August 07, 2002
Tomb of Pacal

One entire day in the tomb of Pacal, a day out of time. Last June, with photographer Ken Garrett of National Geographic. Ken was preparing a story about Palenque for the magazine, April 2002. The article was superceded by other Maya stories, including the new mural in Guatemala.But Ken allowed me to accompany him into the tomb of Pacal while he lit it beautifully, and asked the restoration crew to clean the sarcophagus lid. I thought it would make a great sequence for a full program on Palenque that I was shooting. But to see so clearly the portrait of Pacal, in death pulled down into the underworld by great fleshless jaws, while the World Tree grows again from his torso. Astonishing. Deep inside the Temple of the Inscriptions, hundreds of tons of limestone away from the green world of howlers and tourists.

Posted by Dave at August 07, 2002 03:12 PM | TrackBack