Cylindrical tripods from the Tiquisate area of Escuintla at Posada Belen, Guatemala City.

This hotel in Guatemala City is unique because it has its own Maya archaeological museum inside. The only other hotel that includes a Maya archaeological exhibit is the fabulous Casa Sto Domingo, Antigua, the fanciest hotel in that nearby city.

The FLAAR Photo Archive of Maya Art will be devoting a separate section to the private museums of Guatemala (a new one is opening in December or January). We will expand this section on the Posada Belen archaeology displays later this month. The museum is solely for guests or people who come for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This is not just to come and leave.

In the meantime, here are some views. Much more coming later, including some digital circumferential rollouts of the polychrome Maya vases. The close-up shows two cylindrical tripods from the Tiquisate area of Escuintla. Tiquisate was a colonial outpost (trading outpost) of the expansionistic Teotihuacan empire in the 4th through 6th centuries (Early Classic). From the Tiquisate area Teotihuacan merchants, missionaries (and probably military attachments) took over substantial political control of Copan to the south and most of the Peten area to the north (especially Tikal, Uaxactun, and Yaxha).

If you are interested in Maya archaeology, of course check out the Museo Nacional de Arqueologia y Etnologia (near the airport) and the Museo Popol Vuh (next to the Museo Ixchel, the Maya textile museum), on the campus of the Universidad Francisco Marroquin, Zona 10 (6th Calle Final ) "the end of 6th calle").

E-mail: mail@posadabelen.com,
Phone: (502) 2253-4530, Fax: (502) 2251-3478