2008 Woodie Awards
BSU uncovers Mayan culture
MAT LA RUE
Culture Writer
Issue date: 4/9/07 Section: Culture
- Page 1 of 1
Boise State’s Anthropology Department held a lecture on the bio-archeology of the Mayan culture this last Wednesday in the Multi-Purpose Building.
Vera Tiesler, from Merida, Mexico (in the Yucatan Peninsula), was the presiding lecturer. She has been studying the bio-cultural practices of the Mayan culture for 15 years and was invited by BSU faculty member Margaret Streeter to give the lecture.
In Mayan culture the rituals and practices of life were very important. To the Maya, religion was everything.
The lecture gave an ample explanation of the cultural aspects of the Mayans, including head shaping, dental decorating and
ritual sacrifice. When children were one-to-three-years old their
mothers would begin the cosmetic procedure of head shaping.
This practice was always performed by the mother on both male and female children.
This procedure was performed with the use of either a head
apparatus made from wood and cloth or by wrapping the child’s head. The Mayans believed that in this procedure the aspect of the practice was just as important as the outcome; the apparatus or wrapping supplied a roof over the child’s head, protecting them from evil spirits.
The art form of head shaping often reflected a particular family’s heritage, different families, royal status and often portrayed a particular style.
It was something of a family emblem. Risks were involved in the practice of shaping a young child’s head, particularly mortality. However, this outcome was not seen as tragic to the Mayans but simply another aspect of life.
Another cosmetic procedure carried out by the Mayans was the shaping and inlaying of the teeth. This practice of dental
decoration was popular for both men and women.
However, different dental alterations often corresponded to gender and class.
While almost everyone participated in this practice, the filing of teeth was more appropriated to women, while the inlaying of teeth with jewels corresponded with men. In the man’s world the dental decoration became a status symbol. While almost everyone practiced it, royals tended to have more lavishly-gemmed teeth.
Another aspect of the Mayan culture, which is commonly perceived but not fully understood, is ritual sacrifice. Mayans conducted human sacrifices as a ritual communion with the gods through the destruction of life, beheadings and heart ablation or the removal of the heart. Tiesler and other archeologists have been able to decipher pre-mortal violence in corpses found in the Mayan area including unhealed stabs, wounds, blows, bone fractures and fire exposure.
An aspect of sacrifice, which you may have heard of, was the ball game they played in which the winners were sacrificed.
This game, known as “Cenote Sagrado,” was a mass of ritual violence and sacrifice. It was something of a warrior cult and captive sacrifice. As a receptacle for victims, this game claimed more than 300 victims.
Though the Mayan culture may be perceived as somewhat
primitive and violent, this is not the case.
Mayans were very sophisticated for their time. While head shaping and sacrifice may have lost their place in contemporary life, dental alterations are still in effect.
Vera Tiesler, from Merida, Mexico (in the Yucatan Peninsula), was the presiding lecturer. She has been studying the bio-cultural practices of the Mayan culture for 15 years and was invited by BSU faculty member Margaret Streeter to give the lecture.
In Mayan culture the rituals and practices of life were very important. To the Maya, religion was everything.
The lecture gave an ample explanation of the cultural aspects of the Mayans, including head shaping, dental decorating and
ritual sacrifice. When children were one-to-three-years old their
mothers would begin the cosmetic procedure of head shaping.
This practice was always performed by the mother on both male and female children.
This procedure was performed with the use of either a head
apparatus made from wood and cloth or by wrapping the child’s head. The Mayans believed that in this procedure the aspect of the practice was just as important as the outcome; the apparatus or wrapping supplied a roof over the child’s head, protecting them from evil spirits.
The art form of head shaping often reflected a particular family’s heritage, different families, royal status and often portrayed a particular style.
It was something of a family emblem. Risks were involved in the practice of shaping a young child’s head, particularly mortality. However, this outcome was not seen as tragic to the Mayans but simply another aspect of life.
Another cosmetic procedure carried out by the Mayans was the shaping and inlaying of the teeth. This practice of dental
decoration was popular for both men and women.
However, different dental alterations often corresponded to gender and class.
While almost everyone participated in this practice, the filing of teeth was more appropriated to women, while the inlaying of teeth with jewels corresponded with men. In the man’s world the dental decoration became a status symbol. While almost everyone practiced it, royals tended to have more lavishly-gemmed teeth.
Another aspect of the Mayan culture, which is commonly perceived but not fully understood, is ritual sacrifice. Mayans conducted human sacrifices as a ritual communion with the gods through the destruction of life, beheadings and heart ablation or the removal of the heart. Tiesler and other archeologists have been able to decipher pre-mortal violence in corpses found in the Mayan area including unhealed stabs, wounds, blows, bone fractures and fire exposure.
An aspect of sacrifice, which you may have heard of, was the ball game they played in which the winners were sacrificed.
This game, known as “Cenote Sagrado,” was a mass of ritual violence and sacrifice. It was something of a warrior cult and captive sacrifice. As a receptacle for victims, this game claimed more than 300 victims.
Though the Mayan culture may be perceived as somewhat
primitive and violent, this is not the case.
Mayans were very sophisticated for their time. While head shaping and sacrifice may have lost their place in contemporary life, dental alterations are still in effect.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Mildred
posted 4/11/07 @ 11:12 AM MST
I really like this article and, sniff, I am going to use it for my social studies project!!! :D Yay for, sniff, you!!! Sniff! This is an opportunity to, sniff, thank you for having this, sniff, here for me. (Continued…)
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