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Analysis Of Mary Miller 's ' Extreme Makeover '

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The Ancient Maya are recognized for numerous accomplishments. Among their accomplishments are the techniques they contributed to the Maya beauty rituals. Archaeological excavation penetrates the Mayan people and their commitment to revolutionizing beauty. In Extreme Makeover, Mary Miller determines the considerable lengths the ancient Mayan civilization endured to reconstruct their bodies. They devoted endless measures of worth and persevered through unimaginable agony to create a beautiful self-image. Comparable to our society, the Mayan people satisfied the illusion of appearance by adopting the artistic imagery that conformed their society. “What did ancient Maya men and women hope to see when they looked in their pyrite mirrors?” A source of inspiration came from the ruler K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, or Pakal the Great, who reigned over the city of Palenque from 612 to 683 A.D. Thorough examination into the remains of Pakal uncovers the definitive beauty that influenced many ancient Mayan men. ¬Through their artistry and the examination of their remains we can begin to comprehend what propelled their quest for physical perfection. Beginning with her expedition to Palenque in 1975, and throughout a 30 year span as a Mesoamerican historian, Miller begins to discover an understanding of the Mayan beauty rituals that shaped their society. She considers the reliance Pakal the Great retained for physical perfection. Thorough examination of his remains revealed that a cranial

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