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Celebratory Mural in the halls of Bonampak

The Music that was central to pre-Columbian Maya culture still remains a bit of a mystery today. On the other hand, many aspects of Maya music have come to light from archaeological discoveries, ancient Maya murals, and ancient Maya texts. It is evident from these sources that music played a key role in the expressive arts of Maya culture. Music served many functions in Maya society, not to mention the role society played on music itself.

Similar to many cultures, Maya instruments were rooted in several categories. Percussion instruments of the Pre-Columbian era included mainly drums and maracas, mostly wood and occasionally tortoise shell. Archaeological evidence from Pacbitun also shows that sophisticated forms of maracas along with the small balls inside the hollow maracas were actually crafted in fired ceramic materials.

In the same find, archaeologists discovered additional ceremonial flutes and ocarinas. Similarly crafted out of fired ceramic, the flutes and ocarinas of Pacbitun represent the most extravagant and unique collection of Maya instruments. While most flutes and ocarinas of their time consisted of bone, wood, or reed material, this unique collection sheds light on the important aspect of music in Maya culture.

It is believed that musicians served many ceremonial functions in ancient Maya culture. In various funeral ceremonies, it is believed that a procession of drum and flute players would follow the casket of important women, filling the air with a gloomy and natural tune. After the casket is laid, the musicians would then cast their instruments, breaking them in the tomb just before it is sealed.

On a different note, music also filled the celebratory halls of Bonampak after victories of war. In the ancient murals of the Maya city, conch trumpet players are depicted playing for the leaders of their city after a successful campaign. In a display of skill and artisanship, the murals of Bonampak clearly illustrate that musicians, while servants of the city lords, were held in much higher regard than common townsfolk.

Common people in Maya culture did, as well, share interests in music. Archaeological finds have unearthed many unadorned drums and whistles in lower class housing. While it is unclear whether such instruments were reserved for ceremonial traditions, it is certain that simple drums and whistles filled many houses in ancient Maya territories.

Music certainly played a significant role in the ancient Maya world. The book of creation, Popul Vuh, highlights the spiritual link between the beating of drums and the spirits of the afterlife in the adventures of the Twin Brothers. Ancient Mayans certainly used instruments in dance rituals and ceremonies as evident from depictions in the Dresden Codex; for example, the spiritual link between music and the growth of corn is illustrated in one particular section. Music in Maya culture existed as a multi-faceted media, utilized anywhere from simple entertainment to intricate spiritual ceremonies. Its roots existed in the natural world and its essence extended to the super-natural. In all its totality, the intricate art form of Maya music just sheds additional light on the complexity and sophistication of the ancient culture itself.

• Editors of "Archaeology Magazine" (2002) Secrets of the Maya. Hatherleigh Press, Long Island City, NY, ISBN 1-57826-123-6.
• Tedlock, Dennis (tr.) (1985) Popul Vuh: The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life. Simon & Schuster; New York, NY.
• Houston, Stephen et al. (2006) The Memory of Bones: Body, Being and Experience Among the Classic Maya. University of Texas Press, Houston, ISBN 978-0-292-71294-2.
• Orellana, Sandra L (1984) The Tzutujil Mayas: Continuity and Change 1250-1650. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.