Mayan Civilizations - anth 232

3,114 B.C.

Start of the long count; Start of 13th Bak'tun

Ceibal

Terminal Classic Most powerful center of TC pd · Stela 10 Aj Bolon Habtal Wat'ul K'atel led TC resurgence of Ceibal after 829AD · Dressed to tee, nose tube new thing almost haircut with bangs He's depicted with a large tube running through his nose. Not seen before in rulers. Could be keying into other Mesoamerican cultures · It looks like there's pineapple at the bottom of the picture · Stela 3 a "faces B" TC non Maya style simple dress more like Mesoamerican; calendar round date sister city of dos pilas and aguateca -Dos Pilas Stela 2 showing "Ruler 3" in full battle attire making victory of Ceibal in 736 picture where ruler 3 is holding a long spear, and wearing a headdress with mexican year sign - the sign is of tenochtitlan shows dressing as ruler is "fashionable" and standing on a captive ****Same version of this stela is at dos pilas, although not as tall; once again showing they seemed to be possibly sharing the same ruler · Canons of art shifting dramatically · AD 735 Capture and sacrifice of Jaguar Paw of Ceibal - recorded at both Dos Pilas and Aguateca, probably not friendly relations w/ Ceibal oInteresting bc the recording is recorded in both places; dual capital pattern; both dos pilas and aguateca seem to be sharing same ruler

52 year cycle

The Calendar Round combination of Tsolk'in and Haab cycles 18,980 days long

Haab

Calendar cycle made up of 20 days and 18 months with an additional 5 day month called the wayeb. This cycle totals to 365 days. Glyph p 163 Solar year

dry-field terraces

Caracol Caracol terracing down hillside with houses interspersed Vernon Scarborough's model of watershed types: Convex: places of terracing, reservoir construction—structures on higher level residence down below; watershed type influences agricultural facilities and water management

Terminal Classic Period

Ceibal and Caracol substantial evidence · Southern lowlands still quite populous · Arrival of Spaniards in 1500 AD Shift begins in end LC into TC · Much more settlement on coast · Classic=very interior but seashore increasingly common · Huge demographic shfit · Populations moving out into coastal · Rulers engaged in long distance canoe trading · Ceramics begin refer to styles from N Yucatec not Peten · Text free sites along E Carib seaboard · Terminal Classic Maya World o AD 830-950 or 10.0.0.0.0 - 10.6.0.0.0 o Populous in Northern and Coastal Areas o Some people push it up to AD 1000, down to AD 900, etc. and it varies from place to place

eastern shrines in residences

Classic Period pattern of Eastern Ancestor Shrine in Residential compound (especially nonroyal) · Little house/shrine with bench · Pook's Hill, Belize · E structure ancestor shrine common Tikal (Temple I) · Looters pits b/c know burial offerings and precious several intact burial several looted bodies not everyone placed here probably more adult males in LC E shrine context · Heads went to the west so that when second coming occurred they would be facing east · Fulfilled some of same functions and focus of ritual practice and a place of several generations of ancestors ·Chances are you would find more adult males in this context than females or subadults but sometimes you do find males and females in a wider age span (late classic) same pattern - tikal

infields

Intensive cultivation in relatively small plots near residences is called infield agriculture Were important, close to house, mulch; Trees w/ch'ich' mounds to keep moisture in; still use today Ceren

bishop de landa

Landa's syllabary Relación de las cosas de Yucatán in which he catalogues the Maya religion, Maya language, culture and writing system.

Jasaw Chan K'awiil

Leader of Tikal from AD 682-734 25th ruler of Tikal defeated Calakmul He reaches back in time to commemorate Siyaj Chan K'awill an early classic ruler. Temple 1 in Tikal is his tomb. He is commemorated both on Stela 16 (shown below) and the Temple 1 Lintel.

cacaste backracks

Like large backpack; way of carrying pottery long way to market Worn by God L in Terminal Classic depictions after dignity had been restored God L is the "merchant God" and she showed us a mural of him in class with a backrack of luxury items (including a headdress,) while also confronting a cacao tree-->Picture of Highland Guatemalan traders carrying pottery to market via backracks (maybe a connection with trading/merchants in modern times)

axis mundi

Literally translates from Latin to "center of the Earth". It's a cosmic axis Something that cuts across all layers of heavens and earth and connects them World is believed to be A layered Cosmos Back of crocodile floating in primordial sea = surface of earth; the crocodile's gnarly back would be metaphoric for the mountains, and the water he floats on would be metaphoric for the sea 13 layers of "heavens"= OXLAHUNTIKU Then the 9 layers of Xibalba (BOLONTIKU), which is the Underworld or "place of fright" It's pictured as featuring decapitation, fire breathing bats, Believed one travel through there after death but do not stay there How the Ancient Mayans viewed the universe -Maya had a concept of a World as a Ceiba Tree -This Ceiba tree was the "axis mundi" that ran between the layers, with its roots in Xibalba (underworld) and its Branches in Oxlahuntiku (heavens). -This Ceiba tree was sacred to the Maya *Palenque, Temple of the Cross

Paso de la Amada

Located in Mexican State of Chiapas; Oldest Mesoamerican ballcourt (1490 +/- 60 BC) for being "the best evidence" for Olmec contacts in the Soconusco region, and for presenting early evidence of social stratification. pottery looked like gourds (tecomate)

El Manatí

"Ocós Phase" (1500-900 BC) Site of the earliest water shrine, which was believed to have access to another dimension and was used for offerings to the gods. Located on gulf side; Earliest water shrine known in Mesoamerica Waterlogged= good preservation Earliest greenstone Earliest rubber ball Earliest wooden sculpture preclassic

winik

'person'/'man', 20 fingers/toes, and month (20 days in mayan month)

Joventud Red pottery

Middle Preclassic pottery style; tecomate form found at K'axob looks like squash, pumpkin, or cut off gourd

K'inich Ajaw

"Sun god"; Recognizable by: -His large "god eye" -A Roman nose -Upper incisors filed into a T-shape -A tendril curling from the corner of the mouth -A flower like K'IN logogram in the forehead or elsewhere. Glyph P. 112-113 stucco masks on pyramids in late preclasseic of K'inich Ajaw and PBD (principal bird deity). stucco masks on pyramids in late preclasseic of K'inich Ajaw and PBD (principal bird deity). Also-When used in reference to royalty, acts as an royal title (means "great sun") (see p 77). Common only at Palenque and Caracol

K'in

"day"/"sun" 1 day in Long Count Glyph p 164

vacant ceremonial center (VCC)

"highly specialized ceremonial centers" not used for domestic or residential occupation but rather for ceremonies. possibly few priests or attendants as residents. (found these ideas/definitions online, this one below by archaeologist Thompson, who she mentioned in class under the VCC header) 1 - In the Mayan Vacant Center Model, ceremonial centers were places "to which the people repaired for religious ceremonies, civic functions, and markets," and at the end of the day most of the people would return to their dwellings in dispersed settlements, leaving the center "deserted except for those who swept the courts and buildings or stored the masks and vestments, and for priests on tour of duty. Then at the next market day the city would come alive again." (Studied by Eric J. Thompson) in the 60's. 2 - Until the 1970's, most archaeologists believed that Maya sites had functioned as ceremonial centers for special festivals or markets, and unlike true cities, they never had a sizable permanent population. The main reason for this misconception was due to inadequate surveying and mapping of Maya sites. Low platforms, especially earthen ones, are hard for surveyors to detect from under centuries of vegetative growth,and the more spectacular architecture of the site core attracted archaeological attention first. Also, Maya cities did not have the street grids or density of modern industrial ones. The belief in the vacant ceremonial center (VCC) was compounded by the fact that only the dates and astronomical information of the hieroglyphic texts could be read. This permitted the erroneous impression that the Maya were ruled by priests who lived in the nearly vacant ceremonial centers where they maintained the calendars, observed the movements of stars,and performed rituals that would appease the gods. The agrarian pop. would join them in the city center for feast days or markets. Tatiana Proskouriakoff was one of the main people responsible for depicting Tikal as a VCC.

K'uhul Ajaw

"sacred god"; separated royalty from normal gods in Early Preclassic; Kings who ruled over polities (more powerful I suppose) were given k'uhul title meaning divine

God L

"smoking" merchant deity and denizen of the underworld · God of Merchants and war among Classic Maya · cigar=tobacco, farmers?/keep bugs away · Broad brimmed hat (that travelers wore) with owl feathers/messenger bird on head · fringed cape ending in point; · sometimes black face and body, sometimes large god eye (characteristic of deities) and chop fallen jaw (aged) · Rakishly dressed - we looked at an image of God L. being stripped of his finery by the Maize God and being forced to pay tribute (looks like there's a story of morality, seems to be some tension - conflict with Classic Maya nobility (who were non-commercial?)) pay tribute Moral: has access to wealth that is not controlled by rulers so he is not trusted but indispensable; but brings to royal courts rich things (like cacao) needed for the performance of royalty (possibly a representation of traders themselves?) Often has messenger bird in hat, often smoking to keep bugs away in forested area In Terminal Classic/Post Classic: garments (including his backrack) and dignity restored shown in much more respectful way with jaguar when elites took part in trade A Late Classic cylindrical vessel showing an Underworld palace scene featuring God L, his consorts, cacao pouring, and the possible decapitation of the maize deity

siyaj or sih-aj

"was born" glyph

Bonampak

(WIKI) classic mayan archeological site on Guatemalan border; modern mayans still use it for ritual purposes Glyph P. 70 Famous for Temple of Murals, 3 rooms in a long narrow temple filled with murals about courtly life. Tributary to Yaxhilan; masterpiece set; unfinished · Walls painted close up battle scene room 2 and captive taking; jaguar clothing helmet tunic spear · Next room is array of captives Presenting 5 pik (40,000 cacao seeds) at court · Bonampak mural is located in Room 1, east wall. ~AD 790 · Walking tribute bundles described as y-beet or "bird messengers" without royal titles or names (standing in for royalty who can't be there or are taken captive) embassaries of their court coming to bring tribute (scene from room 1) · 5-pik kakaw or 40,000 beans (big white cotton cloth bag) glyph for cacao (bag number indicates how many) · end of wall tribute scene room 1 · Frequently shown or mentioned Discovered in 1950s Discovery in 1950s put an end to the myth that Mayans were nonviolent. The murals depict a conflict/battle scene.

Spanish entradas

(colonial period & Spanish conquest) explorers noted impressive stone constructions of monumental scale with complex iconography and hieroglyphs

Waxaklajuun Ub'aah K'awiil

13 ruler of Copan · Ruled artistic peak of Copan · Installed Kak'Tiliw Chan Yoaat as ruler of Quirigua which was subsidiary of Copan · Commissioned Stela A lists Copan among great cities · Built "Esmeralda" of Temple 26, refurbished Great Plaza and Ballcourt · Captured by Kak' Tiliw Chan Yoaat of Quirigua · Hieroglyphic stair Temple 26 2,200 glyphs longest known M inscription text got all jumbled when ppl try to stick I back · Great Ballcourt of Copan on Quirigua Stela J 6 kimi 4 chuwen was axed (dap) h · Interrupt construction of h stiar for several decade · K'ak' Tiliw build up similar to Copan Q 1st rueler 426 Tok Casper by Copan A later KTCY assession, catvies 14th ruler claim Calakmul probably help · Tallest known pyramid Waxaklhuun Ub'aah K'awiil · 13th ruler of Copan 695-739 · 13 images of K'awiil · He called himself 13th ruler; so the rulers had a very definite sense of themselves and place in dynastic sequence · Given nick name of 13 rabbit by epigraphers · Many would consider this artistic peak of Copan · Installed another Kak Tiliw Chan Yoaat as ruler at Quirigua - vassal state, subsidiary of Copan · He Commissioned Stela A - lists Copan among the 4 great cities of Mayan region other 3 being Palenque Calakmul and Tikal · Aware of larger Maya world that existed...Copan in western Honduras so kind of separated. It is over a mountain chain and river valley - different than other Maya sites · If dig down to preclassic deposits we find no sierra red pottery but completely different kinds · He built what is known as "Esmeralda" Phase of Temple 26, refurbished the great plaza and ball court of Copan - active builder and instructor and engaged in diplomatic relationships with other sites · He was captured by K'ak' Tiliw Chan Yoaat Quirigua - know one knows how he was captured some same he was ambushed while hunting ·Made Hieroglylphic stairway of temple 26, 2,200 glyphs, longest known maya inscription - so very extraordinary; Not in very good shape by 20th century but there was some restoration and text got all jumbled...like jigsaw puzzle · David Stuart and Simon Martin have succeeded in deciphering most of hieroglyphic staircase; can't climb up it today...fabric covers it from sunlight and weather · Famous ball court of copan; where one can see rings and markers

Tun

18 Winal Glyph p 46; Third digit in the Long Count

Bak'tun

20 Ka'tuns Glyph p 46 First digit in the Long Count

Winal

20 k'ins (20 days) in long count (month) Glyphs p 166; 4th digit in the Long Count

Jasaw Chan K'awiil (more on other google doc)

25th ruler of Tikal, ruled for 52 years, waged war on Calakmul: takes Yich' aak K'ak' captive, knew the history of the place he was ruling very well buried under Temple 1 in Tikal, capped the north Acropolis with Temple 33 -Tikal Stela 16

Tsolk'in

260 days long (length of human gestation) 20 day names & 13 numbers (day names always seen in cartouche) specific "lucky" and "unlucky" days used today by K'iche Maya Tsolk'in birthdate used as 2nd name in some areas This was the ritual calendar superimposed on the Haab calendar. Both together create the Calendar Round

Sayil

3 story stepped back columns doorway closer to archaeology of highland Maya big masks above doorway like preclassic stucco in southern lowlands · Sacbe: all the way through · Unifinished ball court: much unfinished · Rectangular architecture on natural limestone hump · Places where (coltuns) limestone punctured and softer dug out o ~ 8,000 - 10,000 (N. Yucatan, populous in late terminal classic) - Abrupt decline terminal classic

Piedras Negras Stela 40

A scene that tells about offerings · Nourishing/remembering a royal ancestor, man sending down seeds through opening woman with rope coming out nose to upper where catches seeds, she large headdress and earspool · Offering down opening of actual tomb where woman is · Know tombs reopened visitation additional offerings permeable barrier between living and dead · Looks like seeds (we don't know what) through to ancestor underneath him in a tomb; underneath floor of structure · Lot of scattering rituals · Woman in tomb who is dressed ornately so royal · Tombs were reopened and visitation was done; additional offerings were left in tomb - permeable boundary between alive and dead · Shows that Not completely cut of when die - continued to be influential and thought about after death · Some bones of ancestors were brought out and covered with cinnabar/cinobar? and placed in correct anatomic position · Attractive treatment of remains of dead that's very reverential · Probably politically very important - ancestors who ruled also important so makes them important

Joya de Ceren

3-5m of ash makes it a time capsule so much architectural evidence there Covered by meters of volcanic ash in the early evening between AD 585-600 · Buildings small 3X3meters 4X4 meters · Wattle and daub thatch in low platform · Single households appear to occupy several buildings: · Domicile (benches for living and sleeping), kitchen, storehouses and workshops · found large storage jars, serving vessels, gourds painted, stored obsidian in roof thatching to protect it, metates for corn grinding on supports at waist level, other farming tools and ceramics · This was a group of people living in village low status not poor oppressed peasants had advantage of fertile volcanic soil · Structure 3 long narrow not as many objects: communal bldg meet discuss local affairs and drink chiche (maize beer) · Structure 10 community festivals · Structure 9 domed sweat bath, firebox at center · Hygienic, medical, ritual purification · Structure 12 place of ritual niche with figurines, spondylus fragments, been, deer antler and more, ritual paraphernalia Patio/plaza groupings · Joya de Ceren Early to late Classic · Dwelling built of bajareque under excavation at Ceren, adobe slab poured between wood · Naah house, Ceren El Salv huge structure covered square · A storehouse Structure 6; donut stone, matate, volcanic bomb hit and exploded an area lots of artifact rich in materials not use at the time · Structure 12 dwelling of ritual specialist Payson Sheet transverse wall · Naahlil structures square and close to each other -there was a kitchen

K'an Hoy (or Joy), holy lord of Palenque

5th ruler of Palenque; had an extensive biography written about him

K'iché (or Quiché)

A mayan group from the Guatemalan Highlands Associated with Popol Vuh; The Popol Vuh is their genealogy.

El Mirador

A site in the Guatemalan Lowlands. Triadic structures; large artificial platforms topped with a set of 3 summit pyramids (these pyramids were not tombs, unlike in the Classic period); had a causeway (road) in the city, HIGHLY important for a Mayan civilization 1st mayan ballcourt

Lowe projectile point

Archaic (5000-2000/1000 BC) look somewhat like fishtail used for hunting smaller animals; first discovered in 1980s near Lowe Ranch significant because it's nearly impossible to find Archaic/Early Preclassic Maya remains, so we have to make do.

Teobert Maler

Austrian archaeologist 1890s; Documented Mayan sites, especially glyphs, with a high-quality black and white camera; "minimal interpretation, maximum documentation"

El Mirador

BC 2000-200 in Guatemala; Triadic temple complexes, high platform with three small temples Stucco mask stairs reminiscent of Olmec heads

K'axob

Belize- preclassic near pullhouser swamp (little canals where land meets swamp... appears to have been farmed). (early) Middle Preclassic - pottery looks like squash or pumpkin (similarly at paso de la amada pottery looked like gourds); Farmed island fields next to marsh, burial of important leader probably for ritual purposes "Joventud Red" pottery - tecomate form "Timax incised"- resist bichrome OP7 - late preclassic house not many stones, earthen construction. OP10 - lower vessel of lip-to-lip cache. Late preclassic sierra red slip on an early classic form (evidence of change happening slowly) bottom bowl of lip-to-lip cache containing 3 pieces of limestone (mayan creation stories talk about 3 stones) OP1 - late preclassic residential platform - made of soft limestone OP11 - sierra red duck pot There were platforms with pyramids on each side, possibly used for religious ceremonies, where people would have congregated for rituals. Other plazas seem to have housed huge, extended families.

Puuc architecture

Corbelled vault really bowed figure out spacious room stone façade venere stone with rubble core · Puuc Hills (state of Yucatan, Quintana Roo, and Campeche) Apogee of skill in construction of monumental scale stone buildings at puuc Structural fill consolidated with lime based concrete; Fill covered by finely fitted veneer masonry; Columns and colonettes common; Plain lower zone with intricate stone mosaic facades above medial molding; Puuc hills very stoney Puuc Archetecture · Structure fill consolidated with lime based concrete · Façades · Fancy decoration · Stone mosaics · Fill covered by finely fitted veneer masonry · Columns and colonettes are common · Plain lower zones with intricate stone mosaic facades above medial molding (along bottom) ·It's a very stony area in Puuc hills, as there is lots of good stone available

San Bartolo

Corn "maidens" emerging from underworld cave offertory scene; Known for polychrome wall murals. Has oldest known intact Maya murals.

naahlil

DEF: Group of houses/residential compound, as "naah" means house · Extended family or fictive kin units o Multigenerational (Grandparents down) o Tendency towards patriolocality live with males family after marriage o New married couples may observe bride service (to see if husband ok or not) o Brothers and wives and children o Slaves/servants in wealthier · Corporate structure of production Some wealthier naahlil's had slaves or servants · Gendered space w/I naahlil Chinaah = residential ward or neighborhood (barrio) in N. Yucatan Cah = town or city how we learn/study the little we know about commoners = through their residences or "naahlil"

Cauac

Earth spirit/monster Earth Deity or Lord: Classic Period wits or mountain, a.k.a. Cauac · Kind of animal looking (zoomorphic) - not human looking · Earth lord looks very much like a crocodile or lizard · Often wearing earspools and has rich ornamentation · Cauac = supernatural spirit...not necessarily a deity Entire front façade of structure at Kabah covered with his masks Masks stacked on corner of Palace of Governors at Uxmal (both Northern sites) **We know from later times that anything you did that was invasive to earth, would require some kind of appropriation or reciprocal offering had to be given of/to earth lord (if taking something have to give something back in return) Offerings of Shell Ornaments in Wetland Fields of K'axob, Belize Every time excavated, would find marine shells that were carved out of conch shell or something else marine Realized that these things were put there on purpose Found in wetland fields Seem to have been an offering that was placed in the ground to compensate for the fact that the wetlands were being transformed into island fields or agricultural fields (acts of reciprocity) as excavate Still seen today · Picture: K'iche offerings to the earth lord (before planting) · Flowers being offered (big role)

El Castillo

El Castillo: as sun goes down diamonds on back of serpent move toward head on either solstice or equinox o Jaguar throne inside o More feathered serpents It will have a lot of tourist attraction on Dec 21, 2012 Quetzalcoatl, temple atop el Castillo · More snakes and bottom staircase The Mayapan main pyramid is a diminutive version of El Castillo at Chichen

jadeite

Fine grained precious stone found along Motagua River Valley; The river valley flows into the Caribbean, and has restricted access; serpentine (coarse grained) used in place of it bc much more common; both metamorphic; didn't care if precious, just if green - used as offerings/tribute Presenting Tribute at the Court of Jasaw Chan K'awiil I of Tikal ~ AD730 (on a vessel in his tomb) K'awiil was wearing lots of jade in his tomb as well as a scene on the vessel where he was being presented with that jadeite jewelry Important adornment for elites and traded heavily; Amount of Jadeite at sites varied with wealth of its occupants

Yuri Knorosov

First person to crack the code of Maya glyphs 195; Recognized the syllabic nature of the glyphs; Discovered the principle of synharmony; Applied glyphic substitution in codices; Used Bishop Diego de Landa work to confirm his glyph readings

ballgame

Game played by Mayans; Thought to have also been a form of training for battles; Ballcourts and rubber balls found; Oldest ball found: 1000-1200 B.C. @ Gulf Side: El Manati (the waterlogged shrine); 12 cm long (rubber balls) (preclassic)

Chaak (Chahk)

God B; embodiment of thunder and lightning; therefore god of rain; Classic wore Spondylus shell over each ear protruding upper lip and tendril from each corner of mouth carries ax=thunderbolt Scroll elements inside/around eyes nose grew with time Preclassic small...she called it "pinnochio nose" in the Post classic Period *****Found from Dresden Codex - one of few deities to survive the colonial period His head shows this is a deity with eyes and fangs (the tendrils) Importance transcends temporal and social boundaries · Survived colonial period bc not threatening to Spanish Friars? - even today you can see ritual practice focused on Chaak · Life-size stucco from cave in El Peten Guatemala · Often thought to have lived in caves river flow through limestone cave; also, humidity and steam coming from cave gave that illusion · Yucatec Cha'chaac ceremony (Mexico City Anthropological Museum): might still see this outside of town with rectangular table young boys sit underneath at corner croaking like frogs, garden leaves crisscross on top

Itzamnaaj

God D; supreme creator deity; · Large god-eye (often scroll inside) god eye = (omniscient and can see everything) · Large Roman nose · chop-fallen, toothless jaws (old) · device on forehead Supreme Creator deity

K'inich Ajaw

God G: sun god: sun eyed ruler, sun-faced ruler; · large god eye marked with bent or squared parallel lines in corner · Roman nose · upper teeth in T · tendril curling corner mouth; · Kin logogram in forehead or elsewhere head variant #4 Jaguar God of the underworld at night; sun comes up in East but has to go somewhere at night reasonable to have a sun god of day and sun god of night; at night battle in underworld; not understood well

K'awiil

God K; principal dynastic deity name often taken in accession Features: large god eye bright mirror in forehead with smoke or axe blade coming out one leg ends in bearded serpent with open jaws from which head and shoulders another deity might come; its leg terminates as a serpent -Often see PBD (Principle Bird Deity) at head of scepters One we saw in class? Was "eccentric;" it was made from chert flintnap without utilitarian use -called "manikin scepter" because found in stone and wood; held by rulers in Period Ending ceremonies *K'awiil = favorite name of royal

Hunahpu

Hero Twin Lat er rulers mark self with 3 dots on cheek in memory; Note: could also refer to their father, maize god?? Glyph p. 116 "Hunter"

10.0.0.0.0 (AD 830)

Important calendrical shift; no monuments saying things getting bad/not sustainable; may have been clueless aobut what hap; few record it at all collapse of Classic Maya -terminal classic

Aguateca

Inomata account: Rapidly abandoned bc think attacked; know was burned All rooms in the central part have a lot of artifacts Deep chasm through middle with walls around backside naturally defensive with steep cliffwalls Inomata = author of textbook who worked at the site Located in the Petexbatun region of Guatamala Site itself is in a naturally structured defensive location (due to a verticle cliff, deep chasm, and walls behind site) Apparently there is a vivid account of the final days at Aguateca in our textbook....but I didn't read that. became fortified capital for about 40 yrs destroyed 810AD (pyramid structure 8-* never completed) -important from an archaeological standpoint of studying elites due to its rapid abandonment; lots of artifacts were left behind (often in sealed rooms in the ceremonial/palace center) that would not have normally been left behind since they did not have time to take them with them. This includes artifacts like paint palletes. Apparently they thought they would return, but never did. - refuse deposits of cut shell and bone have been found at Aguateca (and other royal courts). Thought to maybe indicate the presence of royal artisans who crafted for each other and for gifting or for trading. -Also, gendered occupational spheres suggested (by Inomata) as Spindle whorls were spatially distinct from paint pots and carving tools

Tikal (or Yax Mutal)

Mayan City - Location: Archaeological region of Petén Basin (Northern Guatemala); Central precinct during the Late Classic period - and also the Classic Period - they had a large political sphere; 50,000 - 60,000 people lived in the urban zone and rural periphery; Lots of migration into, and out of, this city; One of the places where we have a complete archaeological record due to a long term project by the university of Pennsylvania in 60's and 70's - best understood; Central precinct during the Late Classic period - and also the Classic Period - they had a large political sphere 50,000 - 60,000 people lived in the urban zone and rural periphery Lots of migration into, and out of, this city One of the places where we have a complete archaeological record due to a long term project by the university of Pennsylvania in 60's and 70's - best understood "Tikal Hiatus" - For approx 125 years, between the late 6th to late 7th century or 9-10 Bak'tun, there was a lapse in the writing of inscriptions and large-scale construction at Tikal...means something bad went on during this period. There was a war between Tikal and Caracol, Tikal lost 562. Tikal was then defeated by Calakmul in 679 (K'an fam led Calakmul at this point). Then Jasaw Chan K'awiil brought Tikal back in 695 by defeating Calakmul. Yay!

Dresden, Madrid, Paris & Grolier codices

Mayan books not destroyed during the Spanish conquest written in Maya hieroglyphic script Sacred books of priests; Aid in decipherment of Maya hieroglyphic language. Astronomy, divination, and ritual cycles. Fanfolded, painted on bark paper. These were basically holy books for priests to read.

Primary Standard Sequence

Most common of all Maya hieroglyphic textsàformulaic always in primary position on ceramics and monuments; find where begins with initial sign 1) Vessel dedication: opens with alay "this" was painted, the surface" "it came into being" reference to diety Then name of scribe, maybe even his parentage Original monogram or nametag; Late Classic vessel from burial of young male at site of Buenevista in upper Belize Valley in Belize; Painted in style of "Holmul dancer" with glyph band (PSS) original monogram or name tag reads something about cacao vessel for King of Naranjow

Mesoamerica

One of the earliest civilizations with regard to the building of large edifices, hierarchical ruling class fun fact: mesoamericans invented the rubber ball construction of monumental architecture and the growing of maize are characteristic of mesoamerica. also characteristic of mesoamerica: synthesis of political authority and religious ideology The geographic area stretching from modern mexico to northern costa rica. Western Meso = Mexican Highland Eastern Meso = Maya Region Varying terrain.. yucatán area flat limestone & calcium carbonate Highland Guatemala volcanoes @ mtns, bedrock, igneous rock (obsidian erupts from volcanoes)

Popol Vuh

Post-Classic Maya creation narrative transcribed with Euro alphabet for us in the colonial period. Authored by Cavec, Greathouse, and Lord Quiché (town of Quiché). Currently in Chicago Library Hunahpu = Hunter Xbalanque = Jaguar Deer •Creation Narrative •Trials of the Hero Twins •Genealogy of K'iché Maya royal lines

Mayapan

Ruled by Xiu and Cocom families Post classic Early post classic : Mayapan was the most powerful site in the area Postclassic Mayapan · Built by AD 1350 and occupied until late 15th century ·Ruled by Xiu and Cocom families - these are still surnames here today in Yucatan area oHave info about breakup of Mayapan that was burned o Decade of archeological work just completed · pale imitation of Chichen · pyramid thing · round circular structures that were in Chichen · we don't know what happened to families after fall of Chichen · Can see that some of the architectural characteristics continue to post classic period o Extensive use of open columns and Open portico, which is Seen at Puuc sites and Sayil o Very different from southern lowlands Mayapan main pyramidis a diminutive version of the one at El Castillo at Chicen · 9 terraces · everything is scaled back a bit · not as large and investment into monumental architecture; Why? : either not important to make that kind of statement or not the labor force to build it Circular Shrine of Mayapan evocative of feathered Serpent · Kukukan in lowlands · Astronomical observatory? · Was a Temple · Dedicated to feathered serpent · Round temples come in terminal classic Mayapan Wall mural with Aquatic Theme · has Shells and fish · Extensive use of blue pigment · Identified from clay deposit near Mayapan Mayapan Wall mural with Mixteca-Puebla martial motif · Warriors · Big shield in middle · Way they are painted is evocative of highland styles · New cosmopolitanism in maya region that we just didn't see during late classic period ·Representational art is shifting in maya region and more aligned with Mexican highlands

Dos Pilas

Sister city Aguateca · Big pyramid with three platform; long structure; walls built later out of materials from other structures Emblem glyph early identical to Tikal and later flipped on side with 2 bars in later pat of LC Dos Pilas was established later on by Balaj Chan K'awiil and went on to defeat Tikal several times shares close affinity with Aguateca walls built around it Lady Six Sky Daughter of dos pilas ruler B'alaj Chan K'awiil A woman who arrived at naranjo...described as arriving at naranjo AD 682 Emblem glyph from dos pilas is associated with her name I seems pretty clear that she arrived from dos pilas; tikal blue blood royal woman Rules with her husband Comes to naranjo when it had suffered military defeat When she comes things seem to turn around but we don't know if it is because of her or brings with her and alliance network Shown as a "warrior queen" on stelae One of few women who is shown standing on top of captive (NARANJO Stela 25) where there is an emblem glyph of dos pilas *powerful female who brings stability Dos Pilas Emblem Glyph · Early EG = Tikal EG · Emblem glyph was identical to Tikal's; connection between 2 sites · Late EG = Variant of Tikal EG (flipped on side...2 bands...in other direction) pair or wrapped bundle becomes different in later part of late classic *Suggestion...some connection to Tikal? Link of aliance between dos pilas and Calakmul and eventually Naranjo...all fight tikal together *Bad blood between tikal and dos pilas, thus both dos pilas and aguateca probably dont have good relations with Ceibal who teams up with Tikal...this connects with theory that Aguateca and Dos Pilas had same ruler at one point (Stela 2 with "Ruler 3")

cah

Town or city

Friar Ximénez

Transcribed and translated the Popol Vuh in K'iche' and in Spanish in 1701, 1703

Xibalba

Underworld "place of fright" decapitation, fire breathing bat, travel through after death but do not stay there 9 layers

cacao or ka-ka-w(a)

Valuable resource consumed (liquid form) by Mayan royalty. Sacks of cacao offered as tributes and may have been used as a form of currency and typically marked every important rite of passage; Chemical properties found in ancient pots -- help to discover usage of pottery types. Chocolate residue can be found from at least 500 B.C. popular in wet, tropical regions. lords & ladies drinking and making cacao. marriage, death, anniversary of death. logograph is fish head (usually with 2 dots) and "w(a)" sign fish symbol Only grows in certain areas, desire for cacao prompted trade/tribute The Bonampak Mural (specifically, scene from room 1) is significant in relation to chocolate because it showed the scene of 5-pik kakaw or 40,000 beans (big white cotton cloth bag) with glyph for cacao on it (bag number indicates how many) which showed us that cacao was used economically and as tributes in Mayan society

Landa's syllabary

Written by Bishop Diego de Landa (16th century missionary in Yucatan - basically a horrible person. recalled to Spain for "review of conduct") Conducted Spanish style inquisition. Burned countless codices and icons. An "alphabet" created by Landa with the help of Yucatec Mayan scribes. de Landa saw clear link between past ruins and present inhabitants

Stephens & Catherwood

Wrote a best seller book in 1841 about an Indiana Jones type of adventure. Stephens was the author and Catherwood was the artist and draws "technically correct illustrations"; published Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas & Yucatán in 1841, best seller. proposed link between ruins & living Maya people Written on the eve of Caste War but not commentary

Lintels of Yaxchilan

Yaxchilan is 75 miles SE of Palenque; WIKI) The heiroglyphic stairway? I tried searching for this; nothing in notes and very little online. Yaxchilan Lintel 24 is showing a high status woman bloodletting on a paper to be used for sacrifice. Yaxchilan Lintel 25 is showing a high status woman looking up at a snake with a warrior head, it demonstrated her having a vision. Maybe that's significant? Lintel 24: Lady K'abal Xook Ix kaloomte (lady autocrat) drawing barbed rope through her tongue, man holding torch suggests nighttime, blood spilled on paper and then burned as offering probably in preparation for him to battle glyph says "it is her doing baah" Lintel 25 having vision of serpent don't know whose head on it, she conjured up something and a reference to warfare Snake visions were common themes of sacrifice.

sajal

a high rank subordinate to ajaw Glyph p. 165 Think "magnate."

phonetic complement

a phonetic symbol used to disambiguate logograms that have multiple possible readings Can sometimes be used to make up an entire word by themselves.

Tulum

a walled seaport · Architecture smaller in scale and a lot more delicate · Great beach and beautiful weather; 2nd longest reef along shore: natural barrier; Possible more canoe btwn reef and mainland: potential for canoe travel · Even more diminutive castille · Architecture at Tulum: lots of plaster Postclassic Post classic Tulum · A walled seaport · Scenic maya site · Wall that goes around site · Cant walk on buildings (tourists) · Not necessarily built to last in post classic · Crumbles easier · Second longest coral reef in the world is along the eastern shore · Tremendous potential for canoe traffic Post classic architecture of Tulum · Lots of plaster · Tulum noted by Spanish chroniclers · Original plaster still in place · Important sea port · Iconographic ... in leeches? · Painted murals behind columns · Was a place that was noted as an active seaport that still had a population in early 16th century European chronicles of 16-18th centuries describe Tulum as: · Multiple, small polities in Maya region ruled by hereditary aristocracies o Even though kingship may have imploded at end of classic period -Not complete leveling of maya society · Active participation in canoe and overland trading networks · State finance through extraction of tribute and labor o Not very different from classic period but smaller scale · Large role for marital conflict · A priesthood distinct from rulers o -Seems as though ritual role of mobility included new fire ceremonies; the rulers and ruling family took on role of priest? Not complete melding of religious and roles...priest stood a little separate of rulers

Kaminaljuyu

area in Guatemalan Highlands found stela showing ruler & year calendar round date KJ Stela 10: It features a fragment of a giant throne, carved with a decapitation narrative scene, showing a ruler impersonating an Underworld jaguar deity holding an axe over a captive.

naah or nah

house, first, great? "house" "lineage" residentially expressed with multi-family residential compounds (corporate groups) can be extended family of several generations or affinal (related by marriage) Houses stable over many generations (continuous occupation). House possesses an embodied vital force. Subfloor ancestor interments as fulcrum of continued house affiliation. Regeneration of g-parents as children.; Glyph p 165

vigesimal

base-20 system # of fingers/toes of "winik" system used in Long Count dates. bak'tun is a bundle of 20 k'atuns

chultun

bell shaped water reservoirs a water cistern · found mostly in areas where cenotes were absent (ex: Puuc hiils) can basically lower a jug in ground and fill it with water; they were dug out by hand

spindle whorls

ceramic tool Rounded disks of fired clay with central hole for spinning thread from lengths of fiber. Some are decorated with puncture marks or incised designs Pacific Coast Maya - **found at Aguateca when it was hastily abandoned

logo-syllabic writing

consists of logograms and syllables LOGOGRAMS: stand for whole words or word-stems syllabograms: phonetic signs that represent syllables as well as the "pure vowels" unaccompanied by any consonant; scribes attached phonetic complements to logograms words often written in syllabic form; logograms were difficult, considered for elite, and represented culture

Izapa stelae

dated approx. 300-100 BC "Tree of Life" stone; Mesoamerican world tree connecting sky & water or underworld possibly a creation myth; found in ancient Mesoamerican site of Izapa in Chiapas, Mexico

cenote

deep, natural pit resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath often used by Maya for sacrificial offerings principal water sources in much of Yucatan Peninsula

K'atun

equals 20 tun (7,200 days) 2nd digit on Long Count date Glyph: p. 46

13th Bak'tun

final b'ak'tun in the cycle ends Dec 21, 2012

Uxmal

first among Puuc capitals located in north Indications of standoff between western capital of Uxmal and Chichen Itza - Construction at both places ceased by AD 1000 although Chichen continued to be an important pilgrimage site (people made offerings in the sacred cenote during periods of drought) Nunnery quadrangle and Temple of Magician · E building of nunnery quad core can see the veneer stones and finely finished stones; probably plaster and painted murals · Textile pattern in background; textile pattern is common Palace of Governors: Residence of Lord Chahk AD 900 corner stacked with Cauac masks; signifies authority, and is elaborated with lots of pieces that are carefully carved into the same shape over and over again *The repetition is striking at all the puuc sites

Olmec

first evidence of pyramid building: La Venta Pyramid C: Middle Preclassic (~700BC); giant mound (30 m tall) first stela (Stela 2) La Venta: Bas-relief carving of a man with ancestors surrounding him (perhaps a ruler?) Throne 4/Altar - depicts the open maw of the earth monster with a man holding a rope. were-jaguar Known for Olmec heads as well; 17 Collassal heads, many found in San Lorenzo. They weigh up to 40 tons and were probably transported by water and rollers in the deep past. Olmec pottery: found in modern-day Veracruz, especially La Venta. They lived in the Mayan areas of K'axob, Nakbe, Cuello.

Tikal Stela 29

has Long Count date: 8.12.14.8.15 (=AD 292) earliest surviving Long Count from lowlands earliest monument to have Tikal emblem glyph Central precinct during late classic 50,000-60,000 ppl

wetland fields

k'axob

Spondylus spp. shell

late preclassic shell

were-jaguar

lmecs half man, half jaguar did not spread to the Mayans Many carved figures of were-jaguars found

Spondylus shell

often used to make jewelry & ornaments Hard to come by--had to deep sea dive to acquire (?) usually signified elite/wealth found in Late Preclassic one of the more common offerings by those defeated in war

Xbalanque

one of the hero twins "Jaguar Deer" jaguar fur on face Important in the creation narrative

Chichen Itza

pposite is true · Hybrid architecture in multiethnic city o Northern part: big ball court El Castillo and more built in very North in way not similar to southern o Southern part similar to Puuc "old Chichen" · Scabe road straight between sacred cenote and El Castile: grand architecture o Dredging sacred cenote early 20th century found lots of bones and lots of artifacts from early post classic: now still really important pilgrimage locale ^hard to determine the provenience of the artifacts however (partly b/c most items settled by weight) o Drought: need to get there and sacrifice (sometimes human, sometimes not) · Old Chichen: Puuc artictecture 10 cycle dates 869-890AD · Temple of the warriors: building most similar to Tula o Tons of columns think covered over area o Chacmool and Feathered serpents on top of Temple of Warriors o Squared columns with warriors and feathered serpent/rattlesnake open mouth o Quetzalcoatl Kukul kahn Yucatec o Chacmool recling bowl on chest legs flexed not common to the south o See El Castile looking from temple · Great ballcort:largest ballcourt in Mesoamerica o 166m long o Theme of human sacfrifice at great ballcourt o Snakes coming out where head should be o Rings suggest really were playing · Stand off btwn Western captiol Uxmal and Chichen Itza o Construction both places ceased by AD 1000 although chichen continued to be an important pilgrimage · TUla outpost of chechen

apsidal dwellings

rectangular with rounded ends (oval) middle preclassic - bodies placed under floor of apsidal house at k'axob ~800 BC; typical maya commoner dwelling thatched roof.

Principle of synharmony

the first vowel of the first syllabogram matches the second (vowel harmony) CV syllable construction Knorosov's second rule Example: ku-ts(u) = kuts pom = copal resin (incense) written phonetically at po-mo

Sierra Red pottery

widespread ceramic style in Late Preclassic that lost popularity in Early Classic no other point in mayan time where the same type of pottery was made over such a long period of time; duck (a domesticated animal for mayans) pot from K'axob OP11 - elsewhere found to contain residue of cacao - common across mayan lowlands from chiapa de corzo (western end of maya region in mexico) to caribbean during late preclassic - vertical spout served some function other than pouring... blow into spout to aerate liquid chocolate?;

Quetzalcoatl (Kukulkan)

· "feathered serpent" Mesoamerican deity that spread to the Mayans ***it is only called kukulkan in the lowlands the aztec word for snake is Quetzal? but kan = snake and kuku = quetzal (connection with highland mesoamerica) Has snake, feathers on body, rattles Circular Shrine of Mayapan evocative of feathered Serpent; it was a temple, some think it was an astronomical observatory, it was a round temple Also located at Chichen Itza: Temple of Warriors; this building is most similar to a building at Tula