Value of Cacaxtla murals documented

Prehispanic mural paintings

represent a tool to understand ancient civilizations , for they provide information on the degree of technical advance, pictorial technique, relations between Mesoamerican regions and influence between different people, said Professor Fernanda Salazar Gil , from the Institute of Aesthetic Research of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

As part of the multidisciplinary project, the book titled Prehispanic Mural Painting in Mexico was published, with two volumes dedicated to Cacaxtla , an archaeological site located near the southern border of the Mexican state of Tlaxcala.

These books contain 15 articles on architecture, astronomy, epigraphy, biodiversity, analysis of pictorial techniques, relationships of their murals with the Mayan world, conservation and restoration, informed Fernanda Salazar, editor of the aforementioned volumes.

La Batalla

One of the most outstanding murals of Cacaxtla is La Batalla (The Battle); it measures 72 feet (22 meters) and is the collective creation of at leas t 10 painters . In order to study this Pre-Hispanic painting, it was necessary to construct a rail and carry out photographic sessions at night to control light correctly.

The use of high-resolution photography allows a detailed recording of the paintings due to the zooming it facilitates. Thus, researchers can analyze the pictographic techniques and even detect how many painters intervened in each mural by the features of the characters.

The publication of these volumes is a contribution to the preservation of the country's cultural memory .

General Directorate of Scientific Dissemination, UNAM

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