The project sees study of art culture through primary source inquiry as a valuable experience for the art educator. Regardless of the culture, artist, or time period studied, the work of art makes itself known through both intellectual and emotive responses to it. Through description of Mayan culture, society, and artifacts, art as an extension of, and response to, contextual expression, should not be taken out of context. The dilemma for multiculturally sensitive art educators is how to keep artifacts in their cultural settings and yet transport them into the classroom for examination. This document appeals for scrutiny in selection of artifacts for use in the educational process, and presents thoughtful inquiry as a technique for resolving the dilemma of transport from context to classroom. Questions for critical consideration are: "What are the key monuments in the culture?"; "Why did someone want to create this?"; and "For what purpose was it created?" (MM)