Excavating Mayan Ruins
In 1787, the military governor of Guatemala sent soldier Antonio del Río to excavate a Mayan ruin near Palenque, marking the dawn of scientific archaeology in the Americas. Del Río and his men spent two weeks clearing the site and three more weeks studying, drawing, and exploring. Del Río recounted the work in a remarkable report that was illustrated with thirty drawings made by Ricardo Almendáriz. Del Río's manuscript has been preserved in Madrid, but the drawings were only recently found in a private European collection.
Antonio del Río (fl. 1786-1789). Ill. by Ricardo Almendáriz.
Colección de Estampas Copiadas de las Figuras . . . de Chiapas, una de las del Reyno de Guatemala en la América Septentrional
[Palenque, Mexico: 1787]
Brown ink drawings on paper
Jay I. Kislak Collection
Rare Book and Special Collections Division (8)
