Posted on 06/10/2005 6:27:20 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Murder victims suggest female strength in ancient culture.
Archaeologists have entered a long-sealed crypt in Guatemala to find an ancient murder scene. The tomb, in the ancient city of Waká, contains the remains of two women, one pregnant, arranged in a ritual tableau.
Researchers say the young, wealthy women were probably slaughtered as part of a power struggle between Mayan cities. And that, they say, sheds new light on the role of women in the Mayan culture 1,600 years ago.
"This tomb tells us that women were extremely powerful," says Dorie Reents-Budet, a Maya specialist who works for the Smithsonian Institution from North Carolina. "When there were political disagreements, women were killed."
Waká, also known as El Perú, lies by the San Pedro River about 60 kilometres west of the more famous site of Tikal. Once thought to be a minor player in the Maya world, Waká has recently emerged as a key pawn in the bitter rivalry between the cities of Calakmul, to the north, and Tikal.
Women probably played an important role in those battles, says David Freidel, an archaeologist at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, who co-directs the excavations at Waká. When one Maya group conquered another, it may not have been enough to simply invade and take over. It may also have been standard practice to slay women of the elite class.
"The usurpation of power may have required the ritual and public extinction of the immediate family line," says Freidel, who runs the Waká project with archaeologist Héctor Escobedo of the University of San Carlos in Guatemala City.
Excavations at other Maya tombs had hinted at the bloodiness of such takeovers, but the findings at Waká are some of the best documented and most detailed yet.
Death of warriors
Waká reached its height between AD 400 and 800; the newfound tomb dates to the beginning of that reign, between about AD 350 and 400. It is at least two centuries older than a queen's tomb found at Waká last year.
Graduate student Michelle Rich uncovered the tomb in late April as she excavated one of three pyramids atop Waká's highest hill. Guatemala's minister of culture announced the discovery last week.
Inside the tomb, both women had been carefully arranged. The pregnant one was laid face down with the other woman on top, face up. Both had shells and ear decorations arranged by their skulls. Stingray spines had been placed near their groins, a possible sign that they were regarded on the same level as warriors, says Freidel. Their deaths would have made a powerful political statement, he says.
The tomb also contained a handful of elaborately painted ceramic vessels. "This is the good stuff," says Reents-Budet, comparing the pots to the Mayan equivalent of delftware.
The artefacts and bones have been moved to the project's laboratory in Guatemala City, where they can be studied further.
Great mind or great leap, in all I'm impressed and therego certain semblence.
Yeah, it's a real loss to our culture that Shakespeare isn't widely taught any more.
Is that you, Rush?
I've read enough anthropological literature to know that all over the world, stretching far back into the earliest beginnings of human civilization, human sacrifice has been practiced.
Generally, it was considered an honor to be sacrificed to the gods. The intended sacrifice was frequently treated like a king or queen, given much in the way of material goods and comforts, often for many years, before they were put to death.
These human sacrifices were often considered to possess much power and influence. They were thought to be able to carry messages from the people to their gods, to influence the wishes and actions of the gods, and the very sacrifice of their lives was proof that the people were worthy of the gods' favor.
From prehistoric Europe, to ancient China, to the ancient Middle East, human sacrifice was common in the early stages of civilization. The Mesoamerican civilizations of the Maya, the Aztecs, and others were rather unique in that human sacrifice continued long after these civilizations' formative stages.
Other civilizations soon replaced actual human sacrifice with such things as the burial of clay or metal statues in graves, or instituted symbolic acts using substitutes such as wine or grain in place of the blood and bodies of sacrificial victims.
Reading the replies to this post, I gather it is rather difficult for many in the year 2005 to transport their minds to a time and a place that is as far removed from present-day sensibilities as can be.
The world of the ancients is not our world.
Would you deny that giving women absolute veto power over all sexual activity gives them considerable power?
And used a sword, not the traditional axe, her neck being too dainty for so crude an instrument as the latter.
You're going to hate yourself in the morn
"Other civilizations soon replaced actual human sacrifice with such things as the burial of clay or metal statues in graves, or instituted symbolic acts using substitutes such as wine or grain in place of the blood and bodies of sacrificial victims.
Reading the replies to this post, I gather it is rather difficult for many in the year 2005 to transport their minds to a time and a place that is as far removed from present-day sensibilities as can be.
The world of the ancients is not our world."
Oh, I don't know. In our world we have the Christian religion, with the sacrifice of Christ, and the symbolic eating of the body and blood through communion. Sounds similar to me, just practiced in a more civilized manner.
ping
This has to be one of the stupidest statements ever. Even for a hyphenated-last-name pinhead feminist.
"I don't need no Mayan crypt to know the power of a woman".
Especially one with a good divorce lawyer. Anthropology, particularly the PC lesbian version has, since the 70's, been ate up with reading almost anything in to the role woman in ancient societies. It's like they are not important enough in reality.
Nucluside, Archaeologist
Personally, I don't know. I assume that this is not the first time a grave with this type of execution has been exhumed, and that the people who study this culture are familiar with this type of burial.
It's not as if Mesoamerican culture is a blank slate.
Mayan pharmacology reminds me of the movie, "Chac". Have you seen it? I finally found it on eBay after searching for years.
Seems to me, if the execution victims were from the same culture, that the power of conforming to social expectations would work, much as men go into battle unwilling to show fear to their fellow soldiers.
If from a different culture, yes, drugs would probably explain how they could be forced to climb up one of those pyramids to their death. I have climbed them myself and they are quite steep. If I were going to be sacrified I would probably try to jump first.
But then, again, we hear so often these days about dozens and dozens of Iraqi soldiers all shot execution style -- why so passive, why not go out fighting? Those guys are not drugged.
If wymyn were so powerful, why were they killed? Note that the author and the Maya "specialist" are wymyn... Enough said.
I appreciate your reply, and yes I was being jocular.
I do like you tagline, and it's not a patronizing reply.
You be well, and the best to you and yours.
Yes, until about 25 years ago.
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In Islam, disputes between clans are settled by one clan raping a woman from the other clan, who is then killed in an honor killing. Does this reflect women having power in Islam? Or does it reflect women being expendable objects?
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