The Maya site of Bonampak lies in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, and it is a magnet for tourists, partly because of its lovely setting, but primarily because of the painted murals of Maya courtly behavior.
The murals are vividly painted images of kings, warriors and celebrants at a ceremony in the court of Bonampak. The murals portray events in the life of the king Chan Muwan, in the year AD 790. Chan Muwan was a relative of the truly powerful king in Yaxchilan, and the different murals illustrate a great battle and the ceremonies afterwards.
Reported to western scholars in 1946 (the Lacandon Maya residents of Chiapas were well aware of the murals long before then), the murals of battle scenes were a revelation. Until the Bonampak murals were known, the Maya were thought of as peaceful, with interests in scholarly studies of astronomy and mathematics.
Contributing writer Nicoletta Maestri has created a terrific photo essay on the Bonampak murals, detailing the celebrations from start to finish.
- Bonampak Murals
- Bonampak, more about the site
- Yaxchilan
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