Untitled Document
 
Home Maya Archaeology
A to Z Index Maya Archaeology
FREE Download Maya Archaeology
Lecture Programs Maya Archaeology
FLAAR Latin America Maya Archaeology
Contact Maya Archaeology

Guicoy (güicoy) , Cucurbita pepo, in Maya ceramic sequence of Peten

While inspecting a registered private collection in Guatemala (totally registered with the government institute), I noticed several attractive effigy containers that the owner showed were effigies of guicoy. These Late Classic Maya bowls were quite specifically painted representations of guicoy vegetables. Squash is a common food of the Maya peoples of Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, and adjacent Honduras. Maize, beans, and squash were the traditional foundation of their pre-Hispanic diet.

Guicoy, Cucurbita pepo, Mayan anthropology, Mayan ethnography
Guicoy (güicoy), Maya ceramic art of Peten

Yes, the Maya ate root crops, tree fruits and nuts, and we are checking on the possibility that parts of the water lily plant were eaten (they were certainly pictured often in Maya art). But “maize, beans, and squash” was clearly a major part of the diet of the Maya farmers of the last several thousand years. The gardens around their houses, as well as their agricultural fields, still today include maize, beans, and squash.

Guicoy, squash, ayote, calabaza, pumpkin

You can see the diversity of sizes, shapes, and colors of squash on a web site kcb-samen.ch (Switzerland). There is a thesis from the Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, “Caracterizacion de 20 cultivares de guicoy…”, 1981, 111 pages.

There are as many words for these vegetables as there are species and varieties: Guicoy, güicoy, güicoitos, squash, ayote, calabaza, pumpkin.

FLAAR Photo Archive of Maya Ethnobotany

We have a long range project of professional quality photography of the sacred and utilitarian flowers, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and other plants of the Maya past and present. We just wanted to show some of the first results: taken by Guatemalan biologist Mirtha Cano. Two biologists are on the staff of FLAAR Mesoamerica in Guatemala. Both do botany and zoology of tropical Central America.

Guicoy (Güicoy, güicoitos), Maya ceramic art of Peten
Guicoy, squash, zucchin, Mayan anthropology
Guicoy (güicoy), photos by Mirtha Cano, FLAAR Photo Archive

 

First posted January 2008.

Untitled Document
FREE download
Download Now

http://www.maya-archaeology.org/Mayan_hieroglyphics_epigraphy/GCC_laser_printer_reviews.php

http://www.maya-archaeology.org/Mayan_hieroglyphics_epigraphy/GCC_laser_printer_reviews.php

http://www.maya-archaeology.org/Mayan_hieroglyphics_epigraphy/GCC_laser_printer_reviews.php

http://www.maya-archaeology.org/Mayan_hieroglyphics_epigraphy/GCC_laser_printer_reviews.php

http://www.maya-archaeology.org/Mayan_hieroglyphics_epigraphy/GCC_laser_printer_reviews.php

http://www.maya-archaeology.org/Mayan_hieroglyphics_epigraphy/GCC_laser_printer_reviews.php

http://www.maya-archaeology.org/Mayan_hieroglyphics_epigraphy/GCC_laser_printer_reviews.php

Reports free
Link

Link

Link

Link

Link
Untitled Document

Popol Vuh, Museum UFM

Popol Vuh Museum
UFM

MAYA ETHNOBOTANY

Guicoy, squash, ayote, calabaza, pumpkin
The sacred water lily in Maya iconography
Achiote (Bixa orellana), annotto or annatto
Mayan incensarios with ceiba tree spikes
Incense and other sacred resins for religious ceremonies
Sacred copal pom Maya incense
Sacred Flowers
Lectures on Mayan ethnobotany

MAYA ARCHAEOLOGY SITES

Aguateca
Ceibal or Seibal
Copan
Tayasal
Tikal
Topoxte
Uaxactun
Yaxha
Mucbilha Caves

MAYA ARCHAEOLOGY
Religion-Mayan Gods Deitis
Mayan Ballgames
Maya Art
Maya Iconography
Photography
Tomb of the Jade Jaguar
Maya Architecture
Architecture of Ballcourts
MAYA EXHIBITIS
BOOK REVIEWS

Biodiversidad de Guatemala
E. Cano, 2006

PRIVATE MUSEUMS OF
MAYAN ARCHAEOLOGY

Ixchel
Popol Vuh

Popol Vuh, Images
Popol Vuh, QTVR objects

Uaxactun
Copan

VR Objects files
VR Panoramas
-Images

Carlos Pellicer, Tabasco

Information
Images
Other

TEXTILES

Indigenous clothing
Maya Textiles

EDUCATION

Program of Art & Tech
Volunteer Oportunities
Volunter Work

TECHNOLOGY

Digital Technology for Archeology
Multicam CNC routers

DIGITAL CAMERAS

4x5 inch large format
Sinar portable
Sinar XP
Digital Rollout Cameras
Sinar X
Cambo Callumet
Betterlight
70mm. rollout camera

SCANNERS

Scitex Flatbed Scanner
35mm. Scanner

TRAVEL
Antigua Guatemala

Villa Colonial
Casa Santo Domingo
Posada Don Diego

Peten (Tikal, Flores)

Maya International
Jaguar Inn Tikal
Jaguar Inn Santa Elena
Villa Maya
El Sombrero Eco Lodge
La Casa de Don David
Las Gardenias
Hermano Pedro
Santana
Patio Grande
Posada Caribe
Guayacan
Jungle Lodge

Atitlan

Villa Santa Catarina
Posada Schumann
Terrazas del Lago
San Tomas Bella Vista

Guatemala City
Chichicastenango
Copan
Hotel Los Jaguares
FLAAR MESOAMERICA
Home Page
Programs
Activities 2006-2007
Digital Photography Workshops
APROBA SANK
Research on Prosopis Juliflora
ACODHIHUE-SAN
FLAAR Premium Reports

Surving
Rip Software
Media and Inks
Color Management
Solvents Ink Printers

Fine Art Giclée Printers
UV-Curable Flatbed inkjet
Wide Format Printers for Photo-Realistic Quality
Wide Format Printers for Signs

Bonus Report
About the site | | Contact us
Untitled Document
FLAAR, at Bowling Green State University of Ohio | Location in Guatemala, all reached by the same e-mail ReaderService@FLAAR.org
Visit other FLAAR sites: