Mayan art

The Mayans created their works of art with the help of wooden and stone tools, they began to use iron only in the 11th century AD , but the Spanish conquest prevented the spread of metal tools among the Mayans ^[1] .

In each Mayan kingdom, there were peculiar regional schools. These schools created the style and traditions of art in their kingdom, which were to be followed ^[2] .

Mayan art reflected ideas about the power and significance of man. Many works of art tried to convey the features of real life, sought living images. Fine art was used by the Mayan elite as an ideological weapon. Most of the works praised the power and greatness of kings and elites, argued that Mayan deities have unlimited power ^[1] . Mayan kings were portrayed following certain rules that were aimed at their exaltation ^[2] .

Mayan art became dominant in the classical period ^[3] .

A huge number of Mayan works of art were destroyed by the Spaniards after the conquest of Mexico by Hernan Cortes . However, Mayan art has had a great influence on contemporary Mexican , Honduran, and Guatemalan art. The Spanish buildings were erected mainly by Indians who remembered the architecture and sculpture of their ancestors. Mayan traditions have been passed down from generation to generation by the Indians. However, the Mayan art was forgotten, interest in it appeared only after the discovery of the frescoes of Bonampak and Teotihuacan ^[4] .

The Influence of Other Peoples

In the early period of the development of Mayan art ^{[5], the} northern and central areas of Maya were influenced by the Olmec culture, however, this influence was weak ^[6] . In particular, at that time, under the influence of the Olmec culture, the Mayans created round sculptures ^[5] .

The southern Mayan regions were strongly influenced by the Teotihuacan culture, and the influence was very strong. Perhaps some southern Mayan kings were originally from Teotihuacan, or Teotihuacan possessed economic, political, and ideological dominion over southern Mayans ^[6] .

In the postclassical period ( XI – XII centuries AD ^[7] ), Mayan art was partially (primarily in Chichen Itza and Mayapan ) under the influence of the Toltec conquered Maya ^[5] . In particular, in the Mayan city of Chichen Itza, the Toltecs built buildings with their own architecture ^[7] .

Influence of geographical features of the area

The geographical environment also influenced Mayan art. The number of possibilities of the artist depended on her, as well as his inspiration. In addition, the features of certain areas influenced the nature of art. For example, in the north of the Yucatan peninsula on the Mayan monuments there were a huge number of masks of the rain god Chaak . The reason for this was the small amount of water in the area ^[8] .

Architecture

Mayan architecture was distinguished by arches , internal arches , symmetrical and regular figures, as well as a stylized exterior decoration ^[7] .

Painting

The main purpose of Mayan painting was decoration, however, in addition, painting also had a certain historical and religious meaning ^[9] . Maya paintings were found in Vashaktun , Bonampak and Palenque ^[10] .

Music

Mayan music was closely associated with their songs, as well as with religion. Music covered various parts of Maya life. There were special gods in charge of music. As instruments used whistles, drums of various kinds, as well as reed or wooden pipes. Rattles and rattles were also used. in addition, Maya had its own special unique musical instrument, now used in Cuban folk orchestras ^[11] .

Due to their connection with religion, Mayan music was banned and punished by conquistadors ^[11] .

Songs

Theater

Sculpture

Relatively many Mayan sculpture monuments survived, despite the aggression of the Catholic Church ^[12] .

The main theme of Mayan sculpture was the image of the gods, kings and priests. Their images were as idealized as possible. Images of ordinary people, on the contrary, were emphasized humiliated ^[13] .

Maya sculpture combined stylized and relief figures . Maya often used their sculptures to decorate buildings, in particular, an example of this is the pyramid in Chichen Itza ^[3] .

Weaving

• Neo-Mayan style

• Kinzhalov, Rostislav Vasilievich . The art of the ancient Mayans . - L .: Art , 1968.
• Team of authors. New large illustrated encyclopedic dictionary. - M .: AST : Astrel , 2004 .-- 1200 s. - 5,000 copies.
• Rus Luillier, Alberto . Mayan Art // Mayan People / Translated from Spanish by E. G. Alexandrenkov, Scientific Editor and Preface Author V. I. Gulyaev. - M .: Thought, 1986. - 286 p.
• Sodi, Demetrio. Maya // Great cultures of Mesoamerica. - M .: Knowledge , 1985 .-- 208 p.
• Kinzhalov, Rostislav Vasilievich . Ancient Mayan culture . - L .: Science , 1971.