JADES OF BELIZE EXHIBITION UNDERWAY

September 06, 2006

The Jades of Belize, an exhibition showcasing some of Belize's most famous pieces of jade, was opened this morning at the Museum of Belize.  Pieces such as funerary jade masks, pendants, necklaces, pectorals, ear flares, and including the renowned Jade Head are being featured.  According to Lita Krohn, Director of Houses of Culture, the idea of this exhibition was to expose the pieces of jewelry to the Belizean people.

Lita Krohn,House of Culture

“The Museum of Belize thought that the idea that people in Belize have not really seen the Jade Head in a long time number one, number two we hear of discoveries and archeological excavations, very rarely, except up here at the Museum do you get to see some of these artifacts so we decided that it would be good to have one theme JADE and so we thought, good, let’s put them in one room, and at least it’s not all the pieces, it’s like significant pieces, some are carved, some are planes, some are tubes, some are ear flares. The important thing is for our children and our school kids to see these pieces. They read about it, right now they have the Africa-Maya Project, they see videos but they have never really seen the real thing and so we wanted it to be a booster to our pride and self-esteem but we also want it to be a learning, education tool for students and teachers because they talk about these things but you never really see them.”  

The opening of this morning's exhibition at the Museum of Belize was done by Minister of Culture, Mark Espat.

Mark Espat, Minister of Culture

“It’s the first ever Jades exhibition, the objectivity is to display the creativity, the arts and craft exhibition of our ancient Maya, of course the centerpiece is Kinich AHau, the Jade Head discovered at Altun-Ha. We’re pleased that this exhibit is part of the September Celebrations Calendar and we feel it gives a very comprehensive and a very luminating history of Jade and the role it has played over the last four thousand years in the ancient Maya civilizations in Belize. I think the opportunity to view the important pieces but especially the Jade Head is a unique opportunity. Obviously for security reasons it is not something we can display all the times and so as part of the September Celebrations and the 25th Anniversary of Independence we are happy to be able to display it today.”

To the ancient Maya jade was the most prized of all stones.  Jade was also treasured by the Maya elite and desired by members of all social classes.  The use of jade dates back to the second millennia before Christ, 2000 B - C.  Present this morning to assist with archeological background was Director of the Institute of Archeology Jamie Awe.  As part of activity this morning a Maya group from Toledo performed the famous Deer Dance that is practiced at this time of the year as a ritual.  Lita Krohn tells us that besides the Kinich Ahau being displayed at the museum another remarkable piece of jade was the one found in Cahal Pech.

Lita Krohn,House of Culture

“It’s a little mask and what he has is orange eyebrows, and a tinge of blue lips and it’s very colorful, I love the Cahal Pech piece myself but the Jade head is like pretty important, there are lots of mosaic masks made up of broken pieces of Jade that is very beautiful, pendants, earrings, ear flares.

Lita Krohn, Director of Houses of Culture.  The pieces of jade being featured were found in places such as Santa Rita, Cerros, Altun Ha, Pusil Ha, Bejuco, Nim Li Punti, Caracol, and Cahal Pech.  The exhibition is opened to all Belizeans and visitors and is free of cost.  The Museum administration is asking that you give them a call before visiting the exhibition so to avoid over crowding. 

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