Current Temporary Exhibits
Ancient Mexico
October 13, 2011 through January 15, 2012
Ancient Maya Vessels
Loaned Courtesy University Museum, NMSU |
In collaboration with the El Paso Museum of History’s new exhibit “Mystery of the Mayan Medallion”, the Museum of Archaeology will emphasize its collections from early Mesoamerica. Artifacts representing the Maya, Aztecs, and lesser known great civilizations from Mexico will be on display. Vintage and recent photographs will be added to the gallery to link the artifacts with the great artistic accomplishments and monumental architecture of these past civilizations. Five featured Maya ceramic vessels were graciously loaned by the University Museum of New Mexico State University.
Watercolor Paintings of Rock Art at Hueco Tanks
Ongoing Exhibit, Free Admission
One of Forrest Kirkland’s watercolors
of Hueco Tanks Rock Art (a pictograph) |
The El Paso Museum of Archaeology is currently exhibiting Forrest Kirkland’s images of rock art at Hueco Tanks in the auditorium gallery. Kirkland was the first artist to systematically document prehistoric rock art in Texas, thus his work is well known and admired by those interested in Texas archaeology. The twenty six images in this exhibit, which include hundreds of pictographs, are full color reproductions scanned at high resolution from Kirkland’s plates. The original watercolors are no longer in a condition to be exhibited because the paper and paints are brittle and light sensitive. Today some of the Hueco Tanks images Kirkland rendered in watercolor have faded or disappeared while others in sheltered locations are still visible. These images are provided courtesy of Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory, University of Texas at Austin.
Forrest Kirkland at work documenting rock art, courtesy of Texas Beyond History, the Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory, the University of Texas at Austin |
Biography
Forrest Kirkland’s interest in rock art was generated after a visit to the petroglyphs (ancient images painted on stone) near Paint Rock, Texas, in 1933. Over the next eight years he copied rock art at more than 80 sites across Texas, including Hueco Tanks. He was a founder of the Dallas Archeological Society and a fellow of the Texas Academy of Science. Kirkland died of heart failure in 1942. Many of his water colors were reproduced in the book The Rock Art of Texas Indians.
Artifact of the Month – December 2011
Nativity Scene
The Pueblos of New Mexico are well-known for their pottery making traditions. The potters of Cochiti Pueblo (located 33 miles north of Albuquerque) are famous for producing ceramic figurines. Such creations are evidence of 20th century innovations in traditional pottery-making. This polychrome pueblo nativity scene is an example of syncretism, or the blending different cultural practices to form a new one. Frances Cuevas of Cochiti created these pieces in about 1970.
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