Merle Greene Robertson has long been recognized as an extraordinary female and
archaeologist. Since the 1960's, Merle has been seriously engaged in
recording the relief sculpture stones of ancient
Maya sites in
Chichen Itza, Palenque, and
Central
America by using her own unique technique of making “Rubbings.” Her work
has helped broaden the understanding of the
Maya Civilization and contributed to
the increase studies of ancient Maya sites and the
Maya Cosmo-vision.
During the 1970's, Merle established the
Pre-Colombian Art Research
Institute at Palenque to promote the study of ancient
Maya Civilization;
the institute has a library of more than 6000 volumes, a research
facility for scholars, and a special place for scientific institutions.
Her “Round Tables at Palenque” earned her the respect and love of many
Maya scholars and contributed to the unification of academic criteria
about the Maya cultural legacy.
Her academic achievements are too many to number. An Associate at
the Middle American Research Institute of Tulane University; she was
awarded in 1987 the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by
Tulane. She also was awarded the
Order of the Aztec Eagle, by the
President of Mexico; and in 2002, a unique medal of honor for
the years she has dedicated to recording the Maya stones and
carvings in Chichen Itza and other
Maya sites in
Yucatan, Mexico.
Dr. Merle Greene Robertson's rubbings have been displayed at the Museum
of Primitive Art in New York, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and in many
other museums. Today at Chichen Itza, Dr. Merle Greene’s original
Rubbings Collection is exhibit permanently at
the Merle Greene Gallery museum, named
after her, at Hacienda Chichen Resort. This unique exhibit is open
daily from 5pm to 9pm to all guests and visitors to the property.
Dr.
Merle Greene R. still stays at the
Hacienda Chichen Resort
during her
yearly fieldtrips to Chichen Itza in her lovely
Master Suite,
dedicated to her and especially designed to meet her needs. The
past few years, she has dedicated her time and work to
Old Chichen’s
temples, recording with her Rubbing technique many of the wonderful
carvings found in the temples that have been reconstructed by INAH in
recent years. She enjoys working with young scholars and getting
friends to join her during her summer stays at Chichen Itza.
Dr. Merle Greene celebrated her 95th Birthday in company of her beloved
family and friends this July 2008 at
Hacienda Chichen, a birthday party
that lasted two days with a great welcome cocktail, a
Mexican piñata party and a farewell luncheon at the Hacienda Chichen veranda.
In 2011, Merle pass away leaving us all with the great gift of her joy for
life and passion for the Maya Culture. She will always be remember as one of
the most influential Maya scholars of our days.
A
great writer and scholar, she had many volumes of wonderful information
published about Palenque and a complete CD collection of her Rubbings.
Now you can buy her published memoirs "Never in Fear." The book
is part of the permanent book collection of the Hacienda Chichen
Library; to book her exquisite
Master Suite when visiting Chichen
Itza, contact Hacienda Chichen
If
you are interested in learning more about Dr. Merle Greene Robertson's
books and work, we recommend you visit these links:
Follow this
link
to buy a copy of her memoirs
Never in Fear.
PARI :
www.mesoweb.com/pari/index.html
Her Rubbings and work:
www.mesoweb.com/rubbings
University of Tulane:
www.lal.tulane.edu/rubbings.html
Dr. Merle Greene Gallery:
www.haciendachichen.com/museum.htm
A
brief biography:
www.haciendachichen.com/archaeologists.htm
