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INAH |
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Mexican Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History
known as INAH for its Spanish abbreviation) is the federal government bureau established in 1939 to
guarantee the research, preservation, protection, and promotion of the prehistoric, archaeological,
anthropological, historical, and paleontological heritage of Mexico.
This bureau is responsible for the over 110 thousand historical monuments, built between the 16th
and 19th centuries, and for 29 thousand archaeological zones found all over the country, although is it
estimated there must be 200 thousand sites with archaeological remains. Of these 29,000, 150 are
open to the public.
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 CHIAPAS MAYA RUIN SITE PICTURES
Click on images to enlarge.
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PALENQUE
These pictures were taken in July and September and only cover a fraction of what is at Palenque ruins. You can easily spend a day there and it is an excellent place to meditate. In the off season on some days it can get quiet.
During the heavy traffic season [summer] it can get busy but sitting high atop one of the temples and closing ones eyes and letting your ears take over can be an interesting experience. You see the visual manifestations have obviously aged however listening to the monkeys while the workmen are pounding rocks along with the crowd chatter and children playing in the background is timeless.
BONAMPAK
Bonampak is not a large site at all. What has made it popular is a group of murals, which are in relatively good condition.
These paintings have apparently not been reworked and lay as-is. You are prohibited to photograph the paintings which all exist in a single construction. There is a stele in front of the building and another grouping of temples near by.
YAXCHILAN
These images were taken just after sunrise in April. We departed for the site up the river in the dark while the sun rose. Yaxchilan is simply beautiful and during this time of the year you can also swim in the river after your tour of the site. Yaxchilan has many passageways and chambers, which are difficult to photograph. The grounds are kept immaculate and there is a strict no smoking policy on the entire site.
There is no place to purchase film or batteries here.
TONINA
These photographs were taken early in the morning as the clouds rolled in.
Tonina ruins lay on the side of a large hill. Many of the pictures are taken from on top of the hill-ruins facing out and away.
It is hard to photograph Tonina. It is one large complex spread out along the side of the hill. There is also a ballcourt and some smaller temples in front of the main complex. The site has some nice stucco carving which are original.
NOTE: If you plan on visiting Tonina we recommend you take a wide angle lense.
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Once there was a live person and a dead person. And the dead person said to the live person:
"My, I envy your restlessness."
And then the live person said to the dead person:
"My, I envy your tranquility."
And there they were, envying each other, when suddenly, a bean-brown horse went by at a full gallop.
Calendar Round
1 kin = 1 day
1 tun = 20 kins
1 uinal = 18 tun
1 katun = 20 uinals
1 batun = 20 katans
The numbers in the 600s are very envious. For example, one afternoon I just happened to overhear a discussion between 609, 665 and 637. The subject, as usual was 616.
"He's so spoiled!" 609 said angrily, who can't forgive 616 because he always follows him about.
"He's hateful!" 637 almost screamed, who's jealous of 616 because he's always in front of him.
"Intolerable!" argued 665, who finds 616's symmetrical proportions hard to endure.
"We must get rid of him!" brayed 687, who can't stand the fact that 616 totals up to the mysterious 13 when you add his digits together.
These particular 600s conspired against 616 (the other 600s were too busy keeping their places in the tale of the sea to participate in this tale), and they took number 616 prisoner and banished him to the land of the 700s.
That's why when the sea counts seahorses to fall asleep, when she gets to 615, she becomes confused and can't go on. Then she falls quickly to sleep.
And number 616? He was detected almost immediately by the repressive forces of the 700s. He was accused of being a destabilizing, incompatible force and condemned to divide himself 88 times until he reached his origin of seven.
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