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August 25, 2009
For centuries prior to the Conquest of Mexico, ancient Mixtec scribes wrote sacred books in an obscure pictographic format, painting images on deerskin "pages" without using words, that are referred to as "codices" (or "codex" singular). Unfortunately, only a few of these precious books survived destruction. The Mixtec (Mees-tek) Indians live in modern-day Oaxaca, Mexico. Their traditions and history date back thousands of years. Before the arrival of the Spanish in AD 1521, the Mixtec had become a mighty military and economic power in Mesoamerica. Their codices are complex and dramatic; a story of royal lives and marriages blended with stories of warfare, murder, betrayal, and bloody sacrifice. Notable too is the lineage record of their kings that goes back into the mists of the mythological past, to the first ancestors created by the gods themselves.
The Mixtec codices represent one of the last intellectual frontiers in cultural-historic-linguistic exploration. Decipherment with a link to actual historic chronology and archaeological data only began in the mid-1940s. Research continues today but is limited to only a few scholars worldwide. Lecturers are Aurore Giguet, Program Director (Barrick Museum); and Mannetta Braunstein, Special Research Curator (Barrick Museum). Both have been researching codices with other scholars for a combined total of 20 years. handouts will be provided.
For more information, email ann.tate@unlv.edu, or call 895-3867.
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