Penn Museum | Traveling Exhibits

The great Maya creation story, the Popol Vuh, sanctified the mountains, caves, and rivers of the Alta Verapaz of today’s Guatemala, where events played out in mythic time. Except for the excavations done by the Penn Museum in the early 20th century, the region is almost unknown archaeologically.

Penn Museum’s Chamá vessels, the only collection with a secure history, show how objects reflect cultural shifts and how people cope with change. Painted Metaphors portrays a time of political change in a troubled outpost of the Maya world, and a human story of power and intrigue among people who lived more than 1,300 years ago. Nineteen Chamá polychrome ceramics are accompanied by more than 100 objects illustrating Maya daily life, religious ritual, and shifts in rulership. This is a traveling exhibit of unsurpassed beauty and archaeological significance.

In addition to the objects, the exhibit offers a full-color special book and CDs on the conservation of the vessels as well as museum stewardship. Educational materials, a color catalogue, as well as a substantial book on Ancient May of the Alta Verapaz are available.

Availability	Starting in Spring 2009
Gallery Space	min. 2000 square feet
Venue Period	12 weeks. Every effort will be made to accommodate special requests from borrowers.
Contents	Approximately 150 objects. (Please note: Cases are not included) Piece labels, section captions, and introductory wall panel are provided in disc form. DVD on Conservation of Polychrome Vases: 6 minutes. DVD on Museum Stewardship: 4 minutes. Public relations material will be provided prior to the opening of the exhibit. A full-color catalogue, educator’s manual (on CD), full-color conservation-related text, a major scholarly publication, and exhibit-related merchandise are also available. Speakers are available on request.
Shipping	To be arranged by Penn Museum. Shipping costs are prorated among venues.
Insurance	Covered by Penn Museum.
Installation/ Deinstallation	Courier required. Qualified staff at borrowing institution will help in installation and deinstallation of the exhibition.
Requirements	Facility report must be submitted for review before approval of loan. Borrowing institutions must complete incoming and outgoing condition reports. The borrower must adhere to temperature and light controls for this exhibit.
Contacts	Katherine Blanchard Traveling Exhibits Coordinator 215-746-6976 kblancha@sas.upenn.edu