(INAH) National Institute of Anthropology and History
The three thousand pieces of the pre-Hispanic site of Chiapas was restored, packaged and newly cataloged by the INAH specialists.
The work is a part of the Archaeological Zone Management Actions Plan and most of the objects date from 550 to 750 AD.
Three thousand pre-Hispanic objects, product of explorations made in the first half of the previous century in Palenque, Chiapas archaeological site, have become the entity of a reorganization which suggests their restoration, cataloging, packaging and also transferring to a completely new storage place that will fulfill the optimal conditions for their conservation.
Encompassed in the Management Plan of the Archeological Site, the work which is developed by specialists from INAH will include in the first stage, the new organization of the pieces, from which fifteen hundred pieces have been completely restored and also relisted.
THE PROJECT FOR REORGANIZATION
Mostly, the objects were Mayan and dating from 550 to 750 AD which were found during the 1950's through explorations by Alberto Ruz Lhuillier and excavations made by Franz Blom and Miguel Angel Fernandez in the decades of 20 and 30 respectively.
Being a part of the reorganization, the new catalog of ancient objects is kept in a digital database which will facilitate its consultation when investigating; the database will have a drawing of the pieces and photographic material and a description file and documentary references.
As stated by the Martha Cuevas, the archaeologist, the director of the Archaeological Collections project at the site, Palenque "has a lengthy history of archaeological research and also other disciplines, as a result the interest in having all of these data obtained in a text, with the materials captured, drawn and, as far as possible, employing three-dimensional scanning."
In this connection, INAH foresees the publication of a compilation of reports that concentrate on all data from the scans (for every building) constructed in Palenque, from colonial eras up to now.
"Our interest is, similarly, to get a printed edition; alternatively, depend on the digitized information so that specialists could have entry to it through the Internet. Various specialists might be enthusiastic about a number of collections in particular and also go straight to the Site Museum and also storages, however with former understanding of their location.
"The project is deemed ambitious.", Cuevas said, this because it is creating regulations for the different archaeological as well as conservation endeavors that happen in Palenque, in the sense of setting up a nomenclature for the control of the parts that happen to be found along with their quick transmission to collection catalog.
One other benefit of this revitalization of the Palenque collections is to aid the restructuring of the Museum Site, that enables the reconstruction of museology along with the incorporation of completely new parts.
The establishment of conservation programs, both objects and monuments that are in buildings is also included in this updating scheme.
"Within this endeavor, we plan to make a record employing a three-dimensional scanner of the stucco as well as stone boards which are safeguarded in situ, in pre-Hispanic constructions. The record is going to be utilized for overseeing the condition, and also give precise data on the ancient monuments, which are the grounds for additional study," said Martha Cuevas.
STATEMENTS FROM OTHER SPECIALISTS
On the other hand, archaeologist Jose Luis Cruz, another contributor of this program for the handling of the Palenque archaeological collections; he said that approximately 3,000 objects, which commenced this project were obtained mostly from the Temple of Inscriptions and the Palace Complex.
"The items were mostly obtained from those two places. We try to keep the archaeological goods at their original location; there are actually various other materials which come from the Group of the Cross, and a great part from glyptic cartridges, from Temple XVIII, in the lower area of the long lost Mayan city."
ABOUT THE PIECES
It was in the old cellar of the Palenque Site Museum that the pieces were sheltered for years. The 1st step in maintaining them is through sorting by source and decoration type; most ornaments that were previously attached to buildings include created stucco which represents gods, anthropomorphic faces plus geometric designs.
After that comes their cleaning, consolidation and their patching when required. So starts the process of documentation through marking the item with an individual number, and lastly item packaging.
In regards to the entry of the collections in a digital data base, Jose Luis Cruz revealed that, with the associated parts by their iconography and with regards to archaeological information, they are going to present sometime soon, a 3D model that is certain to aid formal analysis performing, while not having to manipulate the pieces.
"The idea aims to better the order the archaeological objects so as to make them searchable and thereby conduct and generate further research for the bachelor, masters as well as a doctoral thesis. More study still needs to be done although the research on a comprehensive study of an archaeological site project has been prolific.", the specialist stated.
The three thousand pieces of the pre-Hispanic site of Chiapas was restored, packaged and newly cataloged by the INAH specialists.
The work is a part of the Archaeological Zone Management Actions Plan and most of the objects date from 550 to 750 AD.
Three thousand pre-Hispanic objects, product of explorations made in the first half of the previous century in Palenque, Chiapas archaeological site, have become the entity of a reorganization which suggests their restoration, cataloging, packaging and also transferring to a completely new storage place that will fulfill the optimal conditions for their conservation.
Encompassed in the Management Plan of the Archeological Site, the work which is developed by specialists from INAH will include in the first stage, the new organization of the pieces, from which fifteen hundred pieces have been completely restored and also relisted.
THE PROJECT FOR REORGANIZATION
Mostly, the objects were Mayan and dating from 550 to 750 AD which were found during the 1950's through explorations by Alberto Ruz Lhuillier and excavations made by Franz Blom and Miguel Angel Fernandez in the decades of 20 and 30 respectively.
Being a part of the reorganization, the new catalog of ancient objects is kept in a digital database which will facilitate its consultation when investigating; the database will have a drawing of the pieces and photographic material and a description file and documentary references.
As stated by the Martha Cuevas, the archaeologist, the director of the Archaeological Collections project at the site, Palenque "has a lengthy history of archaeological research and also other disciplines, as a result the interest in having all of these data obtained in a text, with the materials captured, drawn and, as far as possible, employing three-dimensional scanning."
In this connection, INAH foresees the publication of a compilation of reports that concentrate on all data from the scans (for every building) constructed in Palenque, from colonial eras up to now.
"Our interest is, similarly, to get a printed edition; alternatively, depend on the digitized information so that specialists could have entry to it through the Internet. Various specialists might be enthusiastic about a number of collections in particular and also go straight to the Site Museum and also storages, however with former understanding of their location.
"The project is deemed ambitious.", Cuevas said, this because it is creating regulations for the different archaeological as well as conservation endeavors that happen in Palenque, in the sense of setting up a nomenclature for the control of the parts that happen to be found along with their quick transmission to collection catalog.
One other benefit of this revitalization of the Palenque collections is to aid the restructuring of the Museum Site, that enables the reconstruction of museology along with the incorporation of completely new parts.
The establishment of conservation programs, both objects and monuments that are in buildings is also included in this updating scheme.
"Within this endeavor, we plan to make a record employing a three-dimensional scanner of the stucco as well as stone boards which are safeguarded in situ, in pre-Hispanic constructions. The record is going to be utilized for overseeing the condition, and also give precise data on the ancient monuments, which are the grounds for additional study," said Martha Cuevas.
STATEMENTS FROM OTHER SPECIALISTS
On the other hand, archaeologist Jose Luis Cruz, another contributor of this program for the handling of the Palenque archaeological collections; he said that approximately 3,000 objects, which commenced this project were obtained mostly from the Temple of Inscriptions and the Palace Complex.
"The items were mostly obtained from those two places. We try to keep the archaeological goods at their original location; there are actually various other materials which come from the Group of the Cross, and a great part from glyptic cartridges, from Temple XVIII, in the lower area of the long lost Mayan city."
ABOUT THE PIECES
It was in the old cellar of the Palenque Site Museum that the pieces were sheltered for years. The 1st step in maintaining them is through sorting by source and decoration type; most ornaments that were previously attached to buildings include created stucco which represents gods, anthropomorphic faces plus geometric designs.
After that comes their cleaning, consolidation and their patching when required. So starts the process of documentation through marking the item with an individual number, and lastly item packaging.
In regards to the entry of the collections in a digital data base, Jose Luis Cruz revealed that, with the associated parts by their iconography and with regards to archaeological information, they are going to present sometime soon, a 3D model that is certain to aid formal analysis performing, while not having to manipulate the pieces.
"The idea aims to better the order the archaeological objects so as to make them searchable and thereby conduct and generate further research for the bachelor, masters as well as a doctoral thesis. More study still needs to be done although the research on a comprehensive study of an archaeological site project has been prolific.", the specialist stated.
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Read more on Mayan Ruins here: Mayan Ruins. For great trips to Mayan Ruins see the Riviera Maya Mayan 2012 Trips.
