We all got up for a 6 am departure this morning for an all-day excursion into the Selva Lacandona to see Bonampak and Yaxchilan. After a breakfast buffet stop 2 hours into the route, we transfered to Lacandon-operated vans for the dirt road ride into Bonampak site, which they now control as eco-guardians of the forest.
Everyone was thrilled with Bonampak, especially for the mural paintings to which they had earlier been introduced. Being in those three room spaces, surrounded by mural paintings on all sides, including above, is an experience that can´t be described. They were also able to see the three lintels in situ. Only three people were allowed in each room at one time, so I could only share the experience with a few students, including pointing out the imagery on the lintels. We also looked at the stelae, and Rita's photo of Stela 2 is included above.
Afterwards we climbed higher up the acropolis to see the small structures which may be shrines. One of these has a well-preserved early classic lintel of a ruler holding the¨serpent bar¨which appears to represent him as the Maize raising the sky. Coming back down to the plaza. several students noted the oropendula nests hanging from a large tree: the birds and nests we had discussed from the preclassic period mural at San Bartolo.
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