Primary Source

Altar from the Classic Maya Period

A light-colored limestone altar. The altar is round and has glyph blocks in the center that are word and faded. Two cracks are on the altar but have had repairs lessening the lines.

Annotation

This limestone altar was created by the Maya culture sometime between 300 and 900 CE and found in Belize in Central America. The altar is round and was carved with twenty glyph blocks on top, which are now faded and display cracks but also attempts at repairs. The altar is around 5 inches tall, 20 inches wide, and 20 inches deep (13.6 cm, 51.5 cm, 52.50 cm). The altar was likely used for religious and/or ceremonial purposes, and the worn glyphs and cracks demonstrate its practical function rather than remaining unused or as decor. Further, this altar demonstrates the use of glyphs in early Mayan writing. 

"Altar," The Trustees of the British Museum, 300-900 AD.

Credits

"Altar," The Trustees of the British Museum, 300-900 AD, https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Am1997-Q-1953 . 

How to Cite This Source

"Altar from the Classic Maya Period ," in World History Commons, https://worldhistorycommons.org/altar-classic-maya-period [accessed July 26, 2024]

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