nick was born in Houston, did his undergraduate work at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, and went on to graduate studies at the University of Texas and at Brown University, ultimately earning a PhD from the latter in 2014. Before coming to Texas State, he worked for the Corpus of Maya Hieroglyphic Inscriptions at Harvard’s Peabody Museum. Nick’s main area of research is in Maya hieroglyphic writing and the archaeology of the municipio of Dolores, in the Maya Mountains of eastern Peten, Guatemala. Most of his recent publications have centered on that area, including the foundation of local dynasties and diplomatic and hostile relationships among them, with Barb MacLeod as an invaluable collaborator in some of these projects. Photogrammetric modeling of monuments from the Dolores area has revealed previously unrecognized details of monumental texts from the capitals of Ixtonton, Ixkun, and Sacul, allowing access to data that improve our understanding of the Dolores region’s historical trajectory in the Late and Terminal Classic periods.

1 hour 34 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJdjI3rTREE

“Maya Numbers and Computations” with Ximena Catepillán

11 Jan 2023

Mesoamerican calendars were many and quite complex. There have been a good number of studies done to decipher them. By the arrival of Hernán Cortés in 1519 in what is current-day Mexico, there were 21 calendars in use while 4 of them were extinct. Using astronomical observations, the Maya developed an elaborate system of calendars, among them the Tzolkin Calendar, the Haab Calendar, the Calendar Round, which is a combination of the first two, and the Long Count. // Which operations did the Maya use to perform their calendrical computations? While they used a vigesimal system to write the numbers, this system was never used in connection with days. No inscriptions use vigesimal numbers but rather quasi-vigesimal (chronological) numbers. In spoken numbers, a mix of decimal and vigesimal notation appears. // Here Ximena illustrates calendrical computation within and among calendars and conversion examples in which division is needed, and that are simple enough to do with pencil and paper. You might learn something new! // Ximena Catepillán, Emerita Professor of Mathematics at Millersville University, Pennsylvania, is passionate about Precolumbian-era mathematics. As a Chilean with ancestral roots throughout South America, she seeks to celebrate and memorialize indigenous peoples through the study of the relationship between mathematics and culture – ethnomathematics – systems which allowed ancient civilizations to describe, manage, and understand reality. Before attending graduate school in the United States, Ximena taught mathematics at Universidad de Magallanes in the Chilean Patagonia. In 1991, after earning a Master’s degree in Science and a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Iowa, Ximena began teaching mathematics at Millersville University.

1 hour 56 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeAMkPZSTME

Who Will Be Our Sustainers - Human Mediation in the Popol Vuh - with Allen Christenson - BYU

28 Jan 2022

Maya anthropocentrism places the responsibility to sustain divinely sanctioned nature squarely on the shoulders of humans, a terrible burden but also one that gives them a measure of control in the face of a world that is at once conducive to human existence and antagonistic toward it. Allen J. Christenson is a Professor of Pre-Columbian Studies in the Department of Comparative Arts and Letters at Brigham Young University.

1 hour 33 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcd0BXBsrKg

“A Divine Light - Brilliance and Sacrality in Classic Maya Religion” with Jeremy Coltman

3 Dec 2025

Human beings are drawn to shiny things – a tendency some psychologists trace to an evolutionary association with water. Such attraction often intersects with divine materiality. A carved and polished Maya jade celt, Medieval reliquaries, and Yolngu paintings are all examples of radiant and brilliant materials linked to sacred power. // The Classic Maya world radiated brilliance in materials that were imbued with divine qualities embodied by light. In Maya art and writing, qualifiers were used to specify shininess and brilliance. These qualifiers correspond to the Maya concept of k'uh “god, holy, sacred, sun,” which like the Nahua teotl, can be interpreted as a singular vitalizing energy that constitutes and comprises everything in existence. K'uh could be concentrated, pooled, or focused in sparkly, shiny things that offer a way to contact the elusive vitalizing energy directly, or at the very least affirm its divine existence. // This talk will discuss several different variants of k’uh in the context of divine light. Moving away from Cartesian dualistic approaches, this talk employs a monist approach which opens brand new avenues for future research into ancient Maya thought. // Jeremy Coltman is a Mesoamericanist specializing in the visual culture, religion, and archaeology of the Maya, Mexica, and related Nahua peoples of Central Mexico. He received his PhD under the direction of Dr. Karl Taube in the Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside. His dissertation examines the origins and legacy of solar ideology and symbolism at Early Postclassic Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico. Aside from Yucatan, Coltman has conducted archaeological research on Maya cave ritual in the Cayo District of Belize. His current research includes the Classic Maya legacy on Western Mesoamerica, the origins of the Postclassic International Style, Maya and Aztec aesthetics, and sacred geography. He has taught at Santa Monica College, California State University, Los Angeles, and University of California, Riverside where he is currently a lecturer. His book Sorcery in Mesoamerica, co-edited with John M.D. Pohl, was recently published by the University Press of Colorado.

1 hour 37 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFvxigjNr9s

Morning Stars and Evening Stars - Venus and Mercury in Maya Art and Myth, with Alexander Crim

30 Jan 2026

The presence of Venus and Mercury in Maya art and myth will be explored through three lines of evidence: iconography, mythology, and archaeoastronomy. Surviving mythic scenes from ceramic vessels, patterns in inscribed dates, and parallel myths from Mesoamerica will each contribute to new interpretations of Maya astronomy with the goal of examining the importance and identities of Venus and Mercury in the culture of the Classic Period Maya. // Alexander Crim is an aspiring Mayanist and a prospective graduate student. Having graduated from George Mason University in December of 2024 with a bachelor's in anthropology, he has spent the last year focusing on his research and traveling. In his free time, he enjoys tracing Maya art, including painted vases, glyphs, and ceramic and stone sculpture, which you will see a lot of here.

2 hours 14 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyYtpA6aivA

Maya Weavers - Weaving for Justice with Christine Eber

20 Mar 2023

“Maya Weavers: Envy in Times of Struggle and Hope. Challenges of Working Collectively in Chiapas, Mexico”. // This Aztlander program features Christine Eber, Professor Emerita, Department of Anthropology, New Mexico State University. She is Director of the non-profit organization, Weaving for Justice (www.weaving-for-justice.org) based in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She has worked for decades among weaving families in southern Mexico. // Christine Eber addresses the challenges faced daily by the Chiapas Maya weaving collectives of Tsotsil-Maya weavers and their families in the highland municipality of San Pedro Chenalhó, Chiapas. Maya women have been weavers for as long as their people can remember. Today weavers encode in their creations a deeply held belief that people, plants, animals, Earth, and other spiritual beings must cooperate to keep the world in flower.

1 hour 24 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47rjmtvELZo

“Let’s Explore Classic Maya Imperialism” with Jerald “Jerry” Ek Romero

18 Jun 2025

A long history of research provides a rich empirical foundation to understand pre-Hispanic Maya states. The foundation of our understanding of Classic Maya society derives from a century of archaeological research bolstered by a multitude of projects in the last few decades. New research methods such as airborne laser scanning and Bayesian chronological modelling have provided a much more nuanced view of landscapes and historical dynamics. The maturation of the decipherment of the Maya writing system has instigated a new era in epigraphic research, as synthesis of historical information now provides an independent alternative source of information that both rivals and complements archaeological evidence. // Based on a paper in progress, my program will examine three questions. First, do the expansionist strategies employed by some Classic Maya polities fit definitions of imperialism derived from comparative research in the social sciences? Second, what factors might have influenced the strategies employed by dominant states or subordinate states? Third, can comparative studies help us better understand the strategies, impacts, and aftermaths these geopolitical interactions? While an argument for imperialism among Classic Maya states may seem like a radical departure from disciplinary consensus, the strategies implemented by dominant kingdoms have strong parallels with other preindustrial empires. I will examine the applicability of cross-cultural conceptual frameworks, which provide a useful set of testable middle-range theories to understand Classic Maya political dynamics. Engagement with these and other interdisciplinary conceptual frameworks is not only useful for developing better theories of Classic Maya political organization but will also help broaden the relevance of our work in other fields of the social sciences.

1 hour 39 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X7POVPbOZA

“Ancient Maya Roads, Ancient Maya Skies” with Mark Elmy

29 Sep 2025

Six days of walking the sacbe‘ob of Peten on a quest to observe the heliacal rise of Venus from El Mirador, and visiting El Tintal, La Muerte, Nakbe, Wakna, and La Florida. // I first read about the El Mirador trek in the mid-90s in a magazine article in England. The memorable line in the article was “it’s one of the last great adventures you can make without serious training.” Despite learning about the El Mirador trek then, and moving to Guatemala permanently in 2008, it wasn’t until 2016 that I first made the trek. I found it to be a hugely rewarding, but very challenging experience on all levels, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The heat, humidity, and ticks make the 100 km route that I chose to take even more intense. Yet since my first experience, I have completed another five treks. I see the journey as something more than just a physical trek. It allows us to unplug from the modern world and step back in time. The lack of artificial electromagnetic fields makes us put our phones away and reconnect with the jungle. The lack of light pollution allows us to connect with the skies in a way that the ancient astronomers once did. We travel through the jungle on the Sacbe'ob, the ancient Maya roads, following the same routes that the ancient Maya used from one city to another. As we mirror the movements and conditions of the ancient people, perhaps this helps us to better understand them. // Mark Elmy was born and raised near Ipswich, Suffolk in England. After leaving school he became a research chemist specializing in polymer design and gaining his degree in Chemistry. He encountered the Maya culture and calendars for the first time in 1998 and in 1999 made his first trip to the Maya lands to find out more. After some time back in the UK, Mark returned to Guatemala in 2008, settling in San Pablo la Laguna in 2012, where he has lived ever since. His intention was to sit with the elders to gain a greater understanding of the calendars and the culture. Mark was initiated as an Aj Q'ij in a Momostecan lineage in 2015, and has been publishing his perspective on the days of the sacred calendar every day since November 2015. He also is a keen ceremonialist, astronomer, and photographer. The field of archeoastronomy is one of his great interests, combining research from academic sources with observations of celestial phenomena at his home.

1 hour 59 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjhItut8HC8

“Feasts for the Honored Dead'" with Keith Eppich

23 May 2024

“Feasts for the Honored Dead: Mortuary Assemblages and Funerary Ceramics from the Classic Maya City of El Perú-Waka'" with Keith Eppich. // The ruins of El Perú-Waka', in the rainforest of the Laguna del Tigre National Park of northwestern Guatemala, have yielded a rich funerary tradition. This tradition includes eight major tombs and a dozen other, amply furnished burials. This presentation addresses the mortuary assemblages of this funerary tradition, arguing that such assemblages are the remains of symbolic feasts, designed to feed the body and soul of the interred individual. Such mortuary assemblages served as feasts for the honored dead, “planting” such rich materials into the earth, to assist in their funerary transfiguration into a living ancestor, entombed in masonry architecture. The mortuary assemblages and funerary ceramics of El Perú-Waka' are uniquely situated to reveal these ancient traditions, ranging from large polychrome platters and tripod cylinders of the Early Classic, thin orange bowls from Teotihuacan, Ik'-style Late Classic polychrome vases, carved cups from Tikal, ceramic figurines from Calakmul, “jaguar” bowls also from Calakmul, and the “golden-honey” polychrome vessels from the royal ceramic tradition of El Perú-Waka' itself. // Keith Eppich joined his first archaeological project at age eight, at Bedico Creek, Louisiana. Since then, he has excavated Tchefuncte shell mounds, Pleistocene bone beds, Antebellum plantations, California missions, Chumash camp sites, and ancient Maya cities. With his co-directors, he heads the Proyecto Arqueológico Waka', a large-scale and long-term archaeological project located in northwestern Guatemala at the ruined Maya city of El Perú-Waka'. Dr. Eppich holds multiple degrees from Louisiana State University, San Diego State University, and a PhD from Southern Methodist University. He specializes in the study of the Classic Maya ceramic arts, Native American urbanism, and the Mesoamerican economy. He has recently published on all three. He is the author of the recently published volume El Perú-Waka': New Archaeological Perspectives on the Kingdom of the Centipede and is co-editor of Breath and Smoke: Tobacco among the Maya. He is currently a professor in the Department of History, Geography, and Anthropology at Tyler Junior College – The College of East Texas.

1 hour 22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBqfacTMvo0

The Maya Great Year - An Astronomical Key Embedded in the Palenque Tablet of the Cross

27 Mar 2025

Dr. Grofe will discuss the clearest evidence that Maya astronomers in Palenque were capable of calculating the sidereal year and the tropical year with great accuracy. The Temple of the Cross in Palenque contains a unique mythological text in the west panel that provides what is most likely a contrived birth date of the mythological king U Kokan Chan in 993 BC. The text continues in the east panel with his accession in 967 BC, and it then counts forward precisely 1,398 sidereal years from the birth of U Kokan Chan to the birth of the historical king K'uk' Bahlam I in 393 AD, and then to his accession in 431 AD, precisely 1,423 tropical years from the birth of U Kokan Chan. These intentionally contrived intervals reveal how Maya astronomers were likely using whole multiples of the 365-day Haab and the 260-day Tzolk'in to calculate both the sidereal and tropical years over very long periods of time. Dr. Grofe will clearly explain the subtle differences between these astronomical phenomena, discussing the importance of these calculations in the history of the development of astronomical sciences among the Maya as potentially the most accurate such measurements in human history for their time. // Correction: At minute 28, the correct number of days in the current mean Tropical Year is 365.242189 days. // Michael Grofe is a specialist in Maya hieroglyphic writing, archaeoastronomy, comparative mythology, and cacao. An experienced teacher: he is a four-field Professor and Chair of the Anthropology Department at Sacramento City College in California. He currently serves as the President of Mayas for Ancient Mayan (MAM), which helps Maya teachers and students learn to read and write in the Classic Maya hieroglyphic script, and he has led multiple archaeological field courses with the Maya Exploration Center. In his doctoral research at the University of California at Davis, he explored a new astronomical interpretation of the Serpent Series within the Dresden Codex that incorporates precise measurements of the sidereal year. His subsequent publications expand this research with additional data from deep time calculations that supports intentional measurements of the sidereal and tropical years in Classic period Maya inscriptions, and he explores how applied theoretical astronomy is interwoven with mythological narratives throughout these inscriptions.

2 hours 28 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GZH3Cqc2MM

"The Impact of the Little Ice Age of 536 CE on Mesoamerica" with Dr. Joel D. Gunn

17 Jun 2024

The volcanic winters following 536 CE for a century were the most severe and protracted episode of climatic cooling in the Northern Hemisphere in the last 2,000 years. The volcanic winter was caused by at least three simultaneous eruptions of uncertain origin, with several possible locations proposed in various continents. The presentation is based on a forthcoming book 536 CE: The Impact of the Late Antique Little Ice Age on Mesoamerica, edited by Joel Gunn. It is a locally well-balanced survey of Mesoamerican responses to the Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA, 536-660 CE). Comprehensiveness of responses is comparable to that of the world at large that emerges from the great range of elevations between human habitats in Mesoamerica. The range of effects spans from improving conditions at Chalchuapa/Tazumal and Copan sample points, to sharply declining conditions to the point of abandonment in Teotihuacan. // Dr. Joel D. Gunn is a professional anthropologist with 40 years of postgraduate experience in the field. His background includes teaching at major universities, administration, pure research, and applied anthropology/ archaeology. His field experience encompasses cultures in the southeastern United States, Mesoamerica, Southern Europe, and Cyprus. Dr. Gunn’s areas of emphasis include global climate change as it affects local cultures, ecologies, and landscapes.

1 hour 36 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4D1sz-lBbk

“Mapping the Sacred Landscape of El Soch” with Rodrigo Guzman Piedrasanta, PhD

29 Aug 2025

“Mapping the Sacred Landscape of El Soch: A Century of Research in the Northern K'iche' Highlands”

with Rodrigo Guzman Piedrasanta, University of Central Florida. // Ancient routes of communication enabled migration, commerce, and overall exchange of ideas between regions. The landscape of the Maya Highlands of Guatemala consists of mountains and valleys that allowed ancient communities to strategically control regions. In addition, rivers and paths between mountains were used to maintain open routes of communication that were frequently used and easily controlled. El Soch is an example of an archaeological site strategically located to control a path between the mid-course of the Chixoy River and the Ixil area. The site was occupied from the Classic period (250–900 CE) through the Early Postclassic period (900 –1250 CE). It is located close to water courses and caves. The core of the site is divided into two architectural groups with independent ballcourts and buildings featuring the style of the northern highlands. One of the groups has a carved stela. The site was first reported in 2010 and explored during the first quarter of the 20th century. By 1940, El Soch was depicted in the archaeological Map of Tulane, prepared by the Middle American Research Institute. Between 2007 and 2010, the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala conducted archaeological projects at El Soch. During this project, maps were created on a local and regional scale. Supported by archaeological excavations, these maps were used to understand the relationship of the site with the landscape and the regional social dynamics. El Soch depicts a sacrality achieved by the scenery of the architecture and the management of the space. // Rodrigo Guzman is an archaeologist from Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. He graduated in 2022 from the University of Central Florida as a member of the inaugural cohort and first international student of the Integrative Anthropological Sciences PhD program. He has a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology at UCF (2017) and an undergraduate degree in Archaeology from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (2010). Rodrigo specializes in Maya Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, and Geographic Information Systems applied to Archaeology and Cultural Heritage. His experiences include mapping in the Maya Lowlands at the sites of Holmul, La Corona, Holtun, El Encanto, and El Mirador.

1 hour 16 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrPq0ffXzGQ

"The Cultural and Natural Legacy in the Cradle of Maya Civilization" with Dr. Richard Hansen

14 Feb 2025

“The Cultural and Natural Legacy in the Cradle of Maya Civilization: New Technology and Insights in the Mirador-Calakmul Basin” with Dr. Richard D. Hansen. // LiDAR coverage of a large contiguous area within the Mirador-Calakmul Karst Basin (MCKB) of northern Guatemala has identified a unique concentration of Preclassic Maya sites, consisting of 964 sites that form 417 ancient cities, towns, and villages. The larger monumental centers are joined by 177 km of Preclassic causeways forming what is believed to be the first superhighway system in the world. Massive cities with monumental architecture flourished in the area thanks to a heavy focus on chinampa and terrace agricultural systems, and forming what must have been a powerful political and economic state system. // Richard D. Hansen is a Research Professor at Idaho State University in the Department of Anthropology. He is the founder and President of The Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies (FARES), and director of the Mirador Basin Project in Guatemala, having conducted research for 45 years. He has published 228 papers, 3 books, and 31 technical volumes for the Government of Guatemala.

2 hours 40 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg5iDAMGe38

"The Teotihuacan-Maya Battle on El Tigre at El Mirador" with Dr. Richard Hansen

25 Mar 2026

Archaeological investigations at El Mirador, Peten, Guatemala over several decades have produced extraordinary evidence of a battle on the upper main platform of the Tigre pyramid between Teotihuacan warriors and Maya defenders. This event occurred several hundred years after the site had been abandoned and the evidence includes hundreds of obsidian projectile points from highland Mexico, as determined by XRF analyses, projectile points from the lowlands, other weapons of warfare, osteological remains, evidence of burning and intentional destruction of architecture. The evidence of human remains associated with projectile points is remarkable considering probable vulture and mammal depredation of the victims. The limited number of defenders is indicated by the fact that evidence of this battle has not been identified on any other structures at the site, nor any of the other sites investigated to date in the Basin. In addition, defacement of monuments appears to have been enacted by Teotihuacan warriors, as suggested by the presence of Tlaloc imagery on two monuments from the site. This evidence, in the context of the construction of defensive walls and moats at El Mirador and other sites in the Basin suggests a panorama of conflict in the Early Classic period. // Dr. Richard D. Hansen is a specialist on the early Maya and is the Director of the Mirador Basin Project in northern Guatemala. He has been conducting archaeological research and scientific studies in northern Guatemala for more than 42 years. He is an Affiliate Research Professor at Idaho State University, after serving as an Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah from 2014 to 2021. Prior to that, he was Assistant Research Scientist (Level IV) at the UCLA Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics for 12 years. He is the founder and president of the Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies (FARES), a non-profit scientific research institution based in Idaho.

1 hour 25 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ADeaLJhWrU

“Classic Maya Enema Ritual Iconography” with Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth, an Aztlander presentation

23 Nov 2022

Early Classic and Late Classic polychrome Maya ceramics show enema rituals and the associated bibs, syringes, and enema jugs. For jugs, Dr. Hellmuth showed the giant multi-gallon ceramic containers of the liquid and also the smaller jugs of identical shape that hold only a quart or liter. The smaller jugs are more confusing since they are present in parades and self-sacrifice scenes on polychrome ceramics that may have no relation with enemas. The enema scenes include self-injection (by the individual man) or injection by females to men. Men clothed as jaguars are frequently seen in enema rituals. This discussion documents the history of discovery of enema rituals first published by Peter Furst and Michael Coe in 1977. Within three months of that release, Hellmuth made even more discoveries. He has continued his research since then to the present. The studies of Peter De Smet on which plant chemicals were used in an enema by the ancient Maya will also be discussed. This research won the Ig Nobel Prize 2022 for art history for Dr. Hellmuth and Dr. Peter De Smet. The iconographic aspect was updated for this presentation. // Dr. Hellmuth is director of FLAAR USA and FLAAR Mesoamerica. FLAAR stands Foundation for Latin American Anthropological Research, and Dr. Hellmuth manages a large team at their office in Guatemala City. Technical assistant Paul Nuñez Rouanet helped Dr. Hellmuth with this excellent presentation.

2 hour 4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz4ppkqi4Zg

Discovery of the Tomb of the Jade Jaguar at Tikal

24 Sep 2022

Dr. Nicholas M. Hellmuth had beginner’s luck to discover one of the most richly stocked royal burials of the entire ancient Maya realm (Tikal Burial 196). He accomplished this while still a student at Harvard, while working on the University of Pennsylvania archaeological project at Tikal, Guatemala. It is rare that an archaeologist has an opportunity to find the burial chamber of one of the great kings of an ancient civilization. This presentation was really special, actually breaking the 100-participant limit! It includes a short video at the end of the Q&A where Dr. Hellmuth joking presents samples of the kinds of enema paraphernalia that the ancient Maya utilized in honor of recently winning an Ig Nobel prize for his work investigating Maya enema usage.

1 hour 33 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wbWg4NE_nA

Iconography of Cosmology - Cough-Free version!

3 Feb 2024

“Iconography of Cosmology of Early Classic and Late Classic Maya World View: Sky Band Above – Earth Band Below and Surface of the Underwaterworld Band” with Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth, Director of FLAAR Mesoamerica. // Hosted by Jim Reed. // Note: In the original version, Dr. Hellmuth was suffering from a severe cough left over from a bout with bronchitis. Now Dennis Lisonbee has removed the coughing. Enjoy! // Cosmology is the study of world view, how a culture conceptualizes the earth, the sky, the sun, moon, planets, and constellations. Iconography is the study of symbolism, the study of the meaning of motifs and designs. Most iconography of Maya art is on deities and clothing of rulers and on animals, birds, and reptiles. This lecture for The Aztlander will be “the iconography of cosmology”, how did the Classic Maya of the Lowlands visualize and actually show their cosmos? // The Sky Band is the best known cosmogram of the Classic Maya. The “Earth Band” (Caban Band) is also known but is not as well documented by iconographers or epigraphers. So this will be a fresh new discussion topic. Plus, with the help of the FLAAR Photo Archive, it was possible to find another band that has either rarely or almost never been discussed as a cosmogram. // Now that we realize the Spanish conquest period Chilam Balam tree-above/roots below layers is not based on indigenous Maya concepts of the Central Lowlands, is all the more reason to keep looking for additional “cosmo-layers” that really exist in the Peten, Chiapas, Tabasco, Yucatan, and Belize, etc.

57 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0bB6Zz1Fy4

“Making History Through Community Archaeology in Chiapas, Mexico” with Christopher Hernández

26 Sep 2024

In this talk, I examine the role of collaborative archaeology in making histories. I stress that how we create a narrative about the human experience is just as important as what we say about the past. I demonstrate the importance of process through the case study of the Mensäbäk Archaeological Project (MAP). Over the course of almost two decades, MAP researchers have conducted a program of community archaeology that brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. I discuss the application of collaborative methods in aerial lidar mapping and the development of community-based heritage tourism. By building research with Indigenous descendants, I argue that we can transform the archaeological process and how we view human history. // Christopher Hernández is an assistant professor in anthropology at Loyola University, Chicago. As an anthropological archaeologist, his research focuses on issues of archaeological ethics, the application of community-based methods, relational philosophy, and understanding social conflict in a long-term perspective. Through the application of aerial laser scanning (lidar), documentary analysis, and traditional excavation methods, he investigates how the process of making war shaped landscapes in Mensäbäk, Chiapas, Mexico.

1 hour 8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7SuVkMaEeM

“Making and Acquiring Tools - Stone Resources and Past Maya Economies” with Rachel Horowitz

28 Apr 2023

Archaeological research on the past Maya has a lengthy history. While much research has focused on Maya political organization, the Classic period Maya did not record much information about economies, thus limiting the types of data we have to discuss past economic activities. This program explores past Maya economies from the viewpoint of stone tool producers, to see how their activities overlapped with political organization. Much like our modern economy, the Classic period Maya economy contained a mix of types of production activities and ways in which people acquired their tools. // This presentation draws on two distinct examples of tool producers, Classic period biface producers in the lowland Maya region and Postclassic obsidian blade production and distribution in the Maya highlands, to illustrate the role of stone tool producers in the broader economy and how economic and political networks overlapped. Small-scale stone tool producers operated mostly independently of political leaders, illustrating the variability in economic processes which occurred in the past. // I met Rachel on my Maya adventure to Belize last summer. She is Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, at Washington State University. Rachel is a real wonder woman and her recent paper on Belizean lithics was published by Cambridge University Press. I covered that paper in the April Aztlander.

1 hour 14 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXnG4o_UnV0

Reflective Transformation Imaging Reveals the Hidden Past at Izapa

17 Dec 2023

With Dr. Jason Jones and Dennis R. Lisonbee. // The wealth of data preserved in Izapa’s incredible sculptural contextual record is truly astounding. It expands the understanding of the origins and rise of Mesoamerican antiquities and civilizations in most intriguing ways. The wealth of data preserved in Izapa’s incredible sculptural contextual record is truly astounding. It expands the understanding of the origins and rise of Mesoamerican antiquities and civilizations in most intriguing ways. // Dr. Jason Jones is the pioneer and world’s leading authority on hybrid manufacturing – integrating Additive Manufacturing (AM) with mainstream CNC machines. He is the co-founder and CEO of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies. // Dennis Lisonbee is an Associate Professor at Utah Valley University. He is an award-winning Director, Producer, Writer, Musician, and a big part of the Ancient America Foundation. Dennis has worked in the media business for over forty years and has been an active part of the business as it transitioned from analogue to digital. He has worked on a network series, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams for NBC, produced and directed National PBS specials, directed the feature 2 Catch 2, directed hundreds of documentaries, corporate and educational productions, and sports broadcasts. His international experience includes productions shot in Fiji, Tonga, Hawaii, Guatemala, Mexico, and Europe.

1 hour 12 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXzD_OEIY5c

Calakmul, the Snake Kingdom, and the Chenes Region with Zac Lindsey

22 Nov 2024

Zac loves to share complex scientific ideas with general audiences in a way that is entertaining, complete, and painless. After ten years as a journalist, a life-changing trip to Teotihuacan in central Mexico drove him to make a career pivot. He returned to school for archaeology in 2014. Since then, he’s done field work in Belize at sites including Cahal Pech and Blue Creek, cataloged and archived ceramics, and translated historic documents related to the settlement of Texas and the Lucha Social Maya (Caste War) in Yucatan. // He lives in the Yucatan Peninsula with his wife and daughter, where he studies the contemporary Maya language and people. He’s visited more than forty archaeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. This rich background makes him a lively guide with knowledge of off-the-beaten-track places all over the Yucatan Peninsula. // Zac is leading a tour of the Mayalands, February 7 through the 15th, on behalf of Ed Barnhart of the Maya Exploration Center. Zac will lead you to 10 archaeological sites, including Calakmul, Dzibanche, and Balam Ku, plus two historical sites, 1 museum, and the Lake of Seven Colors – Bacalar. Zac will offer three lectures during the tour, especially about the Snake Kingdom.

35 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1WVMzo3D6g

In My Grown-Up Headdress - Childhood and Becoming in Ancient Maya Art

16 Apr 2025

With Zach Lindsey: Independent Researcher, Creative Writer, Board Member of the Institute of Maya Studies, and Maya Tour Guide with the Maya Research Center. // Although they’re rare in Classic Maya art, children likely represented about 25% of the population at any given time. Thus, understanding the role of childhood in Classic Maya culture is essential to understanding the Classic Maya people. Here, we’ll talk about the most noble and dramatic forms of childhood portrayed in ancient art – Elite heirs and young rulers portrayed in stone iconography. Nothing is by accident in the complex propaganda suites employed by Classic Maya rulers. // After a general overview of what we know about childhood in the ancient Maya world, and more specifically among elites, we’ll take an in-depth look at the Temple of the Sun tablet at Palenque, Lintel 2 at Yaxchilan, and Stela 3 at Piedras Negras to see what they can tell us about not just childhood but its use in elite propaganda in the Classic era. In these works, we’ll see how dynasties facing instability and uncertainty used images of childhood to imply stability throughout time.

2 hours 20 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK86xnf1c8g

The Izapa Restoration Project featuring Dennis R. Lisonbee

3 Aug 2022

“The Izapa Restoration Project: Utilizing Virtual Reality and 3-D Animation” featuring Dennis R. Lisonbee. Let’s walk around and fly around, and all the while explore Izapa, the ancient site where scholars believe the Maya calendars originated. Dennis Lisonbee is an award-winning Director, Producer, Writer, Musician (the Legendary Mustangs), a big part of the Ancient America Foundation, and an Associate Professor at Utah Valley University. Dennis has worked in the media business for over forty years and has been an active part of the business as it transitioned from analogue to digital. He has worked on a network series, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams for NBC, produced and directed National PBS specials, directed the feature 2 Catch 2, directed hundreds of documentaries, corporate and educational productions, and sports broadcasts. His international experience includes productions shot in Fiji, Tonga, Hawaii, Guatemala, Mexico, and Europe.

58 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyZl6Vdh9Dk

Early Mesoamerican Cities - Urbanism and Urbanization in the Preclassic Period, with Michael W. Love

5 May 2022

Dr. Michael W. Love is a Professor in the Anthropology department at California State University – Northridge. He just released a book, edited by he and Julia Guernsey; the same title as his program. Michael’s principal interests are in Mesoamerica, the development of social complexity, and household archaeology. His research to date has concentrated on the Pacific coast region of Guatemala and investigating the early complex societies found there during the Preclassic period.

1 hour 20 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGwsd4Ku7T0

Non-Maya Glyphs at Chichen Itza, with Dr. Bruce Love

23 Jan 2022

For more than a century it’s been known that there are symbols or glyphs associated with certain carvings at Chichen Itza that are not in the Maya traditional writing system. The vast majority of the Chichen glyphs do not match any other known writing system in Mesoamerica and are uniquely Chichen-style glyphs. This Zoom presentation is about these glyphs and the catalog that describes them. Catalog available at www.brucelove.com.

1 hour 32 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfmmn4SrPMQ

A Cave for All Seasons - Naj Tunich Cave, Peten, Guatemala, with Barbara MacLeod

20 Nov 2021

Naj Tunich ‘House of Stone’ in Mopan Maya, came to the attention of the archaeology world in 1980 via a National Geographic article documenting an astonishing corpus of painted images and dated hieroglyphic texts. For four decades, Barbara MacLeod has been an independent academic and an active contributor to the field of Maya epigraphy, specializing in linguistic approaches to decipherment. Host: Jim Reed.

3 hours 15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grfWCfSsAqU

A Maya Tropical-Year Agricultural Cult in Naj Tunich Cave, with Dr. Barbara Macleod

16 Nov 2024

Naj Tunich Cave is famous for its Classic-period paintings of dated hieroglyphic texts and human ritualists. Half of these texts were positioned in the last three months of the Maya ha'ab and often named visiting lords from distant cities. The other half were agricultural, featuring rites for the growing and maturing maize, dating between the first solar zenith of early May and the harvest celebration of mid-November, and named local practitioners. The timing and punctuation were exactly as the Swiss ethnographer Rafael Girard has documented for the agrarian season of the Ch'orti' Maya of Guatemala in the mid-20th century. // These rites would have been normal seasonal practice in caves, temples, and in milpas, but in the precarious eighth century, they were also a stress response to the increasingly delayed or scanty rains leading up to that major drought of the Terminal Classic. It was important that high-status lords attend and document them – an otherwise rare phenomenon in caves. // This presentation will offer an introduction to the region, the cave, and its paintings, and will focus on the texts of the agrarian season and its governing astronomy, including a solar tropical-year almanac based on a year of 365.2422 days which determined the intervals between these rituals.

2 hours 14 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYKaMls8Vbs

“The South Plaza of the Initial Series Group at Chichen Itza” with Nelda Issa Marengo Camacho

13 Mar 2025

The Initial Series Group at Chichen Itza is located south of the Nunnery complex. This fully excavated elite complex is unique, and its iconography has garnered significant scholarly attention since the first archaeological explorations at the site. In the early 1990s, the Chichen Itza Project, led by Peter Schmidt, initiated a systematic project in the area. After a hiatus in field seasons, the project resumed in 2019 and more recently in 2023 under the federal “PROMEZA”, where José Osorio León and Francisco Pérez Ruiz extended Schmit’s legacy. In this presentation, I will share some of the key findings from these recent excavations, particularly those from the 2019 season, focused on the South Plaza of the group. These excavations have contributed significantly to our understanding of the site’s construction sequence and have revealed important aspects of ritual violence. This is an Aztlander presentation hosted by Jim Reed. // Nelda Issa Marengo Camacho is the Executive Director of the Boundary End Archaeology Research Center, a collaborator of the Chichen Itza Project led by José Osorio and Francisco Pérez from INAH, and a participant of the INAH project: Use of archaeometry techniques in the study of rock art in the Selva Lacandona, Chiapas. Her research interests encompass biocultural practices, posthumous treatments, and ritual violence in the Chichen Itza region, and the Zoque area. Additionally, Dr. Marengo is dedicated to outreach activities and fostering local conversations. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of California – Riverside and her Licenciatura at the Universidad de las Américas, Puebla, Mexico. Nelda is the author or co-author of several scholarly articles, conference presentations, book chapters, and co-editor of the book: When the East Meets West: Chichen Itza, Tula, and the Postclassic Mesoamerican World.

1 hour 27 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7dsjrZqlYs

“A Tale of Three Caves - The Cultural History of Ancient Maya Cave Use in Belize” with Holley Moyes

20 Oct 2025

Belize has the oldest and most complete history of ancient Maya ritual cave use in all of Mesoamerica. Caves were one of the most salient features in Maya cosmology, instantiating the entrance to Xibalba, the Maya netherworld or “place of fright.” People journeyed deep into the darkness to conduct rituals for deities associated with rain, fertility, and the ominous Lords of the Underworld. Although little was written about ritual practices in the Classic period, the artifact record attests that ancient people left offerings of ceramics, household items, incense, jewelry, and sometimes sacrificial victims for the powerful beings that inhabited caves. These sites are still considered sacred in Maya communities today, a testament to the resilience of Maya religion, cosmology, and the power of myth. // Archaeological evidence suggests that ancient people visited caves in the Archaic period and began to use them in ceremonial rites as early as 1100-1200 BCE. By 960CE, most caves were abandoned, and many closed off. This paper examines the chronology of cave use and changes in ritual practices over time using three caves located in western Belize – Chechem Ha Cave, the oldest dated ritual cave in the Maya Lowlands, Actun Tunichil Muknal, the most well-preserved cave in the region containing sacrificial victims, and the Cave of Las Cuevas, a Late Classic pilgrimage site. Each cave has its own story to tell of the ancient Maya people. Cave use and its changes over time reveals the hopes, aspirations, and concerns of ancient peoples whose lives were in the hands of their rulers, ancestors, and deities that controlled their fortunes. // Holley Moyes, PhD, Anthropology, SUNY Buffalo (2006). Faculty Director, University Honors Program; Professor, Anthropology and Heritage Studies; Affiliate Professor, Cognitive and Information Sciences at the University of California – Merced. // I am an archaeologist that specializes in Ancient Mesoamerica and the Archaeology of Religion. My specific interest is in how ideology influences human decision making and on external influences that create and maintain ideologies. My recently published work focuses on the relationship between drought and the downfall of ancient Maya kingship in the Classic Period. Most of my field work is conducted in Belize, Central America, a small country bordered by the Caribbean ocean to the east, Guatemala to the west, and Mexico to the north. My project is located in the Chiquibul rainforest Reserve, at the Las Cuevas Research Station.

2 hours 28 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWxgDKjiuDQ

“Maya Ceremony and the Sacred Site of Izapa” with Cheryl Norman

15 Jan 2025

Izapa, a Mixe-Zoque site, is an archaeological zone located in the State of Chiapas close to the Guatemala border in the beautiful tropical lowlands that run along the Pacific coast. The site is considered to be a bridge between the Olmec and Maya civilizations. It is the largest site in the south of Chiapas, and it is here that some researchers believe that the sacred 260-day ritual calendar was developed. It is dated from the Late Preclassic (300 BCE–250 CE. It incorporates many aspects of the Olmec culture, though other elements are purely Izapa-style in nature. Among the monuments excavated are 89 stelae, 61 altars, and 3 thrones. // My late husband, Garth Norman, one of the foremost scholars in the field of Preclassic Mesoamerican studies, worked at Izapa for 45 years and is credited with making many important observations, including very early calendar dates carved in stone. I have visited the site of Izapa many times with Garth, and lately, to be a part of many important Maya ceremonies.

The Olmecs, who were astronomers, traded south from Veracurz through the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to Izapa. Located at 14.8 degrees latitude, Izapa has two Sun Zenith Passage Dates – on August 13 and April 30 – with 260 days between the dates. The Tzolk'in is re-birthed! // Cheryl Norman is Executive Director of the Ancient America Foundation and Board Member of The Maya Conservancy.

1 hour 17 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCsPPBn36j4

"Modern Maya Magic" with Solomon Pakal

11 Jul 2025

“Modern Maya Magic: Divination, Thaumaturgy, and Theurgy Maintained and Expanded by Diasporic Maya Communities” with Solomon Pakal. // Far from the romanticized portrayals of ancient Maya civilization frozen in time, contemporary Maya magical practices continue to evolve and flourish within diasporic communities across the Americas. This presentation explores how Maya practitioners have not only preserved their ancestral traditions but have actively expanded and refined them through cross-cultural engagement, academic research integration, and adaptive innovation. // Drawing from firsthand experience within a Kaqchikel family tradition, this talk examines three primary domains of Maya magical practice: divination (the art of perceiving hidden knowledge), thaumaturgy (practical magic for material outcomes), and theurgy (mystical practices for spiritual elevation). Unlike the widely documented Daykeeper traditions focused on calendar maintenance, this presentation reveals alternative currents within Maya practice that emphasize planetary influences, sophisticated ritual techniques, and integration with contemporary scholarly discoveries. // The discussion will address how diasporic Maya communities have leveraged economic mobility, educational access, and cultural exchange to deepen their understanding of ancestral practices. Attendees will learn how archaeological findings and anthropological research serve not merely as historical curiosities but as practical tools for enhancing traditional magical operations. The presentation demonstrates how ancient wisdom systems can be strengthened rather than diminished by modern knowledge, creating hybrid approaches that maintain cultural authenticity while embracing innovative applications.

1 hour 15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB45QLpyR2Q

La Ruta Maya Foundation with Sofía Paredes-Maury

27 Dec 2024

“There’s nothing I love more than to work with Precolumbian collections that need to be documented and registered to make them available for research and the public. La Ruta Maya is one of the collections I have inventoried and documented so it could be registered at the Cultural Property Register (Registro de Bienes Culturales), however I was given the opportunity to administrate it and give it a purpose. Although this collection lacks archaeological context, as many others, its nature is completely different as any other private collection.” La Ruta Maya Foundation is the only private organization that promotes the recovery and the return of Precolumbian artifacts to Guatemala. // Our mission is to recover, preserve, and study the cultural heritage of Mesoamerica, and through interpretive exhibitions, share these artifacts with researchers and the public. // We support educational programs through loans to museums and universities, we collaborate with academic publications, and we participate with conferences in various events about the rich cultural heritage of Guatemala. // Sofía Paredes-Maury studied Archaeology at the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and holds a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies and Caribbean & Latin American Studies from New York University, including studies from the Ancient Civilizations program at NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts (IFA), and interning at several museums. // Sofía is part of the Board of Directors of the Association of Private Nature Reserves of Guatemala (ARNPG) to date and has participated in organizations such as Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza, La Aurora National Zoo, Balam Association, Association of Museums of Guatemala (AMG) and the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Since 2007, she has been the executive director of La Ruta Maya Foundation, an entity dedicated to the recovery and repatriation of archaeological pieces for the purposes of custody, preservation, research, and exhibition to the public for educational purposes.

2 hours 27 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOhHFhKcl0w

Classic Maya Merchant-Sorcerers and the Transformation of Mesoamerican Civilization after Collapse

23 Jan 2025

With Dr. John M.D. Pohl, California State University – Los Angeles. // John Pohl will examine how a Late Classic subordinate class of merchant – sorcerers essentially rejected Classic Maya rulership and its writing system and introduced an entirely new order of governance together with a new international communication system that transformed Mesoamerica from the Greater American Southwest to Central America. (This is cutting-edge information folks, enjoy the show. The Q&A is really interesting.) // John M.D. Pohl is an archaeologist who specializes in the ancient art and writing of the Zapotec, Mixtec, and Nahua civilizations of southern Mexico. He is noted for bringing the ancient past to life using a wide variety of innovative skills while teaching with the departments of Anthropology, Art History, and Chicana(o) Studies at Cal State LA. His background in archaeology, art history, and media production have taken him from feature film and television production to museum exhibition development with the Getty Villa Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Princeton University Museum of Art, and the Museum of the Cherokee People among other institutions. He has published numerous books and articles including “Exploring Mesoamerica” and “The Legend of Lord Eight Deer”, both with Oxford University Press. Together with Michael Mathiowetz, he is co-editor of the newly released volume: “Reassessing the Aztatlán World” for the University of Utah Press.

2 hours 32 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iGCxZOSV5o

Cacao and Jade - The Diffusion of the Calendars Along Maya Preclassic Trade routes with Jim Reed

14 Jul 2022

With all new visuals and new elaborate maps, newsletter editor Jim Reed tells the story of Cacao and Jade and its influence on Mesoamerica across the millennia. Dedicated to Mary Lou Ridinger, the queen of jade herself. Featuring original background guitar music by Belizean glyph artist Frank Dzib and original background flute music by famous Belizean musician Pablo Collado.

45 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvN1qXpGWIk

“Exploring the Maya Underworld” with Jim Reed

26 Jul 2024

Jim Reed is an Independent Researcher, Editor/Creator of The Aztlander, Editor/Creator of the Institute of Maya Studies’ IMS Explorer newsletter, and a Board Member of the IMS and The Maya Conservancy. //

The piecing together of ancient Maya mythology and cosmology, whatever difficulties it may involve, is not the utterly impossible challenge it once may have seemed. Broad new insights often seem to manifest themselves almost overnight. In a field of inquiry to which only social anthropologists and ethnohistorians seemed capable of making much of a contribution, we find new insights being provided by iconographers, epigraphers, linguists, archaeoastronomers, and even dirt archaeologists (intro by Barbara MacLeod). // In this totally new PowerPoint presentation, I bring together aspects of several of these fields, with the intention of shedding some new light on the still only dimly perceived Underworld of the ancient Maya. The Hero Twins left Xibalba and climbed back up to the surface of the Earth. They continued up into the sky, becoming the Sun, and the Moon. Now that the Sun and Moon were in the sky and illuminated the Earth, the Creator Gods created the final form of human beings using white and yellow corn. Maize is the precious substance that ultimately succeeds in producing true, and enduring, humans.

1 hour 27 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKnO5tsLHbk

Maximón - Maya cultural hero in the navel of the world, with Jim Reed

19 Nov 2021

Dressed somewhat like Maximón, Jim Reed presents a new zoom program. Maximón is said to represent both light and dark, and to be a trickster. Maximón is venerated in the form of an effigy or cult image. Worship varies greatly by location. In Santiago Atitlán, Maximón's effigy resides in a different household every year. His image is normally only taken out of this house during Holy Week, whereafter it will change households, but is on display year-round due to the popularity of pilgrimages. Jim shares the history and cultural aspects this special cult hero and also recounts a few of his personal encounters with Maximón.

1 hour 23 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTpVFPoMz2o

Middle Preclassic Excavations at Pacbitun 2022

12 Oct 2022

Pacbitun is a Maya archaeological site located in the Cayo District of west central Belize. It lies approximately 21 kilometers south of Cayo’s capital, San Ignacio, and is about three kilometers east of San Antonio village where young glyph artist Frank Tzib lives. In fact, I visited the site with Frank and both of his parents. // Pacbitun is a medium-sized site located along the southern rim of the Belize River Valley region. It is situated in the foothills of the Maya Mountains at the juncture of two contrasting ecozones: the tropical rain forest and the Mountain Pine Ridge. // Pacbitun was inhabited for almost 2000 years, from ca. 900 BCE to 900 CE. It was first settled during the Middle Preclassic period as a small farming community likely drawn to the fertile soils, numerous tributaries, and diverse resources. The epicenter slowly expanded throughout the Classic period and eventually had over 40 masonry constructions, including temple-pyramids, “palace-like” range buildings, a ballcourt, five plazas, two lengthy causeways, and a number of smaller courtyard groups. The epicenter is also marked by the remains of 20 stelae and altars, three of which exhibited traces of carved Mayan hieroglyphic writing. These physical manifestations are clear indicators of a ranked society and an emerging elite class. // The 2022 excavations at Pacbitun, including Middle Preclassic house mounds dating back to 800 BCE, were back-filled the afternoon of the day we were there. You’ll only see them here! [Video created by Reed, with Sheldon Scaggs giving an on-site tour of the site.]

42 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZchmMrUFuqU

"The Maya Creation Center in Orion" with Jim Reed

14 Dec 2024

The winter months are fast approaching. It is my favorite time of the year, not because of the holidays or snuggling up in a warm bed, it’s because this time of the year, Orion is making its appearance in the nightly skies above us. The area where we see Orion was the most important creation center to the Maya. // Orion is one of the most beautiful and striking constellations in the whole night sky. Furthermore, it is located on the celestial equator meaning it can be viewed from all across the Earth. It is therefore not surprising that it has captivated the attention of peoples throughout history, and features prominently in the histories of ancient Sumer, Babylon, Egypt, Greece, the Maya, and many other great civilizations. As in the Heavens, so also on Earth; for the Maya, the three hearthstones in Orion represent a place of origin, foundation, center, beginning, and source for all that follows. The planting of the three stones described in the Popol Vuh, the Maya’s creation myth, can be likened to the building of a new home for humankind. // Learn about what is so important this time of the year in the nighttime skies above you.

1 hour 8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsQ1w0JhjiQ

“Teotihuacan-style Censers from the Pacific Coast of Guatemala”

2 Nov 2025

With Dorie Reents-Budet and Annabeth Headrick and including Ron Bishop. // This presentation is summary of two recent publications by the authors discussing the Teotihuacan-style theater censers and tripod vessels found on the Pacific Coast of southern Guatemala. The publications present detailed art historical and iconographic analyses integrated with paste compositional data of 43 censers and excavated censer fragments and 15 tripod vessels. // Teotihuacan’s presence in southeastern Mesoamerica generated a complex pattern of geography, economics, socio-politics, and ideology that fluctuated over time as Teotihuacan’s influence reached its apogee and soon thereafter disintegrated. Local leaders continued to utilize the foreign symbols as socio-political currency to demonstrate membership in larger regional economic and ideological systems and to augment their local prestige. //

Dr. Dorie Reents-Budet is an Art Historian and Senior Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution. // Annabeth Headrick is an Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Denver, focusing on the art of indigenous peoples of the Americas. She is a specialist in Mesoamerican art with an emphasis on Teotihuacan.

1 hour 44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpS97uJH2cc

Continuing the Decipherment of Ancient MayaTextual Hand Signs - Altar Q and Beyond

20 Jan 2026

Richard Alejandro Sandoval, PhD, Linguistics, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Metropolitan State University – Denver

The hand forms depicted with the figural art in Ancient Maya texts have been a source of intrigue and mystery. Seemingly impenetrable and overshadowed by scholarly engrossment with hieroglyphs and iconography, the hands are mostly ignored in the literature. But there is little doubt that the hands, with their peculiar and precise forms, were an important symbolic resource for Maya scribes – akin to the hand signs of a signed language. With this (hand sign + graphic symbol) perspective on the hand forms, I developed a novel approach to their initial decipherment. I first identified Classic Copan’s Altar Q as the closest thing to a Rosetta Stone. I then conducted an analysis of it, with results based on a convergence of evidence. The research, detailed in a recently published technical article (“The Ancient Maya Script of Hand Forms Embedded in Figural Art”), has received a fair amount of attention and prompted good dialogue. But aspects of the research technicalities have proved daunting for some. In this talk, I aim to further clarify and bolster the research, with the primary goal of developing scholarly engagement with it and, more generally, with Ancient Maya textual hand signs. // Rich A. Sandoval is a linguistic anthropologist with a broad interest in the diverse communication traditions of Indigenous America, especially the widespread, long-lived, yet largely unrecognized practices involving signed language. He is specifically focused on practices of combining hand-sign-based and speech-based language into coherent expressions and discourses. His earlier work examines this phenomenon in Arapaho language, indigenous to the Great Plains. Lately he has been exploring the phenomenon within Ancient Maya texts, with writing that seems to combine hieroglyphs and the hand signs held by depicted persons or other figures. But just what the textual hand signs mean and how they are formed is not well understood. Engaged with this particular problem, he has taken initial steps in an article titled, “The Ancient Maya Script of Hand Forms Embedded in Figural Art: A Decipherment of Numerals Signed by the Rulers of Altar Q,” which was published last July in Transactions of the Philological Society. A reduced version is in the January Aztlander.

1 hour 30 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1V8m7cfKr0

“Archaeologist Alberto Ruz and His Brief Life as a Cuban Revolutionary” with Elaine Schele

15 Mar 2026

The attitudes and beliefs that archaeologists bring to their profession can have important impacts upon the way they approach their work; therefore, studying an archaeologist’s life can shed light on archaeological history. An investigation of the early life of the Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier provides fascinating evidence of just how life experiences can influence attitudes and theoretical approaches. Ruz was the archaeologist who, in 1952, discovered the magnificent tomb of the Classic Maya King of Palenque, K'inich Janaab' Pakal I. Research into Ruz’s early life sheds light on why he had negative opinions about the United States, and highlights the experiences that caused them, and explains how they change. When Ruz moved to Cuba in the 1930s and learned about the impact of American interference in Cuban affairs, he became deeply involved in the socialist evolution to oust Cuba’s US puppet dictators and to free his country from ‘yanqui’ imperialism. In addition, these early student life experiences exposed him to other students who espoused the theories and ideas of Karl Marx. Later Ruz would use some of these theories to explain the development and fall of ancient Maya civilization. See her article with numerous photos in the March Aztlander. // During her research into the life of Alberto Ruz Lhuillier, Elaine interviewed his son, Alberto Ruz Buenfill, aka “Coyote.” You’ll also see an article that Elaine composed about Coyote in the March Aztlander. Elaine will be mentioning Coyote in her program. Coyote passed in 2023. You might like to check his Wikipedia page at this link: https://tinyurl.com/yc369p8t. Coyote’s son Arun was invited to attend. You can read a nice article about Arun here: https://esperanzaproject.com/2022/esp... // Elaine Schele is a Lecturer in the Art and Design Department at Texas State University, where she has taught since 2014. She holds a PhD in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas, with a specialization in art history, archaeology, and geography. Her dissertation examined the archaeological work of Alberto Ruz Lhuillier at Palenque, Mexico. She also earned a Master of Urban Planning from Texas A&M University and a BA in Sociology/Geography from Texas State University. Dr. Schele has over a decade of teaching experience in higher education, including appointments at Austin Community College and the University of Texas. Her research focuses on Mesoamerican archaeology, Maya art and epigraphy, and the historiography of archaeological practice.

1 hour 32 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcaaZh0EZrw

“Jade - The Sacred Stone of Ancient Mesoamerica” with Dr. Karl Taube

22 Apr 2026

In this presentation, Karl provides an introduction to two basic stones denoted as “jade,” jadeite and nephrite, along with discussing discoveries of jadeite sources in the Motagua region of eastern Guatemala, including the “Olmec Blue” jade. It will be noted that rather than deriving from Costa Rica or the state of Guerrero in western Mexico, this jadeite occurs naturally in mountainous areas both north and south of the Motagua River. In addition to describing the geography and archaeology of this area, Karl also discusses technical aspects of working the stone along with its sensual qualities concerning touch and sound as well as sight. In addition, Karl describes in detail some of the major symbolic themes this stone among the ancient Olmec and Maya, along with jade being related to the ethereal soul spirit of breath and wind. Moreover, this precious stone also symbolized verdant maize as well and the corn field, with constituted a symbol of the cosmos pertaining to the four directions as well as world center. // Karl A. Taube received his PhD from the Department of Anthropology at Yale University and is currently Distinguished Professor emeritus in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Riverside. Taube has broad research interests in the archaeology and ethnology of Mesoamerica and the Greater Southwest, including the development of agricultural symbolism in Prehispanic Mesoamerica and the American Southwest and the relation of Teotihuacan to the Classic Maya. Much of his research centers upon the writing and religious systems of ancient Mesoamerica, including the Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, and the Aztec. He is the author and co-author of numerous books and over a hundred articles and book chapters.

1 hour 35 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqMZv0klTMY

Getting to know Frank Tzib - Belizean Ambassador of the Maya

13 Nov 2022

Getting to know Frank Tzib. This 21-year-old has already made a huge mark in the field of Maya studies. He is a glyph artist and was featured in the PBS special: “Ancient Maya Metropolis” with his recreation of the famous Komkom Vase. Frank is the Belizean “Ambassador of the Maya”. I visited with Frank for five days in June. Together, we visited the Maya sites of Xunantunich, El Pilar, Pacbitun, and Baking Pot (where archaeologists discovered pieces of the Komkom Vase). We meet the archaeologists involved in the 2022 excavations, Jaime Awe (Xunantunich and Baking Pot), Anabel Ford (El Pilar), and Terry Powis & Sheldon Skaggs (Pacbitun). In this video documentary, you can get to know Frank, his involvement with the PBS special, his artistic creations on ceramics, in wood, paintings on canvas, and his second love: slate. Frank was involved with the glyphs depicted on the special stela erected for the 40th anniversary of Belizean independence, working together with the well-known Christophe Helmke, and Sylvia Batty of Belize’s National Institute of Culture and History (NICH). // Frank helped to construct a giant thatch roof structure where his family can highlight their family out-reach program of preparing Maya food. His mother, sisters, and father prepare us a special Maya meal of Pollo Escabache, Coconut Fritters, a Tomato/Peanut garnish, fresh Lemonade, and of course, hand-made Tortillas. Frank plays three songs on the guitar, including the instrumental that runs throughout in the background of the video. Towards the end, you’ll see Frank’s presentation for this year’s American Heritage Network symposium where he teaches about Maya glyphs. You’ll be hearing a lot more about Frank Tzib in the future… Get to know him now.

55 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uoe_wAQXypI

The Life of Yax Kuk Mo - Mover and Shaker in the Maya World with Janice Van Cleve

27 Apr 2024

Yax Kuk Mo was the king of Copan who founded a dynasty that lasted through 15 successors for the next 400 years. If that was not enough, there are clues that he had a very active and multi-faceted career before he even got to Copan. Following these clues was an exercise in connecting the dots – and some of the gaps between dots leave us wondering. I started on this journey doing some simple math, based on the forensic analysis of his remains in the Hunal tomb. The analysis concluded that he died in 437 at an age between 55 and 70 and his childhood began in the central Peten. This Aztlander program is hosted by Jim Reed. // Janice Van Cleve is an independent writer and researcher with a long list of publications including Eighteen Rabbit: The Intimate Life and Tragic Death of a Maya God-King, The Kings of Copan in their Own Words, Incidents of Travel in Mesoamerica, Maya Investigations Vol. 1, Tikal Turning Point, and articles in The Aztlander and the IMS Explorer. She was invited as a guest lecturer on the 8 Batz tour of 2010, is a member of IMS, and supporter of the Copan Maya Foundation, Mayas for Ancient Mayan, and the Archaeological Conservancy.

1 hour 16 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u5rg14TPsw

“Color in Maya Hieroglyphs - Subtext and Meaning” with Mark Van Stone, PhD

18 Dec 2025

“Few scholars have written about the color-schemes and symbolism in Maya hieroglyphs, likely because few Maya scribes seem to use it. But there are a few conventions they used regularly such as coloring the daysign cartouche red.” This is just a small sampling of what Mark will share in this most excellent program. // Mark Van Stone is a lifelong autodidact, netsuke carver in Japan, clay-animator, Guggenheim Fellow, with a PhD in Maya Hieroglyphs (UT-Austin). A gamma-ray astronomy tech with a BA in Physics, then a calligrapher, carver, and paleographer, Mark is now professor of Art History at Southwestern College, California. Mark’s most recent book, Maya Mold Made (with co-author Paul Johnson), is a catalog of Ancient Maya ceramic molds and an investigation into the function of Maya figurines.

2 hours 22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khp7CFZHqZ8

“Newly Discovered Masterpieces - Ancient Maya Figurine Molds” with Mark Van Stone

16 Dec 2022

“My Maya molds project began as a simple descriptive catalog but expanded into a 440-page investigation into the surprising role figurines played in Maya society. From the beginning, I have been charmed by their deeply democratic aspect: The vast majority of Maya art we admire – jade, stelae, inscriptions, painted vases, books, mantles, palaces – was exclusively the province of elites. But mass-produced figurines were enjoyed by the hoi polloi, the proletariat. Their humanity touches us and connects more directly than most of other Mesoamerican artforms (which often are an acquired taste!). // This was a different presentation than Mark’s Institute of Maya Studies program in September 2022. He switched it up and showed other chapters from his book Maya Mold Made. // Mark Van Stone is a lifelong autodidact, netsuke carver in Japan, clay-animator, Guggenheim Fellow, with a Ph.D. in Maya Hieroglyphs (UT-Austin). A gamma-ray astronomy tech with a BA in Physics, then a calligrapher, carver, and paleographer, Mark is now professor of Art History. Mark’s most recent book, Maya Mold Made (with co-author Paul Johnson), is a catalog of Ancient Maya ceramic molds and an investigation into the function of Maya figurines. // This event was hosted by Jim Reed.

1 hour 51 minutes

Link, Title, and Description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z7GtWIAWb8

Computing Similarity Networks of Maya Glyphs from 3D Data

Authors: Hubert Mara, Bartosz Bogacz, Felix Feldmann, Christian Prager

Presenter: Hubert Mara

16 Oct 2020

Motivated by the demands for compilation of a text-database and digital dictionary of Classic Mayan (http://mayawoerterbuch.de), we are developing an approach to compute and visualize similarity of 3D-digitized Maya hieroglyphs. The glyphs are typically arranged within a squared block consisting of three or four signs arbitrarily deformed and attached to a larger main sign. These signs vary in shape and design considerably, preventing an easy and complete decipherment. Instead of photographs and manual drawings we compute visualizations of 3D-measurement data using the GigaMesh Software Framework (https://gigamesh.eu) to maximize readability. Those images serve as input for a machine learning pipeline. Maya glyphs and parts thereof are segmented with projection profiles and a random walker approach based on the curvature of the 3D surface. The retrieved sub-glyphs are (i) firstly clustered into a set of common sizes and (ii) secondly clustered hierarchically based on a Histogram of Gradients similarity descriptor. Distances and connections derived from the clusters are visualized in a force-directed network. The results correspond very well to the hitherto manual established sign classifications within the traditional research and enable a critical discussion about glyph similarity. The resultant quantitative measure of similarity will support the objective compilation, indexing and sorting of about 1.000 known signs based on their morphology. Future work will integrate more recent methods like convolutional neural networks, which is a challenging task due to the relative[ly] few and short texts distributed over time and geographical area.

15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuAAY5gnMyE

Christian Prager & Cristina Vertan - Machines Reading and Deciphering Maya Hieroglyphs

16 Apr 2021

Machines Reading and Deciphering Maya Hieroglyphs - Towards a Digital Epigraphy of Maya Hieroglyphic Writing. // Christian Prager (Bonn), Cristina Vertan (Hamburg). // Digital Classicist London, April 16, 2021. // Maya script is the only readable writing system of the Americas, consisting of 1000 morphograms and phonograms and used from 300 B.C. to 1500. Only partially deciphered, it is the subject of the project "Text Database and Dictionary of Classic Mayan". The 10,000 texts are made accessible using digital methods and technologies and documented in XML/TEI, using a digital sign catalogue. Due to the uncertain state of decipherment, it is not possible to directly record hieroglyphic texts in phonemically transliterated values, unlike Classical epigraphic projects. We transliterate texts using numerical sign codes from the catalog. The numerical transliteration is transformed into a textual form in 10 steps, with variants possible at each step. As none of the digital tools available meet our need to scale this complex process, we developed ALMAH "Annotator for the Linguistic Analysis of Maya Hieroglyphs," allowing the semi-automatic generation of a phonemic transliteration from the numerical and enables multi-level annotation and linguistic analysis of Maya texts. The transcriptions are accepted, rejected, or revised in further steps. Alternative readings can be entered, multiple decipherment proposals can be worked on in parallel, and the hieroglyphic texts can be analysed and translated with alternative proposals. ALMAH uses a graph-data model, reads data from the TEI-Repository, and saves the annotated texts into an instance of OrientDB. It has a friendly user-interface and will be available as open-source software. We present the data model and functionality, and the underlying TEI schema allowing to encode Maya hieroglyphic texts formally and semantically. // The project Textdatenbank und Wörterbuch des Klassischen Maya (TWKM), directed by Nikolai Grube & coordinated by Christian Prager, run since 2014, is supported by the North-Rhine Westphalian Academy of the Sciences & the Arts in Düsseldorf, the Union of the German Academies of Sciences & Humanities, Berlin, & University of Bonn. The following research associates & partners have been instrumental in the project & made significant contributions: Maximilian Behnert-Brodhun (MB) (development, IT), Katja Diederichs (KD) (metadata, image archives), Franziska Diehr (FD) (metadata) (2014-17), Sven Gronemeyer (SG) (epigraphy, linguistics, metadata, ALMAH) (2014-20), Antje Grothe (AG) (metadata, image archive, literature), Guido Krempel (GK) (epigraphy, metadata), Tobias Mercer (TM) (development, design), Uwe Sikora (US) (metadata) (2018), Céline Tamignaux (CT) (2016-19) (image archive), Cristina Vertan (CV) (ALMAH), Elisabeth Wagner (EW) (epigraphy, iconography, metadata).

1 hour 25 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHoY9iQLQuI

Digital Classicist Seminar Berlin (2016/2017) - Seminar 5

21 Mar 2017

Dr. Christian Prager (University of Bonn). // Of Codes, Glyphs and Kings: Tasks, Limits and Approaches in the Encoding of Classic Maya Hieroglyphic Inscriptions. // The subject of the project ["Text Database and Dictionary of Classic Mayan"] (www.mayadictionary.de) is an incompletely deciphered, complex writing system, which the project aims to decipher with the aid of digital tools and to describe its underlying language in a dictionary. For these purposes, the hieroglyphic texts are being made machine-readable and saved in a text database with analysis and commentary. In addition, the Classic Mayan language is being represented in its original orthography in a web-based dictionary, allowing users to compare the content with its analysis. Until now, no project in the realm of digital writing systems research has demonstrated comparable standards, goals, and qualifications, or could serve as a model for conceptualizing and developing our database. When developing their databases, research projects in Greek, Latin, or ancient Egyptian epigraphy are not faced with the same challenge of their respective writing systems and the corresponding languages being only partially or not at all deciphered. The project's goal is to use the digital tools currently under development to compile and register newly classified signs in sign lists, make the texts machine-readable, discern readings, and document the vocabulary in its original orthography. The innovative character of our project requires flexible management when developing the digital infrastructure and deploying financial resources, as well as methodical groundwork to develop working concepts that will be useful over the long term. The project’s outcomes will ultimately include the development of new tools, methods, and standards in digital research on ancient writing systems and even the digital humanities as a whole, in addition to the content it produces about the Maya script. [Introduction in German but presentation in English.]

1 hour 20 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7GIMTQ65tg

Die digitale Erforschung der Mayaschrift - Wege und Grenzen digitaler Inschriftenforschung

23 Jan 2020

Alte Welt neu formatiert. Altertumswissenschaftliche Forschung im Zeitalter des digitalen Wandels. // Vortrag von Dr. Christian Prager, Mitarbeiter am Institut für Archäologie und Kulturanthropologie an der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn und Koordinator des Akademievorhabens Textdatenbank und Wörterbuch des Klassischen Maya, im Rahmen der Ringvorlesung „Alte Welt neu formatiert. Altertumswissenschaftliche Forschung im Zeitalter des digitalen Wandels“ des Berliner Antike-Kollegs im Wintersemester 2019/2020 an der Freien Universität Berlin. // Die Altertumswissenschaften haben sich in den letzten Jahren im Zuge der digitalen Transformation entscheidend verändert. Der rasant voranschreitende technologische Fortschritt eröffnet bisher unbekannte Möglichkeiten bei der Erforschung der Alten Welt. Neue Instrumente und innovative Methoden durchdringen mittlerweile alle Bereiche der altertumswissenschaftlichen Wissensproduktion, der Wissensverarbeitung und der Wissensvermittlung. Ihr Einsatz reicht von der Entwicklung und dem Ausbau elektronischer Informationssysteme und Datenbanken über die IT-basierte Aufnahme archäologischer Baubestände und deren dreidimensionale Rekonstruktion bis hin zur virtuellen Rekontextualisierung von Objekten durch digitale Anwendungen in Museen. // Die Vortragsreihe widmet sich einem der größten gesellschaftlichen Themen unserer Zeit. Aus Perspektive verschiedener Disziplinen stellt sie Auswirkungen vor, die die Zunahme IT-basierter Prozesse und digitaler Technologien für die altertumswissenschaftliche Forschung bisher genommen hat, und beleuchtet gleichzeitig deren Chancen und Herausforderungen. [Google Translate: Old World reformatted. Classical studies research in the age of digital change. // Lecture by Dr. Christian Prager, employee at the Institute for Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and coordinator of the academy project text database and dictionary of the Classic Maya, as part of the lecture series “Old World Reformatted. Ancient Studies Research in the Age of Digital Change” of the Berliner Antike-Kolleg in the winter semester 2019/2020 at the Free University of Berlin. // Classical studies have changed significantly in recent years as a result of digital transformation. Rapid technological progress is opening up previously unknown possibilities for exploring the Old World. New instruments and innovative methods now permeate all areas of ancient science knowledge production, knowledge processing, and knowledge transfer. Their use ranges from the development and expansion of electronic information systems and databases to the IT-based recording of archaeological buildings and their three-dimensional reconstruction to the virtual recontextualization of objects through digital applications in museums. // The lecture series is dedicated to one of the biggest social issues of our time. From the perspective of various disciplines, she presents the impact that the increase in IT-based processes and digital technologies has had on ancient studies research, and at the same time sheds light on their opportunities and challenges.]

1 hour 8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6VBF0ud4u0

SCRIBO - The study of Maya Hieroglyphic writing in the digital era - a work report - Christian Prager

31 Jul 2020

"SCRIBO: Seminars on Scripts in Bologna" is a series broadcast live via streaming with Guest Speakers from all over the world, who talk about the invention of writing, the relationship between scripts and icons, and current progress in the understanding of undeciphered scripts. Its scope is enriched by contributions from fields such as archaeology, anthropology, linguistics, cognitive studies, and semiotics. // SCRIBO is sponsored by the INSCRIBE (Invention of Scripts and their Beginnings) ERC Project (https://site.unibo.it/inscribe/en/eve...) and is held at the Department of Classical Philology and Italian Studies (FICLIT) at the University of Bologna.

2 hours 8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzAx4_DWIaA

Dr Christian Prager - Visual Iconographic Dimension of Maya Hieroglyphic Writing

8 Aug 2019

[Exploring the Social and Cultural Contexts of Historic Writing Systems - CREWS Conference 2019]

The subject of my talk is the written language of the Classic Maya. Maya hieroglyphic writing is a mixed logo-morphographic system that was used between 300 BC and 1600 AD. The sign inventory comprises around 800 elements depicting figurative and abstract objects from the natural environment and material culture, human and animal body parts, heads of humans and animals or portraits of supernaturals, among others. Texts, often associated with images and scenes, survived on more than 10,000 monuments, architectural elements, or portable objects. To create a hieroglyphs text signs were “squeezed and stacked” into quadratic or rectangular blocks, the basic structural unit of a Classic Mayan text usually corresponding to the emic concept of a word. Blocks were arranged in double columns, read from left to right and from top to bottom. The elements within a block can be subdivided into main and small graphs, with the main graphs being spatially larger and approximately square in shape, and the small graphs being attached to the periphery of the main characters and oriented along their vertical or horizontal axis. These writing principles are consistent throughout the history of Maya writing, but texts and signs have a high degree of complexity and variation.

30 minutes

Link, Title, and Description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9IInfLpH6w

The Codex Maya of Mexico (Codice Maya) Fully Explained, page-by-page. Formerly the Grolier Codex

29 Nov 2022

The Codice Maya de Mexico has one primary story; it records the complex movements of the planet Venus across its 4 cycles. The 10-pages codex records 65 complete Venus Cycles, which takes a total of 104 years. // The Codice Maya of Mexico was written in 1,110 CE by a single Mayan scribe. It is the oldest book in all the Americas. This video will translate this 900-year-old Maya Codex, page-by-page. // The book was found in the 1960s by looters, and it's taken more than 50 years to analyze and authenticate this book. But this Mexican book is 100% real. [Animated presentation by Professor Estrada.]

25 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX69xWnp8AA

The Four Phases of the Venus Cycle within the Maya Codex of Mexico (Codice Maya)

9 Dec 2022

The video examines the four phases of the Venus Cycle: Morning Star, Superior Conjunction, Evening Star, and Inferior Conjunction. The Venus Cycle is the main narrative within the 900-year-old Codex, the oldest book in all the Americas.

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1bFJCjpGAM

Códice Maya de México

17 May 2023

Around 900 years ago, a Maya scribe made Códice Maya de México, a sacred book that tracked and predicted the movements of the planet Venus. Today it is the oldest book of the Americas, one of only four surviving Maya manuscripts that predate the arrival of Europeans. A remarkable testament to the complexity of Indigenous astronomy, Códice Maya de México is on display in the US for the first time in 50 years. [GM = “Getty Museum”, YouTube channel.]

Same video as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQOY_hMko8w

Códice Maya de México - Getty Conversations

Getty has joined forces with Smarthistory to bring you an in-depth look at select works within our collection, whether you’re looking to learn more at home or want to make art more accessible in your classroom. This video series illuminates art history concepts through fun, unscripted conversations between art historians, curators, archaeologists, and artists, committed to a fresh take on the history of visual arts. // A conversation between Dr. Andrew Turner, Senior Research Specialist, Getty Research Institute and Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank, Dean of Content and Strategy, Smarthistory, in front of the Códice Maya de México.

8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF8eZTo9WB4

Making Amate Paper

22 Oct 2022

Learn how the ancient Maya made amate paper from the bark of fig trees…and how it’s still done today. // This video complements the exhibition "Códice Maya de México". // Video includes subtitles/closed captions in English and Spanish. [The soundtrack is in Spanish. I was only able to turn on English subtitles in the closed captioning.] [GM = “Getty Museum”, YouTube channel.]

5 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CvFeJJTl3w

Authenticating the Códice Maya de México (English)

7 Dec 2022

In 2017 several research teams analyzed the Códice Maya de México, previously known as the Grolier Codex, to assess whether the document was authentic or a forgery. Using both non-invasive and invasive scientific methods, the material evidence confirmed that the document was manufactured in the Early Postclassic period (AD 1000–1300), making it the oldest surviving book created in the Americas. Discussing topics ranging from the discovery of Maya Blue pigment to radiocarbon dating, Gerardo Gutiérrez will present the results of tests undertaken by the University of Colorado Boulder in collaboration with the Biblioteca Nacional de Antropología e Historia of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia of Mexico, to support the authenticity of the Códice Maya de México.

1 hour 0 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM6MHxa0KXk

Understanding the Maya Codex of Mexico - Meaning and History of the Fourth Maya Codex

4 Feb 2023

Prior to the 1960s, only three pre-Hispanic Maya books were known to have survived the humidity of the tropics and the deliberate efforts of Spanish invaders to destroy them. The sudden and controversial appearance of a fourth Maya codex under private ownership sparked decades of debate about its origin and authenticity. Recent collaborative scientific and art historical studies have determined that not only is the Maya Codex of Mexico (formerly known as the Grolier Codex) authentic, but also that it predates the other surviving books by centuries. This presentation explores the importance of Maya books and controversy surrounding the acquisition of the Maya Codex of demonstrates how Maya astronomers used the book to predict the dangerous and complex movements of the planet Venus 900 years ago. // Mary Miller is the Director of the Getty Research Institute, where she also leads the Pre-Hispanic Art Provenance Initiative (PHAPI), a systematic study of the 20th century international market for pre-Hispanic art. A specialist in the art of ancient Mexico and the Maya, her numerous publications include The Murals of Bonampak (1986), The Art of Mesoamerica (1986, now in its 6th edition), Maya Art and Architecture (1999, now in a new edition with Megan O’Neil), and The Spectacle of the Late Maya Court: Reflections on the Murals of Bonampak (2013). She is Sterling Professor Emeritus in History of Art at Yale University and the recipient of many national awards. // Andrew D. Turner is a senior research specialist at the Getty Research Institute. Trained as both an archaeologist and art historian, Turner’s work focuses on ancient Mesoamerican material culture, symbolism, and cross-cultural interaction. He has authored several scholarly works on ancient Mesoamerican and Andean material culture and is the editor of the books Flower Worlds: Religion, Aesthetics, and Ideology in Mesoamerica and the American Southwest (with Michael Mathiowetz, 2021) and Códice Maya de México (2022).

1 hour 19 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp9JC9LFPJ8

Códice Maya de México - The Controversy and Authentication of the Oldest Book of the Americas

24 May 2023

Códice Maya de México: The Controversy and Authentication of the Oldest Book of the Americas. // Presented by Andrew Turner, Senior Research Specialist, Getty Research Institute. // Friday, April 14, 2023, 12:00 - 1:30 pm.

1 hour 29 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWrHwOAgfm8

KPFA Special- Códice Maya de Mexico, the Oldest Surviving Book of the Americas

14 Feb 2025

Guest: Andrew D. Turner is a senior research specialist at the Getty Research Institute, his work focuses on ancient Mesoamerican material culture, religion, and symbolism. He is the editor of Códice Maya de Mexico; Understanding the Oldest Surviving Book of the Americas. [From English Wikipedia: KPFA (94.1 FM) is a public, listener-funded talk radio and music radio station located in Berkeley, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area.]

59 minutes

Link, Title, and Description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAtUfZ_TQ5Y

Brien Foerster Clueless about Maya Buildings

27 Apr 2022

Not every tour guide who takes you through an ancient site is knowledgeable. So be careful who you trust. One person who presents himself as an expert simply makes stuff up as he likes. Let's look at one of his videos on Maya building practices and see him in action. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

25 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKil8_h-FUY

Coba and the Maya Ball Game

12 Aug 2020

The ancient ruins of Coba are full of secrets newly revealed. Watch as Dr. Miano and Cassie show you the best parts of the site and answer the question of whether the Nochoch Mul is the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan peninsula. Plus learn about the Maya ballgame, the oldest organized sport in the history of the world. Finally, we take you to Cancun for a visit to the Maya Museum there, which is full of fascinating artifacts. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

18 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzFNc6lVTWM

Calakmul - Secrets of a Lost Empire

23 Mar 2020

In the deepest jungles of Campeche lies the ruins of the greatest ancient Maya city of all time: Calakmul. As the seat of the Kan or Snake Dynasty, Calakmul commanded an impressive position in the 7th and 8th centuries, dominating a large part of the Yucatan peninsula. In this video, learn about the rivalry between Calakmul and neighboring Tikal, and the great kings who fought in the wars. Get a glimpse also of the intimidating howler monkeys in their natural habitat. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

19 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5332Lq8-VpU

Forgotten Cities of Campeche - Becan and Xpuhil

9 Mar 2020

Ancient Maya ruins that often get overlooked are those in Campeche, in the central part of the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. These were once impressive and heavily populated cities, built in the Rio Bec style. David and Cassie visited two, right near modern Xpujil: the sites of Becan and Xpuhil, which you're bound to find fascinating. // We hope you enjoy watching this #antiquitiestravelguide about #Becan and Xpuhil as much as we enjoyed making it. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXjXS4ikslg

How Maya Hieroglyphs Were Deciphered, and By Whom

13 Nov 2022

One of the greatest accomplishments of the last century has been the decipherment of Mayan hieroglyphs. This video tells the story of the methods used and the scholars involved in the advancement in our understanding of the Mayan language. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

16 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s_rpViL-3A

Hieroglyphic Stairway Reveals Ancient Shell-Star War

26 Feb 2025

An ancient war between two Maya cities resulted in the liberation of Naranjo from Caracol. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAmsLVk_Hjs

How the Maya Recorded Dates

12 Dec 2024

Archaeologists are now able to read dates on Maya monuments. How do they do this? This video explains. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

3 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ag4cF5yf6M

Mysteries of Ancient Chacchoben - Plus Bacalar, and the Gran Cenote of Tulum

13 Jul 2020

The ATG team's last couple of days in Belize were spent resting and relaxing at Caye Caulker. After that, it was back to work. Get the full story about Bacalar and Tulum in Mexico here. Lots to learn about the ancient ruins of Chacchoben and the mysterious Gran Cenote. // We hope you enjoy watching this #antiquitiestravelguide about #Chacchoben, Caye Caulker, Bacalar, and the Gran Cenote of Tulum as much as we enjoyed making it. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTJhWQUIWoU

Mayan Warfare - Caracol vs. its Enemies - Cahal Pech and the Cave of the Dead

29 May 2020

In the heart of the Chiquibul forest in Belize lies the ruins of the ancient city of Caracol. David and Cassie will show you some of the more interesting parts of the fascinating Maya site. Also in this episode they explore the archaeological site of Cahal Pech near San Ignacio and the mysterious Barton Creek Cave reserve. They take a dip in the waters of Big Rock Falls too. Meanwhile, Professor Miano explains different types of Mayan warfare. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

29 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okzAkrGZImY

Rise of the Snake Dynasty in the Yucatan - The Ruins of Dzibanche and Kohunlich

20 Apr 2020

Venturing into Quintana Roo, David and Cassie visit the ruins of two fascinating cities of Early Classic Period, Kohunlich and Dzibanche. These Maya sites were among the first to dominate the region. In this video, Dr. Miano will provide valuable information on the origins of the Snake or Kan Dynasty, probably the most famous of all ruling powers in ancient Mexico. Also discussed are the importance of Maya emblem glyphs and the practice of bloodletting. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

19 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC8TB_AIF_E

Should you go to Chichen Itza? How about Ek Balam?

28 Aug 2020

One of the most popular destinations for tourism in Mexico these days is Chichen Itza, which brings in people from around the world. In this episode we look at the site from the perspective of ancient history fans, as well as the neighboring site of Ek Balam, which is far less crowded. If you are planning a trip to the Yucatan, this guide will help you make a decision whether you should go to one or the other or both. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

26 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1ab4dT2xkk

The Ancient Maya Ball Game Explained in 5 Minutes

26 Jul 2023

One of the oldest known sports ever invented is the Mesoamerican ball game. In this video, get an explanation of how the game worked, what the known rules were, and the parts of the court. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

5 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngm9Ak7Qs58

The Ancient Maya Cities of Kabah and Sayil - Exploring the Temple of King Chac Xib Chaac

10 Feb 2020

The Codz Pop is a fascinating temple in the ruins of Kabah that bears the image of king Chac Xib Chaac. Watch as Dr. Miano presents information on this fascinating and obscure ancient ruler. After that, come check out the site of the forgotten city of Sayil and its famous Great Palace. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

16 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_hxe1h0AFA

The ancient Maya king who had a beard and face tattoo

1 Oct 2023

At the site of ancient Kabah in the Yucatan, the remains of a fascinating structure called the Codz Poop reveal details about an amazing ancient ruler known as Chac Xib Chaac. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxlYjAk_7WM

The Longest Inhabited City in the Ancient Maya World - Exploring Lamanai

4 May 2020

David Miano and Cassie Thompson cross the border into Belize to find the ruins of the ancient city of Lamanai, which is nestled in the forest next to the New River Lagoon. This ancient city sports many fabulous pyramids, including the Temple of the Jaguar, Temple of the Masks, and the High Temple, from which you can get a beautiful and breathtaking view of the jungle and the water. Learn about travel in Belize. Professor Miano also explains some of the basics of Mayan hieroglyphics. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

13 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTxJZhiVzHM

Top Ten Places to Visit in the Yucatan

21 Sep 2020

If you're planning a trip to the Yucatan peninsula, whether Mexico or Belize, and you love ancient history, these are the top 10 to visit. David Miano and Cassie Thompson give you their recommendations of the very best locations, including archaeological sites and museums. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziFsld8mUSg

The Wonders of Uxmal - Best-Preserved Mayan City in the Yucatan

28 Jan 2020

Our trip through the Yucatan peninsula begins! Arriving in Mérida, Mexico, we rent a vehicle and make our way to the ancient Maya city of Uxmal, perhaps the most important archaeological site of the Puuc region. The magnificent ruins blew us away, and we hope your eyes pop as you see the amazing structures and hear about their history. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

18 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf16exgLP4o

We went to Ancient Edzna and had the entire city all to ourselves

24 Feb 2020

Edzna is a fabulous archaeological site off the beaten path of tourism that every lover of ancient Maya civilization should visit. This magnificent forgotten city sits in northern Campeche at a crossroads that once brought in people from all over Mexico. David Miano and Cassie Thompson are your guides to this fantastic site, and they will also show you a wonderful lost city nearby, known as Santa Rosa Xtampak, which even fewer people visit, to their great loss. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

20 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IClJYGrdbZY

What Went Wrong in Mexico and Belize (How to Avoid Rookie Traveler Mistakes)

20 Oct 2020

If you're planning a trip to the Yucatan peninsula, whether Mexico or Belize, there are a few things you should watch out for. David and Cassie tell you about the worst experiences there, many of which they could have avoided, so that you can plan accordingly, if you wish to travel there. We hope their cautionary tales come in handy. [WOA = “World of Antiquity”, YouTube channel.]

19 minutes

Link, Title, and Description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh2D1d2gqzk

Life in the Classic Maya Period - Majesty and Beauty

21 Apr 2023

The Maya Classic period is widely considered the golden age of the ancient Maya and saw incredible achievements in art, architecture, and science. Let’s explore what made this time period so brilliant and why the classic period continues to fascinate the scholars and public today. [AA = “Ancient Americas”, YouTube channel.]

44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvLs3gDLCOI

The Decipherment of Maya Script

23 Jun 2020

Why did Maya writing remain undecipherable for so long and how was it finally cracked? Find out how this long enigmatic script was finally deciphered and how centuries of recorded Maya history were unlocked. [AA = “Ancient Americas”, YouTube channel.]

22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpwqq4qIo8o

The History of Maya Cities - Part 1

31 May 2023

The lowland Maya left us hundreds of written inscriptions that recount the history of their cities, their kings, and their wars. Let's explore this history in the first of three episodes. [AA = “Ancient Americas”, YouTube channel.]

44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjchs21DrG4

The History of Maya Cities - Part 2

26 Oct 2023

The late classic is widely considered the epitome of Maya culture and the history of this period is no less exciting. It was a time full of rises and falls, great kings and kings and conquests and betrayals. [AA = “Ancient Americas”, YouTube channel.]

57 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9E_eXE33JE

The Mesoamerican Calendar

18 Mar 2020

Ancient Mesoamerica had one of the most incredible calendars ever devised. Discover how they created and used this calendar to track their history and the cosmos. [AA = “Ancient Americas”, YouTube channel.]

18 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_uzP3PZeW4

The Maya Collapse

3 Jan 2025

In the opening decades of the ninth century, the cities of the classic Maya world began to unravel for reasons that are not fully understood. This caused a transformation of the Maya and Mesoamerican world during the following century. Discover what we know and don't know about these events that changed the Maya. [AA = “Ancient Americas”, YouTube channel.]

56 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktIL-uc2Kuw

The Popol Vuh - The Maya Story of Creation

1 Feb 2021

Explore the Maya story of creation as recorded by the K'iche Maya and see how the Maya saw the world around them. [AA = “Ancient Americas”, YouTube channel.]

32 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0wa3TZIlIE

The Rise of the Maya - Preclassic Brilliance

23 Sep 2021

Long before the Classic Period of Maya Civilization, great cities, beautiful art, and powerful kings were emerging in the Maya region. Often overlooked, the Preclassic period saw the Maya create some of their greatest achievements in history and develop critical components of their culture. Discover how the Maya bloomed late but brilliantly. [AA = “Ancient Americas”, YouTube channel.]

27 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV6ZZZsCjK8

Teotihuacan - Where One Becomes a God

11 Jun 2021

The ancient city of Teotihuacan is one of the greatest cities ever constructed in the Americas. It was a city that was remembered by subsequent cultures long after it was abandoned. Because it was never inhabited again, archaeologists can explore the entire city and try to reconstruct the life and history of this magnificent site. Let’s find out what made Teotihuacan such a spectacular city and culture. [AA = “Ancient Americas”, YouTube channel.]

37 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn4ZtNdqY5M

Living the Language – Guatemala - The Maya

25 Apr 2012

Many Mayans complain of feeling like foreigners in their own land - a sentiment compounded by the dominance of Spanish. // At Al Jazeera English, we focus on people and events that affect people's lives. We bring topics to light that often go under-reported, listening to all sides of the story and giving a 'voice to the voiceless.' [AJE = “Al Jazeera English”, YouTube channel.]

22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mror2p7qm1o

The Lecture about Maya Toltec History in Chichen Itza, Mexico

3 Jan 2009

Maya Toltec Chichen Itza Kukulkan etc lecture by Pepe1 [A short tourist guide’s on-site explanation about Chichen Itza, including the meaning of its name and other background information. APART33 = YouTube channel.]

10 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX3yKBbBak4

The Jade of Guatemala - Treasures of the Earth - ARTE in English

[NO LONGER AVAILABLE]

27 Sep 2019

Guatemala is one of the few countries in the world where jade is mined. For the descendants of the Mayans, it's an important gem that speaks of spirituality, heritage, and a past that endures. [The documentary begins with an account of the revival of jade mining and carving in Guatemala in the modern age, but also gives a lot of insight into jade in the Classic Maya period, explaining the Cancuen mine and the massacre which ended the Cancuen ruling dynasty. It also shows Tikal and explains the role of jade in Classic Maya culture and society.]

26 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li1VQ0mnJdo

Ancient Maya Power and Propaganda - Structure 40 at Yaxchilan and Bird Jaguar IV

17 Apr 2026

The ancient Maya site of Yaxchilán is situated on the banks of the Usumacinta River, on the border between Mexico and Guatemala. One of the remaining buildings, known as Structure 40, tells us about rulership, lineage, and royal propaganda. Built by Bird Jaguar IV or Yaxum B’ahlam IV in the 8th century, Structure 40 publicized Bird Jaguar IV’s dynastic lineage and helped to justify his rule. The building is in a ruined state today, but we try to give a sense of how it looked and was decorated in its heyday on the South Acropolis at this important Mesoamerican site. // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

5 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anl5NuxPrXY

Ix Mutal Ahaw - An Ancient Maya Queen, Vision Serpents, and Connections to the Gods

28 Aug 2024

Get to know ancient Maya art by looking closely at a stone monument showing a powerful Maya queen dripping in jade ornaments. Her name is Ix Mutal Ahaw. This stone sculpture (called a stela) dates back to 760 CE and was found in the Usumacinta region of Mexico/Guatemala. On display at the De Young Museum in San Francisco, this stela immortalizes the queen as a powerful figure with important divine connections. // She wears elaborate clothing and adornments, including a feathered headdress made of quetzal feathers, and she holds a ceremonial object that looks like a femur bone. The jade connects her to the Maize God. Queen Ix Mutal Ahaw is also experiencing a vision of a serpent and an ancestor, all of which communicate to anyone seeing this that she is powerful. It also increases her family’s power. // Maya art can be incredibly complex – and sometimes overwhelming! This video breaks down the details in this stone monument to explore how Maya rulers used public art, like steles, to publicize their authority and ability to talk to the gods. This video also discusses the importance of jade, the lightning god K’awiil, and the Maize God. Most importantly, it also talks about the important role of women in ancient Maya culture. // This video will appeal to anyone looking for content about women in art, queens, ancient Maya culture, medieval art, portraiture, and the AP Art History 250 materials. Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

10 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jImoLlkJWXY

Lady K'abal Xook (Lady Xoc), Ancient Maya Queen of Yaxchilán on Lintel 25

13 Mar 2026

The ancient Maya queen Lady K’abal Xook (Lady Xoc) of Yaxchilán appears on three of the most famous examples of Maya art (and Mesoamerican art!), including Lintel 25. Find out why! // Lintel 25 shows Lady Xook experiencing a Vision Serpent after a bloodletting ritual. Married to Shield Jaguar (Itzamnaaj Bahlam III), Lady Xook is shown in an important role for ancient Maya women on this lintel, originally on Structure 23. This video is a detailed overview of the complex iconography on Lintel 25. // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. // Main image: Lintel 25 showing Lady K'abal Xook and Vision Serpent, c. 723–26 CE, carved and painted limestone, from Structure 23, Yaxchilán, Chiapas, Mexico, 121 x 85.5 cm

The British Museum, London. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldoxPPzdwKI

Lady Sak K'uk' - The Woman Who Ruled the Maya at Palenque and Pakal’s Mother

9 Jan 2026

The Oval Palace Tablet is set behind a throne in the palace at Palenque and shows K’inich Janaab Pakal, or Pakal the Great, and Lady Sak K’uk’. Who is the ancient Maya queen Lady Sak K’uk’ of Palenque? She was a royal woman and the mother of Pakal. She is shown in this sculpture as offering a feathered headdress to Pakal as he ascended the throne. Learn more about the role of this royal woman and the symbolism (iconography) of this scene, still on display in its original location. // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGsZ5NmT03s

The Death Mask of the Most Famous Ancient Maya King, Pakal of Palenque

30 Jan 2024

One of the most amazing archaeological discoveries of the 20th century was the tomb of Pakal, the most famous ancient Maya king known today. Pakal ruled over Palenque (in modern-day Chiapas, Mexico) in the 7th century, and he had his tomb constructed beneath the Temple of the Inscriptions. Inside the tomb was his massive sarcophagus. // Among the many amazing things discovered inside the tomb, Pakal's death mask is surely one of the most remarkable! It's made of pieces of bright green jade. Pakal remains eternally youthful and also transforms into the Maize God! // Watch to learn more about the jade death mask of the most famous ancient Maya king! // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. // Main artwork: Mask of Pakal, c. 683 CE, jadeite, shell, and obsidian from the tomb of K'inich Janaab' Pakal, Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico (National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City). [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

7 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq2t49coz60

What Did BATS Symbolize for the Ancient Maya? - And Who Is Camazotz?

31 Oct 2025

What did bats mean to the ancient Maya of Mesoamerica? From the mysterious figure of Camazotz, the so-called “death bat” in the Popol Vuh, to the striking depictions of bats in Classic Maya art (200–900 CE), this video looks at the art, mythology, and symbolism of bats among the Classic Maya. You will learn about how bats are connected to Xibalba, the Maya underworld, and to powerful ideas about death, rebirth, caves, fire, fertility, and time. Learn why not every bat in Maya art represents Camazotz (don't Google Camazotz), and how these winged creatures symbolized both the darkness of the earth and the abundance of life. For the Maya, bats weren’t just spooky; they were sacred messengers between worlds, among many other things. // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_O0KTU8HjQ

What is a Mesoamerican screenfold (codex)? The Madrid Codex and Codex Nuttal (Tonindeye)

20 Sep 2024

What is a screenfold codex? // Find out the answer with this short video, part of a series where we break down key terms in art history, archaeology, and history! // This video describes what a Mesoamerican screenfold is. Sometimes called a screenfold "codex," these books are important for our understanding of Mesoamerican history and cultures. Learn how a screenfold is made and read using examples like the ancient Maya Madrid Codex and the Mixtec Codex Nuttal (Tonindeye). // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_O0KTU8HjQ

What is a Mesoamerican Screenfold (Codex)?

20 Sep 2024

What is a screenfold codex? // Find out the answer with this short video, part of a series where we break down key terms in art history, archaeology, and history! // This video describes what a Mesoamerican screenfold is. Sometimes called a screenfold "codex," these books are important for our understanding of Mesoamerican history and cultures. Learn how a screenfold is made and read using examples like the ancient Maya Madrid Codex and the Mixtex Codex Nuttal (Tonindeye). // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

3 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSyb-nWWDDs

What is a Pectoral in Mesoamerican Art?

22 Oct 2024

What is a pectoral? // This video answers that question using one of the most famous objects from Mesoamerica: a gold Mixtec pectoral from Tomb 7, discovered at the site of Monte Albán in Oaxaca. // This video describes what a pectoral is and how it functions. Pectorals are not unique to Mesoamerican art, but we find examples across the globe. // This short video is part of a series that breaks down key terms in art history, archaeology, and history! // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqP6tsiExXg

What is a Roof Comb in Ancient Maya Architecture? Structure 33 from Yaxchilán

8 Nov 2024

What is a roof comb? To answer that question, this video examines a roof comb on Structure 33 from the ancient Maya city-state of Yaxchilán in Chiapas, Mexico. Roof combs are one of the main elements in ancient Maya architecture. // The video describes a roof comb and how it functioned in ancient Maya architecture. // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

1 minute

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcC9iv74Omg

What is Bloodletting? Ancient Maya Women and Lady K'abal Xook from Yaxchilán

22 Aug 2025

Discover the bloodletting ritual of the ancient Maya queen Lady K'abal Xook (Lady Xoc), shown piercing her tongue with a thorned rope and making a sacred offering to the gods on Lintel 24 from Yaxchilán. This video explores bloodletting among women in the Classic Maya world through one of the most famous sculptures from Yaxchilán, a Maya city-state in Chiapas, Mexico. Lady Xook, the wife of King Shield Jaguar (Itzamnaaj B'alam III), performs a bloodletting ritual as part of her royal responsibility. // Bloodletting was central to Maya beliefs, and this video discusses why it was important. The role of women in such rituals is also preserved in the murals of Bonampak, where a group of royal women is shown performing similar acts of bloodletting. In both Bonampak and Yaxchilán, these images conveyed elite power, religious duty, and the belief that royal blood nourished the cosmos. // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRqP4JpcmxU

Who is Lady Ik' Skull of Yaxchilán? An Ancient Maya Queen

8 Aug 2025

Learn about Lady Ik’ Skull, an ancient Maya queen of Yaxchilán, by looking at Stela 35 from Structure 21. Draped in jade jewelry and a towering feathered headdress, Lady Ik’ Skull performs a bloodletting ritual to secure her family’s legacy. But who was she, and what does this monument reveal about ancient Maya politics, religion, and royal women? // In this video, we take a close look at Stela 35, a beautifully preserved Maya stela. This is one of the only known images of Lady Ik’ Skull (also called Lady Eveningstar), a queen from the 8th century who played a pivotal role in the rise of her son, Bird Jaguar IV. Through this stela, we explore the ceremony of bloodletting, Maya royal attire, and the ways elite women gained and displayed power. // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvZ9KBEJbMI

What is Maya Blue in Mesoamerican Art? Focus on the Murals of Bonampak

5 Nov 2024

What does the color Maya Blue refer to? // Find out in this video that defines what Maya Blue is and what it is made of, using the famous Maya murals of Bonampak as an example. Maya Blue was important in the region of Mesoamerica. It also had symbolic connections, which the video touches on as well. // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1GJydp8Mjk

Who is the Red Queen of Palenque? Ancient Maya Queen Lady Ix Tz'akbu Ajaw

16 May 2025

Who is the Red Queen of Palenque? In this video, we focus on the 1994 discovery of an elite ancient Maya woman’s tomb inside Temple XIII at the ancient city of Palenque. Likely the wife of Pakal the Great, Lady Ix Tz’akbu Ajaw, the Red Queen was buried in the 7th century with precious objects made of jade, obsidian, shell, and malachite, including her death mask. Her richly adorned tomb offers insight into the role of royal women, Maya funerary traditions, and the symbolism of materials like cinnabar and jade. // Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank. [ARTSQ = “ArtsQ”, YouTube channel.]

3 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0ikZJmzw44

Caracol with Dr. Awe

3 May 2013

[Jaime Awe gives an overview of Caracol by explaining the site on location.]

21 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzGhfet7Z1Y

Lost King of the Maya

7 Apr 2017

[Date of documentary is probably much earlier than upload date on YouTube.] [AW = “Ancient-World”, YouTube channel.]

58 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDYiaDBDxcw

BBC - Spirits of the Jaguar - 1 of 4 - The Forging of a New World

31 Oct 2015

[Nature documentary, not Maya-related.]

48 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEs7QrgdiE

BBC - Spirits of the Jaguar - 2 of 4 - Forests of the Maya

31 May 2014

Uxmal, Mexico. Reputed to be one of the most beautiful Mayan cities, it holds the only known pyramid with an oval base. The Magician's Pyramid sits on one side of a square noted for its excellent acoustics. Grand terraces offer remarkable views. // Chichen Itza, Mexico. The most famous Mayan city, this was the capital of the second empire, which lasted from about 1000 to 1450. Its enormous pyramids, including the giant Castillo pyramid that houses a jaguar throne, hold remarkable carvings and murals. A nearby cenote, or natural well, was used for human sacrifices to the rain god. // Tulum, Mexico. Between 1200 and 1450, this seacoast city became a major Mayan port and the center of a vast trading network.

Tikal, Guatemala. The largest known Mayan city, Tikal is believed to have been home to more than 55,000 people in the year 700. The 60-square-mile site holds numerous pyramids, shrines, and ball courts, where Mayans played a sometimes-dangerous version of soccer, reportedly using as balls human skulls, which could do serious damage if kicked into an opponent. // Copan, Honduras. A southern outpost of the first Mayan empire, which lasted from 300 to about 900, Copan boasts some of the best-preserved ball courts ever found, along with the longest known Mayan stone inscription. The document has helped archaeologists decode some of the culture's mysterious hieroglyphs. // For a thousand years, they ruled what is today a large part of Mexico and southern Central America. They built huge cities and enormous pyramids that vaulted hundreds of feet into the skies. Then, seemingly in an instant, the Mayan Empire, the focus of the second episode of SPIRITS OF THE JAGUAR, collapsed, leaving thousands of elegant stone carvings hidden in the region's lush tropical forests. Even today, the ancient monuments are still being rediscovered. // The Mayans believed that they were created by gods who added their own blood to flour made from corn, a plant native to their Central American homelands. Thus, they were children of the corn, and along with gods personified by the fierce jaguar and the life-giving rain, they worshipped the tall grass that fed them. // In fact, it was their skill as farmers that allowed the Mayans to prosper. Reliable crops of corn, squash, and beans provided enough food for the Mayan population to grow and for some residents to specialize in new skills, unburdened by the need to tend the fields. Some of these specialists became architects, while others helped push Mayan mathematics and astronomy to remarkable heights. // Today, Mayan cities highlight just how much knowledge this society accumulated at its height 1,200 years ago. Ornate wall carvings are actually astonishingly detailed calendars that can still be used to predict eclipses and other astral events. Similarly, massive temples are also astronomical observatories designed to track the movements of the night sky. Windows and doors are perfectly aligned to channel the light of the sun at different times of the year or to highlight a sparkling planet.

 Mayan calendars can still predict eclipses and other astral events. // By necessity, the Mayans were also expert geologists. Each of their great cities is situated next to a cenote, or natural well. The cave water was essential because, although they lived in a tropical forest, fresh surface water was rare. Water from the cenote not only sated the Mayans’ thirst, it also provided irrigation water for their crops when rain was scarce. // Despite their knowledge, however, the Mayans were only human. By 900, political disagreements and civil wars -- together with crop failures, disease, and other natural disasters -- apparently forced the Mayans to abandon many of their great cities. Some fled to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, where they built a new empire ruled from the military citadel of Chichen Itza. But this society also fell in the 1400s, a victim of internal strife and invasion from hostile neighbors. // Though their empire is long gone, the Mayans live on. An estimated 1.5 million to 4.5 million descendants of the Mayans inhabit southern Central America. In Mexico's Yucatan region, many residents still speak Maya languages and wear clothing virtually indistinguishable from that depicted in ancient carvings. And, like their ancestors, they pursue a spiritual life still colored by ancient beliefs in the gods of the corn and the jaguar. In the words of noted local poet Mediz Bolio, many locals may speak in Spanish -- but they think in Mayan.

49 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbOvnxZ6_FE

Lost Civilizations - The Mayas

30 Mar 2023

The Maya civilization is spread over all or part of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Appeared at the end of the 3rd millennium century BC, it reached its peak between the 5th and 9th centuries AD before falling into decline and disappearing during the Spanish conquest in the 6th century. The Maya civilization was one of the most evolved and mysterious in the world. [Voiceover dubbing of French to English has very bad pronunciation of Maya words, including mispronunciations of Yucatan.] [Official title: “Lost Civilizations – The Maya” (51:31-51:36), directed by Jacques Vichet (51:39), written by Olivier Farines (52:04), narrated by Chris Mack and Mollie Keane (52:10), with contributions by Brigitte Faugère (04:08, 24:40, 36:30, 39:25, 41:27, 45:16, 49:57), Dominique Michelet (07:16, 27:06. 46:16), Eric Taladoire (18:42, 49:01). © 2015 Blue Bird Productions (52:52).] [BD = “Best Documentary”, YouTube channel.]

52 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bi8jGwa_FU

Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, traces of Mayan wonders

17 May 2023

A long-forgotten culture, the Maya civilization nevertheless has a past rich in myths, scientific discoveries, and impressive constructions. scientific discoveries and impressive constructions. We invite you to discover the five most beautiful Mayan cities, the only keys we have left to decipher this legendary civilization. [BD = “Best Documentary”, YouTube channel.]

51 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_dHeYygTw0

Mexico - The Yucatan, Maya Country

[VIDEO NOW UNAVAILABLE]

3 Sep 2023

The Yucatán peninsula boasts some of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the Americas: the extraordinary Chichen Izta and Uxmal. // The Mayas are a native American people from Central America, founders of a brilliant civilization, which, after a period of very strong growth between the 7th and the 9th century AD, then gradually faded into insignificance. // The Maya civilization extended from the Mexican states of Chiapas and Yucatan, through parts of Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. //

Chichen Itza, voted as one of the new wonders of the world, stands as an eloquent reminder of the former greatness of the Maya civilisation, which has now all but disappeared. // Here we find the great pyramid referred to as « Castillo » by the Spanish conquistadors. From its peak, you can see out over the buildings of the ancient city, the temples, the real tennis courts, and the pigeon houses, as well as the forest. // Uxmal is another ancient Maya city, but this time, dating from the classical period. The architecture is typical of the Puuc style; facades at ground level are kept simple, with more elaborate decorations being kept for the upper levels. // The pyramid and the buildings of Uxmal are extraordinarily charming. // Yucatan also has a number of colonial towns. // The Spanish influence is visible to this day in the architectural style and lay-out of towns such as Mérida, Valladolid, and Isamal. As well as the streets lined with the pastel-coloured houses typical of Yucatán, each town has a central square known as the Zocalo, bordered by the symbolic structures of colonial power, the governor’s palace, the town hall, and the cathedral. // Directed by Jacques VICHET. [BD = “Best Documentary”, YouTube channel.]

52 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7s0as2V0Ws

El Zotz - Lost City of the Bats

28 Nov 2018

The Maya built many cities that even now are reappearing from the jungles of Central America.

16 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtX-h_bpZLw

Jade of the Maya

10 Apr 2019

Guatemala - another video from my trip there, this time looking at the jade in the local museum, plus obsidian, idols, and 1970s fashion tips.

8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDPNxz3WXTk

Tikal - Greatest City of the Maya

1 Dec 2021

Here I take you with me on my first day at Tikal, in the jungles of Guatemala. Archaeology, wildlife, strange sounds, and a sunset. The overgrown remains of a stone-age civilisation. [Lindy Beige, English archaeologist.]

40 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0wTeL-I35c

Uaxactun - The Greatest Mayan Observatory

15 Jan 2020

Another one from my trip to Guatemala. Archaeology, hat-wearing, a giant locust, and a demonic pig. What more do you want? [Lindy Beige, English archaeologist.]

24 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtJK6AStK50

Mayan Civilization for Kids - Mesoamerica & Mexican History

18 Jun 2020

Travel back to the time of the Maya, one of the greatest civilizations of the ancient Americas! The Maya built incredible cities filled with towering pyramids, busy marketplaces, and beautiful art. They were experts in math, writing, astronomy, and farming, creating a calendar that amazed the world. We’ll explore how the Maya lived, what they believed, and how their traditions still survive today. From deep jungles to bright stone cities, the story of the Maya is full of discovery, creativity, and mystery waiting to be explored. [BH = “Bedtime History”, YouTube channel.]

4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Nhsp26bN8U

La Corona - Is Guatemala Home to a Lost Ancient City? - Quest for the Lost City

3 Mar 2017

A set of inscribed panels carved by the ancient Maya people of Central America inspired Dr Neil Brodie of Cambridge University, an expert on the looting of archaeological treasures, and Mayanist Simone Clifford-Jaegar, to mount an expedition to the jungles of Guatemala. Their mission – to find the lost city from which the stone panels came. Archaeologists have been searching for the mysterious place known as Site Q since the 1960s without success. Quest For The Lost City travels down the Usumacinta River, a site well-travelled by experts; and then deep into the jungle where the explorers find a recently discovered ‘lost city’. Here, the mystery of Site Q takes a surprising and revelatory new turn thanks to a sporting hero named ‘Red Turkey’, a map showing two stones in the jungle clearing, and a Museum Director in Maine... [no further text after ellipsis]

Same documentary as (but 8 seconds behind / ahead of):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUKqpqPI_us

The Search for the Lost Mayan Citadel of La Corona - Quest for the Lost City

12 Oct 2021

A set of inscribed panels carved by the ancient Maya people of Central America inspired Dr Neil Brodie of Cambridge University, an expert on the looting of archaeological treasures, to mount an expedition to the jungles of Guatemala. Their mission - to find the lost city from which the stone panels came. [For search purposes (and aesthetics), I’ve corrected the “La Carona” typo in the YouTube title to “La Corona”.]

Same documentary as (but 1 second behind / ahead of):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc6haEYmCAQ

Uncovering The Lost Mayan City of La Corona Quest For The Lost City

14 Oct 2021

A set of inscribed panels carved by the ancient Maya people of Central America inspired Dr Neil Brodie of Cambridge University, an expert on the looting of archaeological treasures, and Mayanist Simone Clifford-Jaegar, to mount an expedition to the jungles of Guatemala. Their mission – to find the lost city from which the stone panels came. Archaeologists have been searching for the mysterious place known as Site Q since the 1960s without success. Quest For The Lost City travels down the Usumacinta River, a site well-travelled by experts; and then deep into the jungle where the explorers find a recently discovered ‘lost city’. Here, the mystery of Site Q takes a surprising and revelatory new turn thanks to a sporting hero named ‘Red Turkey’, a map showing two stones in the jungle clearing, and a Museum Director in Maine.

Same documentary as (completely in sync with #2):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjZRts1ovHA

The Ancient Mayan City Lost For Thousands Of Years | Quest For The Lost City | Unearthed History

18 Jul 2023

The archeology world was shook when an ancient stone tablet from a lost Mayan city was discovered on the black market. Where did this tablet come from? Why has nothing else from this city come to light until now? This began a huge search in the jungles of Guatemala for the lost city. // Welcome to Unearthed History -- the home for all things archeological! From ancient Roman ruins to buried medieval mysteries, we'll be bringing you award-winning documentaries that explore the remnants of long-lost civilizations.

Same documentary as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ISjLCptcQY

The Impossible Task Of Finding A Lost Mayan City - Quest for The Lost City

3 Jun 2023

In the 1960s, a stone tablet from an ancient Mayan city surfaced in the art market, sparking a new search for an ancient site untouched for thousands of years. The unfortunate looting of the site as well as a dense jungle to search made this quite the undertaking. // Real History is part of the History Hit Network. [RH = “Real History”, a YouTube channel.]

1.      From the “Timeline” channel.

2.      From the “Odyssey” channel.

3.      From the “A Pincn (sic) of History” channel.

4.      From the “Unearthed History” channel.

Same documentary as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grI8aLn1dx0

But this last is a corrupt copy, being 1 hour 21 minutes long, repeating part of the initial part after 48 minutes and ending abruptly, and with a title which has little connection to the content.

48 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2zfX38lMkM

Xunantunich, Belize - El Castillo & Impressive Mayan City

28 Apr 2020

My report on the Mayan City of Xunantunich in Belize. A modern name based on a legend when the place was discovered. One of the more impressive Mayan Pyramids and a tomb of a Snake King discovered in 2016. Not much on artifacts from here. [CF = “cf-apps7865”, YouTube channel.]

6 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW0rLAX3y-c

The Maya Civilization Explained in 11 Minutes

2 Jun 2020

[Short overview of Classic Maya Civilization. CH = “Captivating History”, YouTube channel.)

11 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXLj0Duffas

Maya - Maya Writing

29 Aug 2020

Maya: The Exhibition at CMC has been extended through April 4, 2021. // Maya: The Exhibition is at Cincinnati Museum Center through Jan. 3rd, 2020, in its US debut. Featuring over 300 artifacts, some on display for the first time, this exhibit demonstrates the genius and resilience of the Maya people. The Maya also created one of the most complex writing systems of any of the Americas' indigenous peoples. Visit CMC to go in-depth and in person with the Maya! [Original title: “Maya – The Exhibition”. Nikolai Grube – the curator of this exhibition – gives a short introduction to the history of the decipherment of Maya glyphs and explains what percentage of the hieroglyphic text can be read/understood.]

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIWxJc-4Hqs

Deciphering the Maya Code

27 Apr 2012

[A very short video on Maya glyphs, with contributions by Justin Jennings, Geraldo Aldana, Elizabeth Newsome, Martha Cuevas Garcia.] [CMH = “Canadian Museum of History”, YouTube channel.]

7 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLH5sTxXxMU

Palenque - Secrets of the Ancient Maya Revealed

27 Apr 2012

[A very short video – a guided tour of Palenque, with contributions by Justin Jennings, Carlos Varela Scherrer Migel, Martha Cuevas Garcia, Roberto López Bravo.] [CMH = “Canadian Museum of History”, YouTube channel.]

7 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voY8jNcuGe8

World's Largest Pyramid Discovered, Lost Mayan City Of Mirador Guatemala

24 Oct 2009

[This is a CNN news report interviewing Richard Hansen about the discovery, in El Mirador, of La Danta, “the largest pyramid in the world, by volume”. It also reports how a frieze found in El Mirador confirms that much of the story in the Post-Classic, Colonial Era Popol Vuh goes back even to Pre-Classic times, and was not heavily influenced by the Catholicism of the Spanish Conquistadors.]

3 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9YwfTerAdA

3. The Mayans - Ruins Among the Trees

9 Apr 2020

In the tropical forests of Central America, vast stone pyramids slowly crumble beneath the trees. // In this episode, we look at that great romantic mystery: the fall of the Classic Maya Civilization. Find out how this great civilization grew up among environmental conditions that no other civilization has ever contended with, learn about the fatal flaws that lay beneath its surface, and what happened after its final, cataclysmic collapse. [Paul Cooper, YouTuber; one out of a series of 17 documentaries on the ends to ancient civilizations.]

1 hour 8 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZnihHNO3HU

Tikal - The Maya City 38 Times Bigger Than Ancient Rome

22 Jan 2026

Thousands of years ago, a sprawling metropolis larger than ancient Rome thrived in the heart of the Guatemalan jungle. This city, known as Tikal, was a masterpiece of architectural genius and scientific mastery, yet it remained hidden from the modern world for centuries. Using revolutionary LiDAR technology, experts are now revealing the true scale of this sovereign state, finding sixty thousand structures that the forest tried to claim. // The story of Tikal is one of extreme power and absolute terror. The elite rulers acted as gods among men, using advanced astronomy to predict the future while demanding public displays of loyalty that often ended in brutal sacrifice. From the dizzying heights of Temple 4 to the hidden burial chambers of the Jaguar Priest, the scale of their ambition was matched only by the intensity of their rituals. // But even a civilization this advanced could not outrun its own shadow. As resources dwindled and the climate turned hostile, the social fabric began to tear. The very systems designed to sustain millions—the massive reservoirs and stone platforms – became symbols of a failing regime. This is the story of how the most bewitching city in history rose to global dominance, only to sink into total oblivion. [Original title (02:30, 49:07): “Maya Ancient Metropolis - Tikal”. Original narration Julien Bocher (49:15). A film by Claire Denavarre & Fabrice Buysschaert (02:18, 49:10), with contributions by Arthur Demarest (04:20), Edwin Román (05:53), Liwy Grazioso (07:50, 38:57), Arthur Demarest (08:38), Nikolai Grube (13:58), Erick Ponciano (23:01). © La Famiglia.] [DV = “Documentary Vault”, YouTube channel.]

49 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IAkEQRPY8o

The Maya of Belize - The Battle for Culture, the Rainforest and Ancient Knowledge

11 Sep 2025

There are tens of thousands of Mayan descendants in Belize. They’re fighting for the survival of their traditions. Maria Garcia, for example, preserves Mayan knowledge of medicinal plants. But the rainforest where the plants grow is in danger. // It's the dry season in Belize: 40-degree heat, not a drop of rain for weeks, the rainforest is thirsty. Maria Garcia, a woman in a white traditional costume with her hair tied in a topknot, swings a smoking bowl through the trees in the rainforest, calling on the rain god in the language of her ancestors. She cultivates her indigenous culture. // A few hundred kilometers further south, Mayan farmer Marcelino Teul is worried about his maize harvest. Just like his ancestors, maize is the basis of his life: the main food and income source for him and his wife Dominga. They live far away in the forest. How will they make ends meet? // 23-year-old Frank Tzib is on the verge of a major upheaval. He dreams of researching the almost forgotten Mayan script, sharing his knowledge of it, and one day becoming a professor. A phone call from the US brings him a lot closer to fulfilling this dream.

Frank, Maria, Dominga, and Marcelino: they are all Maya in Belize. And against all odds, they’re determined to preserve the legacy of their ancestors. [Official title: “Belize: We Are Maya!”] [DWD = “DW Documentaries”, YouTube channel; DW = “Deutsche Welle”, a German public broadcast service.]

42 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfnvQ_vQZuA

The Maya - Lost Cities in the Jungle - Empire Builders

20 Aug 2021

Empire Builders - Episode 4: The Maya - Lost Cities in the Jungle - History Documentary. // In this episode of Empire Builders we explore the remarkable history of one of the world’s greatest ancient civilisations, the Maya, travelling through the remote jungles of Central America to discover the extraordinary history of the grandest and most spectacular cities inhabited by the Maya.

Same documentary as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S78e_WGD34k

Empire Builders – The Maya

50 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4daS6-gT9k

Chichen Itza - Discover the Secrets of the Ancient Maya Metropolis in Mexico

12 Dec 2023

Discover the unique maya site of Chichen Itza in the heart of Mexico and its secrets. // The Maya Civilization, known for its giant pyramids and unprecedented prowess in Math, Astronomy and engineering has baffled historians for centuries. // Today, recent archeological excavations reveal much more about how the Mayas were able to build their cities and pyramids and for what purpose. Thanks to cutting-edge technologies and detailed CGI reconstitutions, this series brings back to life this ancient civilization, their gods, and the long-lost secrets of their way of life. [ED = “Easy Documentary”, YouTube channel.] [No longer available. Perhaps replaced by ED4KD-CI, see below.]

50 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb1DIlOTZkU

Chichen Itza - Secrets of the Lost Mayan City

14 Feb 2025

Unraveling Maya mysteries, one stone at a time. // Who hasn’t dreamed of these underground realms and distant temples peopled with legends? Who hasn’t yearned for the sun to guide their steps into the heart of Mayan territory? Following the traces of mysterious Pre-Columbian cities? // TEOTIHUACAN, TIKAL, and CHICHEN ITZA… Three treasures of humanity dating back over 2,000 years. Three sprawling cities set on the arid plateaus of Mexico, amid the Maya lowlands or the dense tropical jungle of Guatemala. Three remarkable ancient cities which, over the ages, have whet the appetites of their populations and their discoverers. // Now, the latest archeological finds and cutting-edge techniques like LiDAR have uncovered links between the sites… Strong connections which, for the first time ever, reveal the truth about the Pre-Columbian world – its architectural feats, its influences, interactions, power plays, infallible cosmology, insatiable thirst for sacrifice and its war-hungry, belligerent development. // In this episode, we journey to Chichen Itza, the heart of the Maya civilization, to uncover its secrets. [Official title: Maya Ancient Metropolis - Chichen Itza (02:34). Written and directed by Fabrice Buysschaert & Claire Denavarre (02:25), with contributions by Guillermo De Anda (04:44), Nikolai Grube (08:30), Rafael Cobos (09:17), George Bey (09:31), Marco Antonio Santos (13:58), Arthur Demarest (16:52). © La Famiglia (50:09).] [ED4KD = “Easy Documentary 4K Docs”, YouTube channel.] [This channel seems to have changed its name to EDE = “Easy Documentary Explore”. It’s very puzzling, with the earlier ED-CI as well (see above).]

Same documentary as TWHD-AICI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ98vIVpKrA

Archeologists Investigate Chichen Itza - The Great Maya City of Worship and Sacrifice

11 Feb 2026

Same documentary as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGrQgrD_wVE

Chichen Itza - The Lost Engineering Secrets of the Maya

7 Mar 2026

Same documentary as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoHvOTiDCRk

Chichén Itzá: The Mystery Beneath the Stone Giant

7 May 2025

50 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUcNmeqO5xA

Tulum Uncovered - The Last Chapter of a Lost Civilization

12 Jul 2025

What secrets did the Maya take with them? Journey to the edge of their empire – and deep into the unknown. // On the cliffs of the Yucatán Peninsula stands the last inhabited Maya city: Tulum. As Coba faded and Mayapan fell, this coastal fortress held out against the tides of time and invasion – until the very end. // In this extraordinary documentary, experts decode the mysterious ruins of Tulum, uncovering how its architecture reveals the Maya’s advanced knowledge in astronomy, engineering, and sacred urban planning. With stunning 3D reconstructions and on-site exploration, we bring to life the dramatic final chapter of one of the world’s most fascinating civilizations. // What caused the Maya to retreat here? How did they survive – and why did they vanish? // From stone to symbol, Tulum holds the final whispers of a people who once ruled the jungle. [Written by Luca Poisson and Benoît Poisson, directed by Benoît Poisson. Official title: Mayas – The Secrets of the Last Cities.] [EDAH = “Easy Documentary Ancient History”, YouTube channel.]

52 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g0usnZ_0c0

Fall of the Maya Kings Trailer - Arkhaios Film Festival 2024

2 Oct 2024

Join the Florence County Museum and the Arkhaios Cultural Heritage & Archaeology Film Festival for an evening dedicated to film, archaeology, and cultural heritage, on Thursday, October 17, 5:00 to 7:00pm at the Florence County Museum in the Multipurpose Room. Tickets are free. Register using the link below. // This free event will include a reception, lecture, and screening of two short films: Fall of the Maya Kings and Curiosity Trek! Episode 4: "A Submarine Commander's Lucky Charm". // The Arkhaios Film Festival is sponsored by the SC Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA) and the Department of Anthropology of the University of South Carolina, and the Welsch Tract Historic Properties Association, in South Carolina, and in Pennsylvania by the Department of Anthropology of the University of Pittsburgh, and the Allegheny Chapter #1 of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology. [FCM = “Florence County Museum”, YouTube channel.]

1 minute

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yDY7qX_Ck8

Amazing Quest - Stories from Guatemala - Somewhere on Earth – Guatemala

27 Jan 2023

[A documentary about modern day Guatemala, with particular emphasis on the Mayan people. FD = “Free Documentary”, YouTube channel.]

52 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaKofHyZ00c

Exploring Maya Civilization for Kids - Ancient Mayan Culture Documentary for Children

5 Jun 2018

The Maya culture was one of the most powerful and longest lasting civilizations in the history of the world. For thousands of years, they dominated the Yucatán peninsula in Central America. The Maya were fierce warriors who practiced human sacrifice, but they were also scholars, writers, mathematicians, astronomers, and artists. They developed a complex and accurate calendar system, a the only true writing system in the Americas, and a base-20 number system including zero (one of only a few cultures in history to discover it!) Come learn about the Maya - the ancient builders of Mesoamerica. [FS = “Free School”, YouTube channel.]

15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO-k5Zkxs8k

Explore the Maya World - Google Arts & Culture

16 Oct 2019

Discover how the British Museum and Google Arts & Culture have teamed up on a preservation project spanning more than 150 years, from 19th-century plaster casts and glass plate photography made in the Mexican jungle to laser scanning and archive scanning at the British Museum. This project encapsulates the museum director’s vision of bringing their vast, previously inaccessible archive of ancient Maya art and language to the world. [Alfred Maudslay’s work explained by Claudia Zehrt, Jago Cooper, Chance Coughenour, Christophe Helmke, and Martha Cuevas.] [GA&C = “Google Arts & Culture”, YouTube channel.

7 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg_cZEpXBiE

Preserving Maya Heritage with The British Museum - Google Arts & Culture

29 Nov 2017

Learn alongside Dr. Jago Cooper, the Head of the Americas at the British Museum, about the Mayans and the efforts by the British Museum, the Peruvian Government, and Google Arts and Culture to conserve through cutting-edge technology their legacies. [“Peruvian” must surely be a typo for “Mexican” or “Guatemalan”. Maudslay’s casts are shown and explained, though the video addresses wider issues as well.] [GA&C = “Google Arts & Culture”, YouTube channel.]

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGrU5sXMFCE

Chichen Itza - City of Warriors

18 Oct 2024

Join Stacy Keach as he investigates the most intriguing lost cities, bizarre formations, and sacred sites. // Mysterious Places | S1 E06 | Chichen Itza: City Of Warriors. [GD = “Grapevine Documentaries”, YouTube channel.]

22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPcCMJsa42c

Exploring the Secrets of Maya Tombs and Temples

1 Nov 2024

Join Stacy Keach as he investigates the most intriguing lost cities, bizarre formations, and sacred sites. // Mysterious Places | S1 E08 | Tombs and Temples: Secrets of the Maya. [GD = “Grapevine Documentaries”, YouTube channel.]

22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1bwIVS12wA

Mexico’s Ancient Mysteries - The Majestic Mayan Cities of Chichen Itza and Uxmal

14 Dec 2024

Join Stacy Keach as he investigates the most intriguing lost cities, bizarre formations, and sacred sites. // Mysterious Places | S1 E14 | Special Edition 2: Mexico. [GD = “Grapevine Documentaries”, YouTube channel.]

22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tUq_z31O6E

The Maya Decoded - How the Maya Understood the Cosmos

17 Feb 2026

For centuries, the Maya built one of the most sophisticated civilizations of the ancient world. Across the jungles of Mesoamerica, they raised vast cities, developed advanced astronomy and mathematics, and created a complex system of writing, religion, and political power. This documentary explores the rise of Maya civilization, revealing how kings ruled through divine authority, how rituals and belief shaped everyday life, and how science and observation allowed the Maya to track time, seasons, and the movements of the heavens with astonishing precision. From monumental temples to intricate calendars, the film uncovers how the Maya organized their society and controlled their environment. By combining archaeological discoveries with modern research, this episode reveals how the Maya became one of the dominant cultures of the ancient Americas – and lays the groundwork for understanding both their achievements and the challenges that would eventually lead to their decline. [Featuring Richard Hansen and Nikolai Grube. GF = “Get.Factual”, YouTube channel. This video is also set to private, but may be viewed if accessed via the link from the “complete videos list” of the channel (search for the title).]

52 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tUq_z31O6E

Ancient Civilizations - The Mysteries of the Maya

10 Apr 2024

More than 2000 years ago the Maya built gigantic cities in the middle of the jungle of Central America. They were brilliant inventors and set standards in writing, mathematics, and astronomy. Their calendar is still considered a mathematical masterpiece today. But why did the Maya suddenly go down? This full history documentary tells the story of this unique advanced civilization. [Featuring Richard Hansen and Nikolai Grube.] [GF = “Get.Factual”, YouTube channel. This video has now been set to “Private”. It seems to have been replaced by the one above, GF-TMD.]

52 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv--JyPsEZQ

Rio Azul - Lost City of the Maya - 1/3

28 Aug 2009

Deep within the forest in northern Guatemala lie the ruins of Rio Azul, a Maya city that reached one-third the size of Tikal. Discovered and partially explored in the early 1960s. Rio Azul and the surrounding region were more fully investigated between 1983 and 1987. // Remains in the Rio Azul area date from 900 B.C. to A.D. 850. The data indicate that, unlike most Maya cities that have been studied, Rio Azul was a frontier town, an administrative center, with alternating defense and trade-outpost functions. About A.D. 385, the Rio Azul region was conquered and the city founded by Tikal, serving as a Teotihuacan-linked garrison for that capital. Nearly all of the more than seven hundred structures found within Rio Azul were erected between A.D. 390 and 530. // Acres of pavement were laid down around some thirty complexes of residences, temples, and tombs notable for the brightly painted red hieroglyphs and murals on their walls. The elaborate complexes and sumptuous artifacts suggest a city with a heavy proportion of aristocratic families and retainers. // Around A.D. 530, Rio Azul appears to have been suddenly destroyed. The city was abandoned, then reoccupied -- only to stagnate and finally collapse, like many other Classic Maya cities in the late ninth century. [Part 1 of this video (and parts 2 and 3) all refer to Rio Azul in the title and description, but there is not even a brief mention of Rio Azul. Instead, all three parts concern Dos Pilas. It seems as if there was a major mixup between these two videos, with the title and description of the former being written for the upload of the latter. The end credits of Part 3 give: writer Lynn Dougherty; narrator: Henry Stozier; consultant: George Stuart; © 1999 National Geographic Society.] [There also appears to be a problem with the audio at various points, and also a repeating of some sections of the video.] [GUATE = “guatevideo”, YouTube channel.]

15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Oxfx4AUdc

Rio Azul - Lost City of the Maya - 2/3

[See Part 1/3 above.]

17 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=522p88Ri904

Rio Azul - Lost City of the Maya - 3/3

[See Part 1/3 above.]

14 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aVFh634RoI

Maya writing - Houston Museum of Natural Science

2 Apr 2013

[Very short clip about Maya writing.]

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZScIgR6cK-o

The Maya and More - Mesoamerican Tour

VIDEO HAS BEEN MADE PRIVATE

1 Apr 2020

Explore the Hudson Museum's extraordinary Mesoamerican collections at www.umaine.edu/hudsonmuseum. Learn about the Maya and other Pre-Columbian civilizations exploring these themes: status and power, ritual and belief, and diet and foodways. [HM = “Hudson Museum”, YouTube channel.]

10 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CtvqFuG7dA

Megapolis - The Ancient World Revealed - Episode 3 - Tikal

11 Jan 2023

Megapolis - The Ancient World Revealed - Episode 3 - Tikal

Hidden away in the jungle of Guatemala, Tikal saw the light of day in the 8th century BC. Inhabited for over a thousand years, the ancient city would encompass up to 12,000 structures and 2 million inhabitants. It reveals its extraordinary temple-pyramids, made using sheer human strength. The North Acropolis, the Mundo Perdido astronomical observatory, the magnificent Temple of the Great Jaguar, and Temple IV, one of the tallest in all Mesoamerica, regain their colours of yesteryear and provide us with a unique testimonial of Maya art and ingenuity. // Athens, Alexandria, Tikal, and Rome: these legendary cities are some of the world’s most famous archaeological sites. And yet, they still have not revealed all their secrets. // Built as temples of knowledge, these extraordinary cities were the beating heart of the ancient world. How did they come up to life? What was it like to live there? How did they become such centers of learning and invention? // From the 5th century BC to the Roman Empire, this compelling documentary series will bring back to life the greatest ancient cities at the height of their powers. Combining stunning CGI reconstructions with contemporary footage of the vestiges of these sites, and with the contribution of renowned experts, this series sheds a new light on these architectural treasures and lost civilizations that laid the foundations of our modern world. [Directed by Fabrice Houlier.]

51 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zefO_bR2ZOk

Harvard’s LiDAR Just Found Valeriana - The Ancient Mayan City Larger Than London

10 Mar 2026

Did we just find a lost Mayan mega-city hiding in plain sight? In this video, we dive into the groundbreaking discovery of Valeriana, a massive ancient Maya metropolis uncovered deep in the jungles of Campeche, Mexico, using revolutionary LiDAR technology. // We explore how a PhD student accidentally stumbled upon a forgotten city featuring thousands of structures, including temple pyramids, ancient ballcourts, and complex water systems. Is it really larger than London? How did an entire civilization vanish into the jungle for over 1,000 years? And what does this mean for the future of archaeology? [HR = “History Rediscovery”, YouTube channel.]

10 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Ck8cMMVuc

The Ancient Maya - Masters of Nature

2 Apr 2023

Let's dive into the Maya world and learn how this great ancient civilization rose to greatness thanks to their ability to study and manipulate the elements of Nature, but also, how Nature, in turn, shaped its destiny. // While Fabio will take you to a journey into the Maya culture walking among the rainforest trees of Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in London, Giulio will fly to Yucatán, Mexico to explore places like Chichen Itza, the Wonder of the World, Calakmul, the ancient city of the Snake Lords lost to the jungle, and the Cenotes of the Riviera Maya. // We are the History Twins, join us and discover with us the great Maya civilisation! [HTFG = “HistoryTwins - Fabio & Giulio”, YouTube channel.]

38 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--WuD_2BijM

The forest was full of cities we couldn’t see

17 Apr 2025

LiDAR scanning is transforming our understanding of the ancient Maya by revealing thousands of hidden structures beneath the forest canopy. In areas like Tikal and Caracol, laser data has uncovered extensive networks of pyramids, roads, canals, and residential compounds, expanding estimates of Maya population and urban sprawl. The 2016 PACUNAM survey alone mapped over 2000 square kilometers and identified over 60,000 structures. While much of the region remains unscanned, the technology is already reshaping what counts as a “site” and how we interpret the scale of Maya civilization. In this Howtown video, we explain how mapping methods have evolved over time, allowing archaeologists to see and analyze ancient cities like Tikal. Even after a century of study, there was still so much to be uncovered by airborne LiDAR. It’s an incredible example of how advances in physics and engineering can supercharge other fields in ways that couldn’t have been anticipated. [An excellent introduction for the layperson to how lidar is advancing research into Maya history.] [HT = “Howtown”, YouTube channel.]

18 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMFE9exP25U

A Mayan Mystery, The Red Queen - Full Documentary

9 May 2017

The Red Queen, A Mayan Mystery - Full Documentary. [IGWW = “I Gusti Wahyu Wardana”, YouTube channel.]

1 hour 33 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_0BAID3eM4

What Did The Mayan Calendar Really Say - 2012 The Beginning - Archaeology Documentary

22 Nov 2021

December 21, 2012… This date, identified by the Maya nearly 1,400 years ago, has in recent years become the source of great curiosity and debate. Some believe it will bring catastrophic events. Others, an era of enlightenment. But what did the ancient Maya themselves believe? In 2012: The Beginning, we travel the world to examine what the Sacred Maya texts really say. [ILD = “I Love Docs”, YouTube channel.]

52 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVjXqXYP2o0

Excavations at Xunantunich 2022 for IMS

16 Aug 2022

Thanks for accessing the Institute of Maya Studies YouTube channel. In June of 2022, IMS Explorer newsletter editor Jim Reed enjoyed a Maya adventure in Western Belize. Archaeologist Dr. Jaime Awe showed him the excavations at Xunantunich. This video shows Awe describing Middle Preclassic structure excavations at one end of a ballcourt; excavations of a sweat bath; the important hieroglyphic Panels 3 & 4 uncovered in front of Structure A-9; and the tomb of a female within Structure A-9. The Panels will play an important part of the discussion at an Institute of Maya Studies’ sponsored symposium/roundtable at this year’s Maya at the Playa event on Saturday, October 1st. [IMS = “Institute for Maya Studies”, YouTube channel. Note that there are two different YouTube channels which have been given the abbreviation IMS: “Institute for Maya Studies” and “Institute for Mesoamerican Studies”. Both channels have only a handful of videos.]

31 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCp-WqrwuXY

Mayapan - Urban Life at the Last Maya Capital

27 Sep 2013

Written and Directed by Sarah Taylor. // Produced and Edited by Sloan Tash. // Creative and Writing Consultant; Marilyn Masson. // This film was made by a grant by the University at Albany - SUNY Faculty Research Award Program (2011-2013). [IMS = “Institute for Mesoamerican Studies”, YouTube channel. Note that there are two different YouTube channels which have been given the abbreviation IMS: “Institute for Maya Studies” and “Institute for Mesoamerican Studies”. Both channels have only a handful of videos.]

33 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybvb7oy_WV0

The Maya Base-20 Number System

13 Jan 2011

Examine the sophisticated base 20 system developed by the ancient Maya, which included a value for zero. [An old documentary (1960’s?), which explains the Maya dots and bars and symbol for zero, but doesn’t cover the “irregularity” of the 18 winals in a haab of the calendar system. I.e., it presents the vigesimal system “in abstraction”, while relating it to the actual Maya bars and dots.] [JB = “Jill Britton”, YouTube channel.]

10 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRvoVfrrSRE

Palenque's Maya Glyph Carver

8 Oct 2014

This video features the work of Alejandro Lazo Figueroa, Palenque's Maya Glyph Carver. Back in 1986, I attended the ground-breaking Blood of Kings Maya Art exhibition in Ft. Worth Texas. // The video also shows the Blood of Kings book by Mary Miller and the legendary Linda Schele, which was amply illustrated. I thought an incised conch shell was particularly stunning. // It depicts a smoking lord with a deer headdress and a serpent, ready to strike. I thought it would be interesting to have this image carved in limestone by a modern-day artist. // So, 20 years ago, I found Alejandro Lazo Figueroa at Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico. He was able to recreate the smoking lord in faithful detail on a limestone panel. // I returned in 2014 and found him still carving. This time he carved a set of glyphs representing part of the Palenque dynasty. [Close captioning is not enabled for this video. ] [JD = “John Daigle”, YouTube channel.]

4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heeOSwoBOjk

Maya Star War - Tikal-Calakmul War

26 Jul 2018

The Maya civilization flourished in the 5th century AD and the stone cities jutting out of the rainforest housed millions. During this incredible era the Kings, gleaming with jade and vibrant feathers marching through the jungles with thousands of their obsidian wielding warriors are about to introduce total warfare to the Maya world. Two Maya superstates, home to the Temple of the Great Jaguar Paw - Tikal, and the massive Snake Kingdom - Calakmul will collide and cycle between moments of triumph and disaster for not only themselves, but their entire world. // And no aliens. Not ancient, not modern. // The script was developed, and the video was created by our good friend Cogito. [The narrative of the Entrada and subsequent conflicts in the Classic period [05:51-14:46] is accurate, in as much as it follows the accepted interpretation. One minor inaccuracy is that the video says that Wak Chan K’awiil of Tikal was executed at Calakmul. While the battle in which Wak Chan K’awiil was defeated was largely engineered and supported by Calakmul, Wak Chan K’awiil was in fact executed in Caracol. Perhaps more distressing is the extreme mangling of Maya and Spanish names: “Motul de San” appears to be a reference to Motul de San José; even as simple a name as Rio Azul is slightly mispronounced; Maya names and Teotihuacan are distorted to a point of being unrecognizable; and Dos Pilas is rendered as “Don Pilas”! The word stelae is pronounced “stealies”, an apparent double (Latin-English) plural. A quote attributed to Michael Coe [07:26-07:46] is in fact from Maya Civilization (Charles and Linda George, 2010), p26.col1.para2. Despite these blemishes, the content of the narrative and the animation itself are rather good.] [K&G = “Kings and Generals”, YouTube channel.]

16 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK9yv5wAoY0

Rise of the Maya

12 Jul 2018

Deep in the Yucatan Peninsula lie ancient stone cities reclaimed by the jungle, where a calendar dominated lives, majestically feathered kings ruled like gods and tall stone pyramids soared above the treetops. There in those jungles stand ancient stones etched with dates and writings that tell the story of one of history’s most fascinating and dynamic civilisations. These belong to the ancient Maya. A people that made advancements in architecture, mathematics, and astronomy that we can still learn from today. // The script was developed and the video was created by our good friend Cogito. [K&G = “Kings and Generals”, YouTube channel.]

15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxwxTgFVUDE

Why did the Maya civilization collapse?

30 Aug 2018

In our final animated historical documentary on the Maya civilization we describe the reasons for its collapse, covering the societal, political, environmental reasons and the Spanish invasion of the region. By the early 8th century, the Maya civilization was at its zenith. Building and maintaining cities of such scale that future explorers hypothesized that they must have been built by lost tribes of Israel or the Phoenicians. But only 150 years later the flourishing Classic Maya civilization had crumbled, undergoing one of the most devastating social and demographic upheavals in human history. Yet the Maya wouldn’t succumb to Spanish control until 1697, nearly 200 years after the Aztecs and Inca. The great collapse and fall of the Maya are a story of change, triumph, and tragedy, where ancient thrones will be shattered but from them new powers will emerge. [K&G = “Kings and Generals”, YouTube channel.]

13 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqxGfyBPMP4

Hidden Mayan Road Network Uncovered in Yucatan Rainforest Using Laser Technology

19 Apr 2020

Incredible revelations from the Yucatan over the last few years. [Pete Kelly, YouTube channel.]

17 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvhWNGpXcd4

Palenque - The Greatest City in the Maya World?

7 Oct 2023

I had such an incredible time visiting the ancient ruins of Palenque. One of my favourite places on the planet. I simply had to share it with you. Where are your favourite archaeological sites? Let me know in the comments! [Pete Kelly, YouTube channel.]

31 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8JsgCMo-Hc

The Entire History of Ek Balam - Ancient America Documentary

29 Sep 2022

[Pete Kelly, YouTube channel.]

42 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-ivIjbC6m8

Maya - The Blood of Kings (1995)

12 May 2013

[Uploaded with reference to IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0953069/ “Maya: The Blood of Kings”, from the “Lost Civilizations” series. End credits give:

·        Consultants: Demarest, Miller, Pohl

·        Thanks: M. Coe, Delgado, Fash, Fasquelle Franco, J & B Kerr, Monroy, etc.]

Same documentary as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXmWglVLr1A

Maya - The Blood of Kings (Ancient History)

22 Mar 2023

50 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL0HYdC6dxg

Mayan Bone Plaque

27 Jul 2020

[Very short explanation of a Mayan bone plaque. “lschaefer0714”, YouTube channel.]

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkr0efiMjyE

Mayan Jade Pendant 200BC

16 Apr 2011

[Very short explanation of a Mayan jade pendant. “lschaefer0714”, YouTube channel.]

2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBdxwZWs3uA

Mayan Jade Serpent Tube Pipe

27 Jul 2020

[Very short explanation of a Mayan bone plaque. “lschaefer0714”, YouTube channel.]

3 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsQZaxHYsgM

Ancient Pyramid of Chichén Itzá Explained

19 Jun 2022

What did the ancient city of Chichen Itza look like? In this virtual tour I show you the architecture of all the civic and religious structures that conformed the great pre-Columbian city in Mexico. [MB = “Manual Bravo”, YouTube channel.]

28 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tan31UB9l5E

The Maya - Survival Strategies for a New Era

5 Apr 2026

The Maya lowlands were one of the most challenging environments on Earth to sustain large populations, yet for thousands of years the Maya adapted through innovation, resilience, and deep environmental knowledge. In this documentary, archaeologist Ken Seligson explores how curated forests, integrated agriculture, lime technology, and sophisticated water management systems allowed millions to thrive in a landscape defined by long dry seasons and scarce surface water. From early villages like Xanab Chak to booming Classic-period cities and the long transformation often mislabeled as “collapse,” the Maya story is not one of sudden disappearance but of adaptation to climate stress, social change, and environmental limits. By uncovering how the Maya lived through instability over centuries, Seligson's research offers a powerful lens for thinking about resilience, sustainability, and survival in a changing world today. // Based on the book: The Maya and Climate Change: Human-Environmental Relationships in the Classic Period Lowlands, by Kenneth Seligson. [MG = “Matt Gush”, YouTube channel.]

26 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY3-CpoLPtk

Mayan Relief Carving from Yaxchilan, Mexico

25 Feb 2022

Yaxchilan Structure 23 Lintel 24, Mayan Culture in Chiapas, Mexico, 725 AD/CE, Limestone relief carving. // Mr. Surridge explains the Yaxchilan relief carving from Chiapas Mexico, where Lord Shield Jaguar is assisting Lady Shook in her bloodletting ritual. The thorny rope passes through the tongue to release blood, as she sacrifices for the sake of her people, likely causes a state of hallucination. // For Mr. Surridge's AP Art History class at Lodi Academy. Relief carving displayed in the British Museum, London. [MS = “Martin Surridge”, YouTube channel.]

4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30zjFFHq1uw

Cradle of the Maya (Full Episode) - Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin

23 Mar 2026

Explorer Albert Lin heads deep into the Mexican jungle in search of an ancient lost city, once home to the Maya civilization that built the great pyramid city of Palenque. // Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin | S1 E1. [© 2023 National Geographic.]

44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi7dxkv7JH4

The Last Days of the Maya

12 May 2014

[The massacre at Cancuen at the end of the 700s.]

Same documentary as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-rpulHfuHs

National Geographic - Royal Maya Massacre - Full Documentary Films

15 Dec 2017

History Documentary hosted by Salvatore Vecchio, published by National Geographic in 2010 - English narration Royal Maya Massacre This National Geographic programme uses state-of-the-art archaeolo[gy]. // Sixteen skeletons - the remains of a 9th century Mayan royal family - are discovered in a mass grave, revealing a sordid tale of sex, greed, rivalry. and the final clues to one of the greatest. // Royal Maya Massacre: Sixteen skeletons, the remains of a 9th century Maya royal family, are discovered in a mass grave, revealing a sordid tale of sex, greed, rivalry and the final clues to [sentence ends abruptly]. [Double the length because the whole documentary is repeated. Approx 4 minutes out of sync, the longer version is about 4 minutes ahead – i.e. 06:00 in the short version is 10:00 in the long version.]

45 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99foDilswZA

Lost Kingdoms of the Maya

20 Mar 2012

[Original title (02:42): “Lost Kingdoms of the Maya”. Produced and directed by Christine Weber (54:26). Opens with a short segment about Stevens and Catherwood (03:21-05:55). Narrated by Susan Sarandon (03:15), with contributions by Bill Fash (06:50), Robert Sharer (09:57), David Stuart (10:38), Linda Schele (13:34), “Chip” Morris (23:28), Arlen & Diane Chase (26:14), Ricardo Agurcia (29:18), Arthur Demarest (39:28), David Stuart & Steve Houston (41:20), Diane Chase (43:27, not explicitly credited on the soundtrack at this point). © 1993 National Geographic.]

Similar documentary to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJU1218ZsoI

1 Nov 2025

Lost Kingdoms of the Maya I Dubbed in English Documentary

[Does not include credit of narration by Susan Sarandon. About 2 minutes out of sync, compared to other one. Opens with a short segment about Stevens and Catherwood (02:02-04:30). Main part has contributions by Bill Fash (05:23), Robert Sharer (08:20), David Stuart (09:01), Barbara Fash (11:24), Linda Schele (11:50), Arlen & Diane Chase (23:18), …. Some problems with the soundtrack after 24:00.]

50 minutes

58 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwihfJgRRvs

National Geographics nye dokumentar “Lost Treasures of the Maya Snake Kings”

1 Feb 2018

MAYA-FOLKET: Det hittil ganske ukjente Maya-folket blir nå oppdaget på ny i denne nye dokumentaren. Video: National Geographic [Google Translate (from Norwegian): THE MAYAN PEOPLE: The hitherto completely unknown Maya people are now rediscovered in this new documentary. Video: National Geographic.]

5 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MFKy7DJsCY

Lost World of the Maya

30 Dec 2020

The Maya - their soaring pyramids, monumental cities and mythical mastery of astronomy and mathematics have captured our imaginations and spurred generations of explorers into the jungles of Central America on a quest to understand them. Lost World of the Maya surveys their dramatic rise to prominence in the 'pre-classic era' of the Maya as well as new evidence of the collapse of their civilization in the 800-900's AD. [NG = “National Geographic”, YouTube channel.]

44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lIuz5lelYQ

Rise and Fall of the Maya - The Origins of Maya Civilization (S1 E1)

13 Sep 2025

In June 2020, scientists discover Aguada Fénix, a monumental 3,000-year-old Maya structure, and uncover the secrets of this mysterious ancient monument. // The Rise and Fall of the Maya | S1, E1. [Original title: “Rise and Fall of the Maya – Origins” (01:29). Written and directed by Claire Denavarre & Fabrice Buysschaert (43:40), narrated by Matilda Jane Kime (43:41), with contributions by Heather Hurst (02:48, 25:54, 35:40), David Stuart (02:54, 19:44, 35:52), Francisco Estrada-Belli (03:02, 20:06, 25:41), Daniela Triadan (04:08, 11:40, 21:41, 28:20, 34:19), Takeshi Inomata (05:01, 10:59, 17:50, 26:39, 37:41), Maria Belén Méndez (15:09, 15:16-15:15:55 credited only in narration, not in text), Claudia Alvarado (25:05, 26:10, 26:39), Melissa Burham (29:43, 31:49), Juan-Manuel Palomo (32:52), Virginia Arieta Baizabal (36:25).] [This documentary explores the idea that the site of Aguada Fénix isn’t Maya (but a precursor of the Maya), and that there are ties between Aguada Fénix and the Olmec site of San Lorenzo, and ties between Aguada Fénix and the (very early and definitely) Maya site of Seibal. This chain of links traces a line from the Olmecs to the Maya.] [© 2023 Pernel Media (44:01).] [NG = “National Geographic”, YouTube channel.]

44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSAJ4MhDDNg

Rise and Fall of the Maya - Unearthing an Ancient Civilization (S1 E2)

8 Nov 2025

Travel to Central America to discover how new evidence unearthed in Mexico’s Yucatan is transforming long held ideas about the growth of the Maya civilization. // The Rise and Fall of the Maya | S1, E2. [Original title: “Rise and Fall of the Maya - Civilization” (01:57). Written and directed by Claire Denavarre & Fabrice Buysschaert (43:33), narrated by Matilda Jane Kime (43:34), with contributions by Heather Hurst (03:30, 21:59, 35:00), Takeshi Inomata (03:40), David Stuart (05:39, 21:40), Evan Parker (06:09 (credited only in narration, not in text), 07:11, 16:28, 26:13), George Bey (10:01, 17:42, 25:10), Bill Ringle (13:49), Rebecca Gonzalez Lauck (20:02), Tomás Gallareta Cervera (31:45), Francisco Estrada Belli (34:46).] [© 2023 Pernel Media (44:00).] [NG = “National Geographic”, YouTube channel.]

44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KZfVGj8h38

The Rise and Fall of the Maya Why Did the Maya Abandon Their Cities? (S1 E3)

13 Dec 2025

The series of events that lead the ancient Maya to abandon many pyramid-filled cities has long puzzled archaeologists. Now, new investigations in Mexico and Guatemala are exposing surprising evidence about why these great monuments were deserted. // The Rise and Fall of the Maya | S1, E3. [Original title: “Rise and Fall of the Maya - Collapse” (01:44). Written and directed by Sylvain Pierron (43:33), narrated by Matilde Jane Kime (43:35), with contributions by Edwin Roman-Ramirez (02:41, 32:55), Arthur Demarest (04:14, 34:47), Francisco Estrada Belli (04:39), Cristina García Leal (05:08-06:28, credited only in narration, not in text), David Stuart (09:09, 30:09), David Lenz (12:06, 13:39, 15:03-17:20, 31:14), Eric Tepe (14:57), Gabriela Rivera Acosta (21:02), Marcello Canuto (22:50, 27:18), Tomas Barrientos (25:07, 27:56), Liwy Grazioso (35:18).] [© 2023 Pernel Media (44:00).] [NG = “National Geographic”, YouTube channel.]

44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BSOT0aOteQ

Rise and Fall of the Maya - Discovering New Ancient Clues (S1 E4)

12 Jan 2026

Archaeologists unearth new clues about the resurgence of the ancient Maya civilization and the devastating events that would ultimately lead them to abandon their cities for good. Investigations also reveal evidence of extreme resilience in the face of catastrophe. // The Rise and Fall of the Maya | S1, E4. [Original title: “Rise and Fall of the Maya – Resilience” (01:23). Written and directed by Sylvain Pierron (43:33), narrated by Matilde Jane Kime (43:35), with contributions by Liwy Grazioso (02:18, 13:29, 33:41, 35:15-37:26 (credited only in narration, not in text)), Hugo Ivan Sancjez Tun (02:25, 31:59), Sam Meacham (03:43), Dominique Rissolo (04:33), Octavio Juarez (07:06), Martin Medina Elizalde (10:01, 19:14), Marilyn Masson (13:11, 27:08, 33:03), Carlos Peraza Lope (14:13, 29:42), Bradley Russel (15:25, 21:00, 31:14), Alessandro Reato (21;10), Eunice Uc (21:32), Arthur Demarest (27:13, 33:25), Baltazar Brito Guadarrama (38:01-40:14), Lucas Asicona Ramírez (40:32, 40:51, credited as Don Luca[s] only in narration, not in text), Victor Castillo (41:07-42:01), Jose David Canme Cnan (42:48)] [© 2023 Pernel Media (44:00).] [NG = “National Geographic”, YouTube channel.]

44 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwuUyrEBdbs

The Tombs of El Mirador

12 Aug 2009

Before he became Mel Gibson's lead consultant on the movie Apocalypto, Richard Hansen spent decades exploring the ruins of the ancient Maya. Now, he excavates a tomb at the city of El Mirador. [NG = “National Geographic”, YouTube channel.]

3 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5gXumE4uAg

Mystery of the Maya

11 May 2014

[A documentary about Copan, with contributions by Bill Fash and Linda Schele.] [NGC = “National Geographic Creative”, YouTube channel.]

25 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVMt-_11CFI

Dawn of the Maya Documentary

4 Apr 2012

Dawn of the Maya Documentary [YouTube channel Blurallis. © 2003 NGT&F = “National Geographic Television and Film”.]

53 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgeXOUPy_Mw

National Geographic Documentary - The Maya - The Lost Civilization - Documentary 2015

4 Jul 2015

[A NOVA documentary “Cracking the Maya Code” (0:02:40), written by David Lebrun (0:05:08) based on Michael Coe’s book and with him as major interviewee. The YouTube title attributes it to National Geographic but the video itself says it's a NOVA production in association with Night Fire Films and ARTE France, © 2008 WGBH Educational Foundation.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QMoK58VBo4

Cracking the Maya Code (El código maya) PBS Nova 360 x 488

3 Apr 2020

Documentary about the history of the decipherment of ancient Maya writing.

52 / 56 minutes

https://www.nytimes.com/video/science/1194817103486/decoding-maya-glyphs.html

Science - Decoding Maya Glyphs

15 May 2006

Maya enthusiasts and researchers learn the rudiments of Maya hieroglyphics at annual workshops at the University of Texas at Austin. (Producer: Craig Duff). [New York Times news item. David Stuart and Peter Mathews featured, explaining the Maya script and its decipherment. Date shown in video itself is 16 May 2006.]

4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT2LcKKMI1w

Ancient Metropolis - The True Scale Of Mayan Cities

30 Nov 2023

Hidden by dense undergrowth, the true size of ancient Mayan cities has been poorly understood up until now. Join a group of scientists and archaeologists at the cutting edge of the field as they reveal the true size of these ancient mega-cities. [Official title (02:02): “Lost Tombs of the Ancient Maya”. Narrated by Priyanga Burford (47:01), directed by Takumi Hisaizumi (47:16), with contributions by David Sedat (02:49), Seiichi Nakamura (04:50, 24:59, 39:08), Rodrigo Liendo (08:02), René Viel (13:54), Panos Kratimenos (14:49), Edwin Román (31:24), Takeshi Nakagawa (37:35), Mary Lou Ridinger (39:12).] [© 2021 Windfall Films Ltd.] [Text of end credits (47:01) identical to TWHD-HDT2YODCSC and TWHD-ItLTToAM; all three documentariess have the same style, some shared footage, and many of the same contributors, but content (and order of presentation) is different.]

48 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6MbUaiSi8M

Mayan Empire - The History Of An Ancient Civilization

30 Mar 2026

Deep within the impenetrable jungles of Guatemala lies Tikal, a sprawling ancient metropolis that once rivaled the size of modern-day cities. This documentary explores the breathtaking engineering of the Maya, from their 70-meter-high "mountain" temples to the revolutionary LiDAR technology currently unearthing 60,000 previously hidden structures. Discover how a civilization without metal tools or beasts of burden mastered astronomy, hydraulic engineering, and massive urban planning, only to mysteriously abandon their limestone empire to the forest. We delve into the bloody rituals of the Jaguar Priests, the fierce wars with rival dynasties, and the catastrophic ecological collapse that silenced one of the greatest civilizations in human history. [Written and directed by Claire Denavarre & Fabrice Buysschaert, with contributions by Arthur Demarest, Edwin Román, Liwy Grazioso, Nikolai Grube, Erick Ponciano. © La Famiglia.] [OAHD = “Odyssey - Ancient History Documentaries”, YouTube channel.]

Same documentary as TWHD-AIT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syTtGht08lI

Archeologists Investigate Tikal - The Crown Jewel of the Maya Civilization

25 Feb 2026

49 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NngrugRgh4

The Bloodthirsty Deities of the Ancient Mayans - The Lost Gods - Odyssey

6 Apr 2021

The Maya believed that they had a debt to the gods that could only be paid with sacrifice. [OAHD = “Odyssey - Ancient History Documentaries”, YouTube channel.]

Same documentary as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSpbLSmSBUo

The Wonders Of The Ancient Maya Civilization - Lost Gods - Parable

16 Oct 2020

The canopy of the tropical rainforest of Guatemala conceals an ancient civilization. Two thousand years before the Christian era, wandering tribes of hunter-gathers cut the limestone beneath the trees for breathtaking buildings. They would be compared to the Greeks for their science, to the Romans for their paved roads, to the Egyptians for their pyramids. Masters of the written word, art, and architecture. They were the Maya. [“Parable”, YouTube Religious History Documentaries channel.]

24 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uC0sKvaV9E

Uncovering the Mysteries of the Maya Calendar

28 Dec 2022

The Maya calendar gripped the world in 2012 but has since faded into the cultural shadows. What is the history behind this system and does is hold a greater meaning? [OAHD = “Odyssey - Ancient History Documentaries”, YouTube channel.]

1 hour 22 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zBZT6MzLdo

Rainforests of the Maya

4 Aug 2021

"Rainforests of the Maya" explores the monumental, ingenious, and mysterious world of the great Maya civilization, the remnants of which still rise from the landscape of the Yucatan Peninsula and Northern Central America. // But the Maya were not only prolific builders, engineers, and astronomers, they were also master gardeners and agricultural pioneers. They relied on the rich bounties of the tropical rainforests they inhabited. These are some of the most biodiverse jungles on Earth. The Maya tended those forest, shaping the landscape for generations to come. [OE = “Odyssey Earth”, YouTube channel.]

37 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l7y7Wvha-o

Uncovering the Mysteries of the Mayans

10 Feb 2022

Arthur C Clarke delves into the mysterious ancient civilisations of the Maya. // Very few civilisations have left such spectacular remains as the ancient Maya who flourished on the Yucatan Peninsula in Central America more than one thousand years ago. The romantic ruined cities of Copan, Palenque, Tikal, and Chichen Itza, when first reclaimed from the depths of the jungle by intrepid archaeologists, baffled all investigating experts. // This film was first broadcast: 1996. [OH = “Our History”, YouTube channel.]

25 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nn75Km0rEE

Tayel Chan K'inich - English

13 Dec 2017

Tayel Chan K’ihnich, Holy Lord of the Ik’ Kingdom. // Mayan Vessel: Throne Scene, 8th century. Ceramic, slip, pigment. [Pangea = YouTube channel.]

1 minute

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev_wi0g0lCY

Off the Tourist Trail - Meeting K’iche Mayans of Guatemala

25 May 2022

A lot of tourists stay in the resort areas of Lake Atitlan while getting drunk and partying all week. But what about the Mayan villages? What's there? What is lifelike in these untouched Mayan villages? I went on a quest to hear the Mayan language of K'iche in the villages and came out with much more.... [PD = “Paul Dilla”, YouTube channel.]

27 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlvMwjRL7YY

Teotihuacan History - City Planning & the Fresco Murals of the Great Goddess & Tlalocan Explained

13 Jun 2021

Teotihuacan was one of the greatest cities in Mesoamerica. // Reigning from approximately 100 B.C.E., it was largely abandoned in the 7th Century. It is located about 28 miles north of modern-day Mexico City.

And it was Visually stunning…. it was absolutely incredible and covered in color… // You may know the city as “the City of Gods,” but David Carrasco translates it as “Place where one becomes deified.” // This brief 14:00-minute lecture explains the city planning and several of the most famous murals at Teotihuacan. [PEHotA = “Professor Estrada, History of the Americas”, YouTube channel.]

14 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vWdFmQfduk

The Maya Murals of Bonampak, Mexico - Art History Fully Explained

18 Aug 2024

These are the incredible murals of Bonampak. They're among the finest and best-preserved Maya paintings in all of Mesoamerica. They teach us about Maya art, rituals, and especially Maya music. // Located in the beautiful Southern Mexican jungle, Bonampak is in the current state of Chiapas. // The Bonampak acropolis has 9 small temples. A building known as Structure 1 is where the 3 incredible murals are painted. The Maya murals have 270 figures on 1,615 square feet. Nearly 30 pigments were used. The word Bonampak is a contemporary Mayan word that means, "painted walls," and the Maya painted these master pieces in 791 AD, more than 1,230 years ago. // This documentary lecture will fully explain the 360-degree mural in Room 1. // Thanks to Mary Miller, Heather Hurst, and Leonard Ashby for their research and many of the amazing recreations seen here. // Narrators: Professor Estrada and Teresa Escobar. [PEHotA = “Professor Estrada, History of the Americas”, YouTube channel.]

15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOEQNo5m4rg

The Popol Vuh - Mayan Creation Myth Animated - Full Version

20 Jul 2015

The Popol Vuh is a sacred text of the Quiche Maya, from the area now known as Guatemala. It is considered one of the most important pieces of mythology from the culture. This video is a 1 hour long animated version. [PH = “Phil Harris”, YouTube channel.]

1 hour 0 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBSpuDtUqeM

Secrets of the Maya Temple (1959)

12 Feb 2013

[Very little information given in the “Description” box. This is a contemporary documentary (1950’s) on the discovery of Pakal the Great’s tomb by Ruz Lhuillier.] [PM = “Penn Museum”, YouTube channel.]

23 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIYl5LiXjYQ

The Chama Conservation Project