Hello, friends of the IMS,
Your Explorer editor has a date with fate tomorrow morning, so I need to get this IMS_2012_06 out to you early.
(Click here to download)
Truth is, I’m having my second retina re-attachment surgery in my left eye. I’ll be out of commission for a few weeks. Keep me in your prayers.
This June Issue features some really nice articles.
At this IMS this month, we’ll have Payson Sheets, Ph.D., talking about the ancient site of Cerén that was covered by meters of volcanic ash. So much has been preserved. Payson’s program article on page 3. We also have David Lee, Ph.D., who will talk about his 4 years of research at the site of El Peru-Waká. While exploring for ceramics, he discovered the tomb of a royal woman warrior. David’s program article is on page 2.
In June, we feature INAH-Campeche archaeologist Antonio Benavides Castillo, Ph.D. He is our June Explorer of the Month and has submitted an article about the site of Tohcok. We also have an interview with Antonio and Part I of another article by Hilario Hiler. This time, he recounts his visits to the villages of the Lacandon Maya. Once again, photographer Macduff Everton has given us permission to use a couple of his images. Thank you, Macduff.
Hopefully you are aware of the important astronomical events that are happening right now in 2012. Yesterday, a lot of folks out west witnessed an annular eclipse of the sun. A series of important astronomical events will continue with a partial lunar eclipse on June 4, and the rare transit of Venus on June 6.The transit of Venus usually occurs twice every century in pairs separated by eight years, while the close pairing of the transit with an eclipse event is even more rare. The last such event took place was on June 3–4, 1769, with a solar eclipse occurring only several hours after the transit.
In the July Explorer, we will feature an new article by Michael J. Grofe, Ph.D. He’ll explore how the Maya recorded and symbolized this movement in their astronomical tables and in many parallel mythological stories. Titled The Transit of Venus and the Self-Sacrifice and Hun Ajaw; Michael will explain what you will be experiencing in June, and putting it all in a Maya perspective.
Enjoy yourself, until the next,
Cheers!
Jim Reed
Editor
Comments