A major Mayan cultural exhibition opened Thursday at Medellin’s Parque Explora that aims to connect the Colombian people to their heritage with an array of ancient artefacts and artwork.
Among the objects on show is the wonderfully preserved sacrificial stone “Chac Mol,” which is thought to date from as long as 1,500 years ago.
Parque Explora’s resident anthropologist Juan Felipe Aramburo expressed his hope that the new exhibition would open minds and connect the people of Medellin to their historical “patrimony.” The Mayas were “prophetical,” he says, dealing with “important existential questions.”
The exhibition offers insights into the culture of the Mayas, famous for their advanced knowledge of astronomy, writing and measurement of time.
The exhibition attempts to explain the pre-Colombian people’s advanced systems of knowledge, as well as putting their works of art on display. Installations deal with the Maya’s complex calendars, glyphic writing system and mathematical advancements
Interesting touches include a comparative timeline of different prophets’ predictions for the end of the world and an interactive map of Mayan excavation sites, which Felipe assured Colombia Reports would be “very cool.”
The exhibition will run until July 15 and is suitable for visitors of all ages. Entrance will be free for those with a paid entry to the park’s complex. Tickets for just the exhibition are priced at $10,000COP ($5). For more information visit the park’s official website.
Photos by Julian Castro
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