We started off our third week running! With a quick trip to Guatemala City to visit the Popol Vuh Museum on the Francisco Marroquin University campus, we very quickly understood the reality of how modern progress has contributed to the destruction of Maya history. The majority of the collection was “donated by a man named Castillo who went out to the site of Kaminaljuyu as it was being cleared to construct Guatemala City, and paid the construction workers to save the artifacts and sculptures from destruction.”
The very next day we visited the late Postclassic Iximche Archaeological Park, our first ancient Maya site! As someone studying the architecture constructed by the Maya, I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the various aspects of ancient Maya civilizations. From walking on top of the walls of the former palace, to climbing into the ball court, to picturing the types of rituals done at the altars of temples, Iximche provided a great introduction of what to look for and imagine while exploring these sites.
Everyday is an adventure, with new information to learn and experiences to have!
– Catherine Davis