The Murals of Calakmul

The first Mayan cities appeared 3,500 years ago. On the coast of the Pacific Ocean. In some of them, such as Paso de la Amada or La Blanca, there were large platforms and walkways where crowds of people congregated. The pottery in those ritual spaces reveals the use of gigantic containers to keep tamales warm and huge orange clay pots for atole. Here is a little stroll around The Murals of Calakmul.

On the ritual platforms, the Maya drank and listened to the voice of the ruler. They were “The Times of the Power of the Word”. Indeed, the word transformed the world and made it human. In the Mayan World the word meant Power. For that reason, the equivalent to king was called “Ahau” and derives from “Ahuat” which means he who determines or he who shouts.

The Murals of Calakmul: Word and power

We can appreciate the practical sense of those enormous platforms. Here, diverse social strata of the Maya people communed and recreated themselves drinking atole. Or eating tamales and listening to “the one who determines”. In the beginnings of the Maya Civilization, the Sacred Drink and the Power were united in the government. For the historical Maya the word was also a link with their divine entities.

The Murals

The Calakmul Murals are in an “andador” in front of an enormous plaza known as the North Acropolis. Here, merchandise, uses and customs circulated. It was a space where individuals of different social classes coincided and, like their ancestors of Paso de la Amada or La Blanca, the inhabitants of Calakmul gathered around the platforms to drink “hot atoles.” Indeed, this gastronomic practice is still present and rooted in some communities and Mexican cities where it is a custom to consume “hot atole with tamales” in the street or in the plazas.

The Murals of Calakmul: The Lady Sky of the North

In the scene there are four people and nine hieroglyphs. Indeed, three enormous hieroglyphs are at the top, four behind the lady dressed in a translucent turquoise blue tunic and another two, above the cup that the man drinking from the vessel sitting behind the lady holds. She is carrying the enormous pot on her head.