Fwd: [SWR CAVERS] Fw: OCTOBER 2025 AZTLANDER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAS A Tale of Three Caves

[Mark Minton]

From the Southwestern Cavers list:

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: 'Lynda Sanchez' via Southwestern Cavers of the National Speleological Society <swrc...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Thu, Oct 2, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Subject: [SWR CAVERS] Fw: OCTOBER 2025 AZTLANDER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAS A Tale of Three Caves
To: 'Jerry' via Southwestern Cavers of the National Speleological Society <swrc...@googlegroups.com>

fyi

 

From: MICHAEL RUGGERI - michaelruggeri at mac.com (via aztlan list)

Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2025 8:12 AM

To: azt...@simplelists.com

Subject: OCTOBER 2025 AZTLANDER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAS

 

 

 

OCTOBER 2025 AZTLANDER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAS

https://aztandler.tumblr.com/

 

Greetings Aztlanders!

 

Welcome to your October Aztlander – a jam-packed 47 pages worth – full of great articles and the announcements for three Aztlander virtual events this month.

 

On Monday, October 13, at 8 pm ET, we host caver Holley Moyes of the University of California – Merced. The title of her program is “A Tale of Three Caves: The Cultural History of Ancient Maya Cave Use in Belize.”  Belize has the oldest and most complete history of ancient Maya ritual cave use in all of Mesoamerica. Please show up to support Holley in her first Aztlander appearance; here’s the program link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89578120038

 

Next, on Monday, October 20, at 8 pm ET, we have a trio of presenters ready to share “Forgotten Journals from a Lost City: Jean-Frédéric Waldeck’s Palenque Field Diaries (1832-33) – An Early Testimony of Maya Art, Architecture, and Writing.” Johann Begel, Carl D. Callaway, and José Daniel Martínez Gastélum have composed an excellent article for The Aztlander that describes the life and times of Waldeck. Carl notes that they will be sharing numerous illustrations that have never been seen by the public.

 

In 2024, Carl was awarded a Newbery Research Fellowship to transcribe and translate the Palenque field diaries of Jean-Frédéric Waldeck and to study the artist’s sketches and illustrations. Carl notes: “What made Waldeck different from all his fellow colonials is that he drew anything that interested him, so his corpus of drawings is rich and varied, and a little wild!” This tag-team virtual event featuring the “tres amigos” will be something very special; here’s the program link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83423917812

 

On Monday, October 27, at 8 pm ET, another great Mayanist, Dorie Reents-Budet, steps up to the plate. Dorie is a Museum Curatorial Consultant and Senior Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution and specializes in Maya ceramic studies. She works along with Annabeth Headrick and Ron L Bishop, all three working to compose the article featured here. The title of the program is: “Teotihuacan-style Censers from the Pacific Coast of Guatemala.” Please join us for another special event. Here’s the program link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86548644136 It will be a treat to host a program by heavy-hitter Dorie. Be there!

 

With Halloween and the Day of the Dead (DOD) right around the corner, we share a wonderful article titled: “A Photographer’s View of the Day of the Dead” by art historian, curator, and photographer extraordinaire Ruben C. Cordova. I think you’ll enjoy his coverage of DOD events in the U.S. and Mexico along with his excellent images. Ruben has curated or co-curated more than 34 exhibitions and he has written or contributed to 22 catalogs and books.

 

Next, we share an interesting and enlightening article by Alexander Crim titled: “The Vases of the Seven and Eleven Gods: A New Interpretation.” I published this article in an issue of the IMS Explorer and it got great reviews. This version includes a revised illustration and believe me, Alex is an excellent illustrator. Enjoy.

 

I’ve been following Kerstin Sabene’s posts of excellent images of modern Maya ceremonies for many months now. I contacted her and she submitted an excellent article titled “Mire Fire Ceremonies in Guatemala.” Having spent most of her adult life traveling the world, Kerstin has devoted the last twelve years to Guatemala in what has become a full-on fascination and passion for its rich indigenous heritage, Mayan languages, religious traditions, and culture. I think you’ll be fascinated by her great photography. Gracias, Kerstin!

 

Our artist friend Steve Radzi has submitted a nice illustration of a structure at Oxtankah and we include noteworthy posts in the news featuring North America, South America, Mesoamerica, and the Maya.

 

We share four pages of upcoming October virtual events so you can plan your month. Note that besides our three mega-star performances, the IMS also has a new program with Francisco Estrada-Belli on Wednesday, October 15.

 

Finally, we share the program recording links of our two September events with Michael E. Smith and Calixtlahuaca, and Mark Elmy’s excellent presentation “Ancient Maya Roads, Ancient Maya Skies.” It was an eventful evening with 74 attendees. Thank y’all! Not only was it the fall equinox and Mark’s 55th birthday, but Mark took home my “2025 Excellence in Performance” award. Congrats, Mark!

 

Enjoy your month of October (with Indigenous People’s Day to celebrate during Holley Moyes’ presentation on October 13) and enjoy your October Aztlander. Should keep you busy for a while!

 

Jim Reed/editor/creator

Michael Ruggeri/ Main Man