Mayan Art Megathread

Tenochtitlan

Yup, definitely Aztec, not Mayan...

That being said, its probably the most widely known and reproduced-in-miniature-form pre-Columbian city that I have found on the internet. Found some interesting pics, but there are tons more on pinterest that have both professionally done models and some even done for wargames.





I really like how the little houses are built; they would be easily reproduced on a gaming table! Also the water effects are pretty cool, I love the waves on the previous pic.

Spoiler: more pics

Also some maps of the city, for reference. Kinda wish I had looked at some of these pics for reference before I made my temple city in 3D because of the way the city is laid out in the waters of lake Mexico.

Spoiler: Maps of Tenchtitlan

Really like this big old map, even though the perspective on these old maps isn't up to later standards, its an amazing and detailed work of art!

 

Hahaha that takes me back I made a replica of that in elementary school granted it was popsicle sticks and was badly painted but hey it was 3rd grade and I'm happy to say I got an A....I need to ask my mom of she still has a pic of it....

 

Stelae from Copan, very clear and beautiful picture. Amazing the level of detail that went into these carvings, considering the stone age tools they worked with.

 

Copan's sister city and rival Quiringua is also known for its many stelae. Not quite as fanciful or experimental in 3D carving as Copan, but still pretty amazing.





There is a good chance that during one of the wars between the cities Quiringua stole a few of the master carvers from Copan...

Spoiler: more pics

Quiringua is also known for using elaborate full-glyphs on many of their monuments to depict words and place names. Not sure what the picture below represents, but it really brings home just how complicated the mayan written language could be.

Spoiler: full glyphs

 

Tulum

Saw this picture online, it is a large photo but a gorgeous aerial view of a Mayan ruin I have actually visited! Amazing place with a beautiful beach, even if it is a bit crowded during the peak seasons. Definitely recommend it.

Spoiler: Tulum

Some pics I took when I was there.

 

Sounds like a pretty good vacation!

 

It was about two years ago now, and it was pretty awesome! First time to see some actual Mayan ruins. Goal is to see some more this year.

 

Tikal

Another few aerial and temple shots; one of the largest Mayan cities.



Lifetime goal: go to this place someday and determine if they still keep x-wings inside the temples...

Spoiler: Tikal

And a few more pics from Yavin IV:

 

Calakmul

The Snake Kingdom, great rival of Tikal. Got a single, massive temple-complex that has been excavated and cleared of jungle growth, but the rest of its temples are still covered in jungle.

Spoiler: Calakmul

View from the top! Can see for miles away. Want to go here someday too!




View from the bottom of the temple:

Also like most Mayan sites nowadays they have a museum that goes along with the ruins, with plenty of artifacts and other stuff, looks like some interesting stucco-reliefs that they have recreated too.

Spoiler: Calakmul Museum

 

Another great picture of Tulum from the air.

 

Palenque

Love the aerial shot, you can really see the palace from this angle. Also just how greened-over most of the structures really are. And I love the fact that only the largest temples have been uncovered at this site; hundreds more smaller structures dot the mountainside under the jungle canopy that have yet to be uncovered.



Temple of the Sun

Spoiler: Palenque

high-def color version off deviant art! Makes the temples look extra mysterious...


Also here is a video gam version; not sure what game this is in but I want to play it. You can clearly see the tower and the temple of inscriptions up on the hill (though I don't think its that high in real life)


Tower of Palenque- no other structure is quite like it.

 

One thing the Mayans liked to do was make portraits of the political prisoners they captured in battle. Here are a few from Palenque:

Spoiler: Palenque Prisoners

Also a face, carved inside the Palenque palace I believe, pretty sure supposed to be one of their kings, probably Pacal.

 

More artfully designed Mayan vases.


by "Ax Chal" I think, from the Naranjo area.

Spoiler: Mayan pottery art

Bat vase:


the Chamal Vase, showing a black-skinned shaman


Vision snake:

 

Some old photographs taken my Mayan enthusiast Alfred Maudslay, some of the first actual photographs of many of these monuments.

Stelae K at Quiringua




Maudslay at Palenque (the pic said chichen itza, but its definitely the arched-roof of one of the Palenque temples).

Spoiler: Mayan photos

British Museum pic


Stucco work at Copan


Quiringua Zoomorph (zoomorph being the term for a giant rock carved in the form of a stelae on all sides, but still a giant rock. Often in the shape fantastic animal-creature, like a crocodile or tortoise).


Stelae H at Copan


Stelae A at Quiringua


Maudslay, also at Palenque, long before the Tower got refurbished in the modern era. Still has all the old forest growth surrounding the ruins.


Another zoomorph




This last one isn't actually Maudslay, but its stucco work at Copan. George Gordon, explored Honduras and the Mayan area a few years after Maudslay.

 

some Mayan warriors, mostly from costume performers down in Yucatan, like at the Xcaret. Helps give me inspiration for future skink priest ideas.



Would love a skink priest with a headdress like that.

Spoiler: mayan warriors

from Apocalypto:


Impersonating a Coral Snake; could be a skink scale-pattern too:




Mayan Canoe:

 

Also some artwork to go with the previous pictures; plus some Aztec stuff.

Spoiler

Xipe Totec (Aztec Warrior God)


Pacal the Great of Palenque, from the Civilization 5 computer game. Definitely looks more like the Tikal Temple of the Jaguars though.





Montezuma, emperor of the Aztecs, also from Civ 5.

 

This is a great thread! I came to Lizardmen for the same reason. Love that Mayan/Aztec look. I actually posted a collection of photos I took in Mexico City to my blog site for my own reference. Most are taken inside the main cultural museum. Feel free to peruse and steal!

 

@Deet That is fantastic! One of my life goals is to go to the museums in Mexico City someday. They have some of the largest collections of Mayan artifacts in the world, and some of the most famous pieces are there! Plus it is the city of THE Aztec city.

I especially enjoyed these pics

the Aztec Calendar



And I have actually posted pictures of this one before, Tikal Stelae 31, on the previous page of this thread. One of my favorite stelae. Your picture was way clearer than the one I found on the internet! Amazing and beautiful amount of detail

Spoiler: Tikal Stelae

Thanks for the added inspiration; I would love to see more pics of your projects/work on the Lizardmen over in the paint section sometime!

 

cool stock photo: