I should have been in Mexico right now and writing about my adventures here on this blog. Instead I thought that I would give you a tour of some of the "stuff" in my house. I will start with my bedroom which is filled with purchases that I have made over the years of traveling... as well as a few gifts that were given to me.
Only one of these three items on my wall is from Mexico. At the top is a Mayan calendar which I purchased at a woodcarver's shop in Izamal, Yucatán. The central figure is of a Mayan god (not sure which one) bearing the weight of time on his back. The figures around him are the glyphs for the months of the Mayan calendar.
The plate to the left is from Hungary and was a gift from my cousin Gail. The color went well with my room, and it has a slightly Latin-American look to it.
The basket to the right was also a gift from Gail from a recent trip that she and her husband took to Panama. It was made by the Cuna tribe from that country.
I purchased these two pieces of pottery at charity auctions held by the organization "Los Amigos de las Américas" some years ago. The one to the back is from Nicaragua and is signed by the artist. In front is a piece which, if I remember correctly, is from Honduras.
At a handicraft exhibition at the Mexico City World Trade Center I purchased this beautiful "alebrije" (a whimsical animal figure). It is from the village of San Martín Tilcajete in the state of Oaxaca. The village is renowned for its master artisans who carve these animals from "copal" wood. The intricate design work is painstakingly painted by hand. It consider this piece to be one of my treasures.
The last time that I visited the Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá I was upset by the number of vendors that have invaded the archaeological site. Most of the stuff they sell is tourist junk, but I found this item... a piece of leather embossed with the image of a carving from the Mayan ruins of Palenque. It caught my eye, and I thought that it was worth having it professionally framed. (The framing cost much more that the picture!)
All of these items are from Mexico. To either side on top are vases made from copper from the town of Santa Clara del Cobre in the state of Michoacán. (I bought them in Mexico City, but someday I would like to visit Santa Clara.) In the center is a wood carving of a Mayan from the state of Chiapas.
On the lower shelf is an intricately carved piece of wood with little buildings set against mountains. Next to is a small lacquer box that comes from the town of Olinalá in the state of Guerrero.
On the bottom shelf is a vase sheathed in copper that I bought many years ago in Estes Park, Colorado.
Above it are a couple of pre-Hispanic figures and a replica of a Mayan plate. I believe that they were all purchased at the Anthropology Museum in Mexico City.
On top is a figure which I bought when I visited the ruins of Texcotzinco, to the north of Mexico City. There was a vendor at the entrance to the archaeological site that was selling clay replicas of pre-Hispanic pieces. They were ridiculously inexpensive, and I thought that the figure of the warrior was quite nicely done.
I purchased another inexpensive clay figure from a vendor at the entrance to Chapultepec Park in Mexico City. It represents the sun god. To the left is a piece of Southwestern pottery that I bought on a trip out West many years ago. To the right is a pot decorated with Mayan paintings that I bought on my very first trip to Mérida, Yucatán. In front is a replica of a Mayan plate that I bought at a shop at the ruins of Uxmal.
There's more to show you just from my room, not to mention the rest of my house!
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