References & Sources - January 16, 1999

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Singing Stairs

The ancient Maya may have intentionally built a bird-like echo into a temple to honor the sacred quetzal bird.

References:

Lubman, D. 1998. Archaeological acoustic study of chirped echo from the Mayan pyramid at Chichén Itzá. Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America. October. Norfolk, Va.

Further Readings:

Bower B. 1998. Sacred secrets of the caves. Science News 153(Jan. 24):56.

______. 1993. Ancient Maya trade: Tracing salty swaps. Science News 144(Nov. 27):358.

To see more wildlife artwork by Gamini Ratnavira, who painted the resplendent quetzal portrait shown in this article, visit his "Hidden Forest Gallery" Website at http://www.biohaven.com/bus/ratnavira/index.html.

Additional information about Mayan pyramids and their acoustics can be found at http://www.eden.com/~tomzap/sounds.html, http://www.ocasa.org/MemberLinks.htm, and http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/9461/.

Sources:

Samuel Y. Edgerton
Williams College
Amos Lawrence Professor of Art History
Williamstown, MA 01267

Richard D. Hansen
University of California, Los Angeles
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics
3845 Slichter Hall
405 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024-1567

David Lubman
14301 Middletown Lane
Westminster, CA 92683

Karl A. Taube
University of California, Riverside
Department of Anthropology
Riverside, CA 92521-0418

From Science News, Vol. 155, No. 3, January 16, 1999, p. 44. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.

Copyright 1999 Science Service