gems, jade, jadeite, fei cui, Mesoamerica, Aztecs, Guatemala, Guatemala jade, Costa Rica

This gallery explains the process of jade working in the Pre-Columbian period, its provenance and the routes followed by various groups for its trade. It also discusses the symbolism, social use and spiritual function that objects made from this material had in the ceremonies performed by the shaman. The gallery offers electronic devices, tactile and sound resources for blind visitors and other users, maps of jade trade routes, videos on the technology used to work this material, a diorama of a Pre-Columbian family and a cylinder depicting a shamanic ritual scene. Among the collection exhibited in this gallery are objects originating from the Olmec and Maya regions, ceramic objects with motifs influenced by Mesoamerica, as well as a great variety of objects made from different materials using the same techniques employed for jade pieces.