Rivers, Royalty and the Maya

New research being conducted at the important "river cities" of the ancient Maya civilization will be the focus of the 7th annual Tulane Maya Symposium and Workshop that opens on Friday (Feb. 26).

New research under way at the important river cities of the Maya is the focus of the 7th annual Tulane Maya Symposium and Workshop.

From workshops for kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, to a lecture at the New Orleans Museum of Art, to presentations from Maya experts from across the nation, the events will center on the theme, "Great River Cities of the Ancient Maya."

The Middle American Research Institute and the Stone Center for Latin American Studies are presenting the symposium and workshop, with new MARI director Marcello A. Canuto organizing the program.

The keynote event is a talk on "River Royalty: Kings and Queens of Waka, An Ancient Maya Dynasty" by David Freidel of the University of Washington–St. Louis, to be held at the New Orleans Museum of Art on Friday at 6 p.m. Following the lecture will be a tour of Precolumbian art from the museum's and MARI's collections.

Earlier on Friday, the program begins with the teachers' workshop at Jones Hall on the uptown campus, featuring talks on "Introducing the Ancient Maya to the Classroom" and "Rivers and Water in the Classic Maya World."

The Maya Symposium on Saturday (Feb. 27) will incorporate academic specialties such as epigraphy, archaeology and art history to explore current research on the lowland Maya civilizations.

On Sunday (Feb. 28), experts in ancient Maya hieroglyphic writing will conduct workshops to explore carved and painted texts that depict the history of Maya river cities as well as the religious significance of water.

Registration is available online with fees ranging from $150 for regular participants, $95 for educators, $50 for non-US citizens and $40 for students. For additional information, contact Kathleen Lawton or call 504-865-5110.