Maya blue

December 6, 2024 6:17 PM

‘Maya blue’: The mystery dye recreated two centuries after it was lost "A ceramicist in Mexico retraces his Maya roots to recreate a long-lost pre-Hispanic pigment for the first time in more than two centuries." [via]
posted by dhruva (12 comments total)

And it’s a lasting blue, too! Amazing!
posted by clew at 6:47 PM on December 6, 2024

I marvel at the amount of things our ancestors of all nations discovered like this. Amazing what can be discovered with lots of work and time to observe.
posted by drewbage1847 at 6:57 PM on December 6, 2024 [1 favorite]

This is awesome! Gotta see if I can get some for my mom (a potter).
posted by limeonaire at 7:14 PM on December 6, 2024

I read this and I was fascinated! It’s extremely cool.

And I wanted to know more about it and to see how the artists actually used it, so I did an image search and that’s how I found out at work that ‘Maya Blue’ is also an adult actress’s stage name. Be warned…
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 11:41 PM on December 6, 2024 [1 favorite]

that’s how I found out at work that ‘Maya Blue’ is also an adult actress’s stage name.

Too funny 'cause all while reading that fascinating article about my absolute favorite hue - the origin of which I had no idea - all I kept thinking about was that it would be an incredibly lovely name.

Thanks for this post, what a great story - having travelled extensively in that area, I celebrate his achievement and its rich heritage in the Mayan culture.
posted by thecincinnatikid at 4:49 AM on December 7, 2024

Well, it sure has Mocha Mousse beat all to hell.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:30 AM on December 7, 2024 [2 favorites]

Highly cool. I'm a painter love learning about pigments.
posted by quiet wanderer at 11:39 AM on December 7, 2024

That photo of Ku with the blue on his hand, while in front of the mask he created is fascinating, as is the one of it again the kiln. Such rick contrast in color.

Wild that it was used to paint people that were sacrificed.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:11 PM on December 7, 2024 [1 favorite]

Fascinating article. And knowing the special process needed to create it makes the amount found in the cenote even more remarkable.
posted by gryphonlover at 5:29 PM on December 7, 2024

Mod note: [So beautiful! Thanks dhruva, we've added this to the sidebar and Best Of blog roundup of recent great posts!]
posted by taz (staff) at 1:45 AM on December 8, 2024 [1 favorite]

That really is a gorgeous blue.
posted by lucidium at 1:35 PM on December 8, 2024

Lovely article and beautiful pigment!
posted by ellerhodes at 2:50 PM on December 8, 2024