Mesoamerica

The Gardiner Museum’s Mesoamerican objects come from the modern countries of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Belize. Many great civilizations and cities evolved in these regions and emerged with intellectual accomplishments such as the domestication of corn, hieroglyphic writing, and a precise calendar based on the observations of the heavens. Objects in this collection date from about 1500 BC to close to AD 1521.

Cultures in the Museum’s collection include the Maya, Aztec, Zapotec, West Mexico, Teotihuacan, Mixtec as well as many others.

The Mesoamerican objects in the Museum’s collection were part of the original gift of ceramics given by George and Helen Gardiner.