South Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Maya Obelisk
Photographed by Craig Baker, April 27, 2022
1. Maya Obelisk Marker
Hieroglyphics are a style of writing that uses symbols or pictures to represent an idea, a word, a symbol or a sound. Many of the Maya glyphs were based on hand signs that were used as an unspoken language. The discovery that glyphs had phonetic values of a spoken language opened the door to greater interpretation of the ancient Maya texts.
Dance - Symbolizes the performance of the rhythmical movements to drums or music.
Sculptor - Symbolizes a person who carves images and text in stone.
Painter - Symbolizes an artisan who creates paintings and drawings.
Wise Man - Considered an artist or knowledgeable person.
Frog - The frog symbolizes birth or life which came forth from water.
Sun Jaguar - The sun is considered a symbol of power and life and is related to natural events, such as agricultural cycles and astronomy. This sign is often associated with Maya rulers.
To Make Manifest - Calling forth ancestors or other supernatural beings during rituals in order to communicate with them.
Wa Tza - These glyphs are representative of the sounds which say the word Watts when joined together.
Topics.
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Location. 33° 56.286′ N, 118° 14.349′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in South Los Angeles. It is at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard North and Wilmington Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Santa Ana Boulevard North. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Los Angeles CA 90002, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Watts Towers (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Egyptian Obelisk (approx. 0.4 miles away); Eagle Tree (approx.
Photographed by Craig Baker, April 27, 2022
2. Maya Obelisk and Marker
Regarding Maya Obelisk.
The Mayan and Egyptian Obelisks (see nearby marker) were done during a period of time when the Community Redevelopment Agency managed the property in the 1990s. They no longer oversee the site. The Obelisks bookend what is referred to as the "Cultural Crescent" The Historic Watts Train Station was built in 1904, and "Nuestro Pueblo" (Watts Towers) built 1921-1954 by Sabato Rodia. The African and Meso-American inspired architecture/structures is a reflection of the current demographics of the community. The property is now managed by Cultural Affairs - City of Los Angeles. There are plans to redesign and landscape the property in the near future.
-information provided by Watts Towers Arts Center in 2024.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 14, 2024. It was originally submitted on May 21, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 1,131 times since then and 56 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 21, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
