Maya ethnobotany: incense and other sacred resins for religious ceremonies
When you ask about indigenous Maya incense, the usual answer is about copal incense, pom in local Mayan languages, Protium copal. But in reality there are at least six indigenous plants used to make incense for religious ceremonies of the Maya peoples of Guatemala:
Liquidambar, arbol de estoraque, Liquidambar styraciflua
crotan sanguifluus (Popol Vuh), Croton (cochinal croton) red tree sap
Rubber, hule, Castilla elastica
Ensarte incense from the Liquidambar tree, purchased in the market at Solola, Guatemala. Photo for the FLAAR Photo Archive by Alen Bubana, University of Ljubljana, a volunteer working at FLAAR over the Christmas holidays.
So gradually FLAAR is initiating botanical studies and professional photography of these plants. Presently liquidambar and hule are planted in our Maya ethnobotany garden at the FLAAR Mesoamerica headquarters in Vista Hermosa II, Zona 15, Guatemala City . We intend to have all the species planted and growing during 2008. We also do field research all over Guatemala whenever we can find areas where these species grow. Actually liquidambar is a common decorative tree in Vista Hermosa: there are many of these trees growing within a few blocks of our offices.
So far finding the croton tree has not been easy. Palo jiote is very common all over Guatemala: both in the Highlands, Lowlands, and dry desert areas too. Copal trees are found both in the Highlands and Peten lowlands, but are most common in Verapaz, growing well in precisely the same areas where cacao and achiote also grow.
Rubber is grown commercially in areas of the Costa Sur, but until we do more botanical studies, I can’t be sure whether it’s a South American or recent commercialized hybrid that is grown today. I am interested in the original pre-Hispanic species.
Although our background is in archaeology of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica since the 1960’s, our present projects are more in the ethnographic and ethnohistory aspects of anthropology, using advanced digital photography so that our projects stand out as unique. With better digital images it is easier to produce articles that are interesting for people to read.
Incense Ensarte de Chuchito (Liquidambar sp), photo taken in FLAAR Mesoamerica studio by Alen Bubanja.
Inciense Estoraque (Liquidambar Sp.) Tree, photo by Alen Bubanja.
Copal Pom in Ensarte de Chuchito wrapper (Protium copal) , photo by Alen Bubanja.
Another forms of Inciense bark from Estoraque tree, that you can find in local markets in Guatemala.
photos by Alen Bubanja.
