The art pieces shown here are (replicas) reprints drawn from the original Mayan underworld petroglyphs found in Naj Tunich caves. The artist uses mixed technique on a piece of domestic clay pottery.

The chambers of Naj Tunich were discovered by the hunter and farmer Bernabé Pop in the year 1979. This archeological site is found near the location of La Compuerta, about 35 km west of Poptún, Petén in Guatemala.

The first human prints located inside the cave --with an extension of approximately 2.6 Km., dates from the year 200 B.C. The period when they were most often utilized for Mayan cults took place between the classic and late classic period, from 700 to 900 A.C.

The caves were used by the Maya as art galleries, probably for religious ceremonial matters. Nowadays, the subterranean corridors with the paintings are closed to the public. On February 2007 a small cavern near the original one was inaugurated with an exhibition of selected reprinted petroglyphs.

The caves can be visited about 35 km from Poptún, Petén in Guatemala, where there were discovered by the hunter Bernabé Pop in the year 1979

The replicas are showing the figures as they were found just after their discovery – later they were damaged by humans.