title: Daily life of the ancient Maya recorded on murals at Calakmul, Mexico.
abstract: Research into ancient societies frequently faces a major challenge in accessing the lives of those who made up the majority of their populations, since the available evidence so often concerns only the ruling elite. Our excavations at the ancient Maya site of Calakmul, Mexico, have uncovered a "painted pyramid:" a structure decorated with murals depicting scenes of its inhabitants giving, receiving, and consuming diverse foods, as well as displaying and transporting other goods. Many are accompanied by hieroglyphic captions that describe the participants, and include spellings of key subsistence items. Collectively, they offer insights into the social mechanisms by which goods were circulated within major Maya centers.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Calle 59 #44, Col Centro Histórico, CP 24000, Campeche, Campeche, México.
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carrasco Vargas
authors.forename: Verónica A Vázquez
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001106:Archaeology; D002962:Civilization / Q000266:history*; D005260:Female; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D010151:Paintings / Q000266:history*