PCSNY April Lecture—Mary E. Miller

The Pre-Columbian Society of New York invites you to join us for our April lecture:

Were They Enslaved? Maya Figurines from Jaina and Beyond

Mary E. Miller, Sterling Professor of History of Art and Senior Director of the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Yale University

Figurines from the island of Jaina, long admired for their lifelike, poignant, and sometimes-amusing characteristics, reveal a complexity of Maya social life, especially for women, rarely seen in other media, such as painted ceramics or monumental sculpture. Who are these weavers, these amorous women, these faithful companions of the dead? Although long assumed to be elite women or moon goddesses, female figurines may open a window onto more disturbing Maya practices, particularly enslavement, and the culture of Jaina Island itself. The figurines can be seen through a variety of lenses: recent archaeology has provided rich new contexts for consideration and extensive examination of hundreds of examples in Mexico, Europe, and the United States makes it possible to see previously unrecognized roles and rituals. Additionally, identification of patterns of costume and accouterment offers fresh insights into this elegant figurine tradition.

Thursday, April 13, 2017
6 PM in the Lecture Hall
The Institute of Fine Arts
1 East 78th Street

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. RSVP Institute of Fine Arts

Followed by a reception with wine and cheese in the Loeb Room