Sacred Ceiba tree researched on Maya art

Ceiba Tree

Image by wrsi via Flickr

Two US scientists, natural historian and archaeologist Charles Zidar of Missouri Botanical Garden in St Louis, US, and botanist Wayne Elisens of the University of Oklahoma, Norman, US,  are researching Maya artwork with accurate depictions of giant trees and beautiful flowers. They are hoping to discover plants known to the Maya but forgotten since then. Some of the art shows the Ceiba tree which is considered sacred by the Maya. The scientists also hope to discover plants with unknown medical uses.
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Read the BBC article about this, with pictures showing the resemblance between plants and depictions in Mayan art:

Sacred Plants of the Maya Forest
"The Maya have lived and used rainforest plants to heal themselves for thousands of years. We are just beginning to understand some of their secrets" -  Archaeologist Charles Zadir

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8083000/8083812.stm

Read also

Ancient Mayans' plants - Zee News - ‎Jun 13, 2009‎

Videos

Maya Forest, Guatemala - The Nature Conservancy

Mayan Art

Sacred Maya Ceiba tree
Image by Gare and Kitty via Flickr