Paper will examine the conservation methods and techniques used for the preservation of Mayan artifacts. Particular emphasis will be given to the four Mayan Codices known as the Dresden, Paris, Madrid, and Grolier Codices.

These four documents are unique in that, not only have they survived until recently in less than ideal conditions for almost five hundred years, but they represent a culture whose written record was almost entirely destroyed by the religious zeal of the early Spanish missionaries.

The fact that these codices still exist today is reason enough that special attention should be given to the care and treatment of them. Additional attention will be given to the comparative conservation methods used in treating ancient papyrus paper.