Merle Greene Robertson was born and raised in Montana, spending her summers in Glacier National Park. After high school, she moved to Seattle and continued her love of the outdoors in the rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula. All of this prepared Merle for her time spent in the Peten jungle and her fearless attitude toward the forest.

Merle majored in architecture and design, with a minor in anthropology, receiving her BA from San Francisco State, her MFA from the University of Guanajuato in Mexico, and her Doctorate from Tulane University in Louisiana. She is the author of 8 books and a contributor to over 100 books and archaeological publications. The most extensive book is the 4-volume set The Sculpture of Palenque, published by Princeton University Press.

On December 2005, Hacienda Chichen Resort (in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico) inaugurated Dr. Merle Greene's Maya Rubbings Museum and Gallery within the grounds of the hotel's property. The museum is open to guests and visitors alike.

In an interview, Sr. Greene explained how she uses Japanese handmade papers of different types and weights. An eight-foot stela with deep relief demands a paper of sufficient strength to withstand the stretch and pull caused by the deep cuts. A delicately lined tablet, such as that of the "Panel of the 96 Hieroglyphs" at Palenque, needs a fine-grained, yet strong paper to bring out the detail. She builds up gradually each Rubbing's details from light to dark. As many as one hundred applications per square inch may be needed to built up her fine pigment layers.

Dr. Greene's "Rubbings" immaculate detailed artwork helps scholars study in depth the Mayan sculptures and reliefs of an extensive list of original Mayan temple sculptured stones.  She is adamant about working only with original Mayan carved stones; she never works with relief stones that have been "restored" with improved additions; thus, her work is a gem for Mayan scholars for time to come.

In the past decade, Merle has worked in Old Chichen temples and stayed at her beloved Hacienda Chichen, located a mist Chichen Itza's majestic Mayan temples.  Scholars all over the world assist her in the large task of preparing the paper for each rubbing as well as caring for her safety.

Staying in her own Merle Greene Master Suite and Cottage, brings great joy to her; she personally chose the cottage and decor. During her long fieldtrip visits, she enjoys fine dinner parties and the tranquil ambiance of her suite's sitting area surrounded by her favorite fruit bearing trees. At night she enjoys the life guitar trio music and a traditional "Lima Soup". Pampered with the caring hospitality of the staff, Merle has a true difficult leaving this beautiful home away from home. 

Merle Greene's great personal dedication to the Maya has yield an amazing contribution to the study of Maya art and academic investigation of the Maya culture. Her painstaking recording of Maya carvings continues helping thousands of scholars and research teams' study this great civilization.

For more information about Merle, visit the following websites:

 Celebrating Merle Greene Robertson article
 at Yucatan Adventure online magazine.

 Tribute to Merle Green Robertson
 at Mesoweb online archaeologic magazine

 Doyenne of Mayanists by Tom Gidwitz

 Merle Green Robertson Collection
 Tulane University's  Rubbings  Collection

Dr. Merle Greene has reserved her Suite this July, for her own Birthday Weekend Party.

 Reserve Dr. Merle Greene Master Suite.