essay

Ritual and ideology

cuello : an early maya community in belize • Cambridge [England] • Published In 1991 • Pages: 204-234

By: Robin, Cynthia, Gerhardt, Juliette Cartwright, Hammond, Norman.

Abstract

In this three-part report, the authors examine burial customs, dedicatory caches and iconography at the Cuello site. Robin and Hammond examine the funerary patterns in the 142 burials at Cuello between the 1200 B.C.-250 A.D., and consider the social, ritual, and ideological factors that might have influenced the patterns. Domestic burials, including males, females, adults, and juveniles, are found throughout the Preclassic period. The most common grave goods were pottery and shell beads. Mortuary assemblages were consistent throughout the period. A usual practice was to place a large dish or bowl over the head, and in later burials, the lap, also. Two mass graves from the Late Preclassic indicate a change to more public and elaborate burials. A total of 31 dedicatory caches were found in association with successive construction of floors and buildings. The caches included offerings of bowls, deer mandibles, jade beads, stingray spines, and a child's skull. The bowls were usually aligned and covered. The iconography at Cuello is limited to small samples of modeled clay effigies, ceramic vessels, and carved pieces of stone, bone, and shell. The human figurines are naturalistic in style.

HRAF PubDate

2001

Region

Middle America and the Caribbean

Sub Region

Maya Area

Document Type

essay

Evaluation

Creator Type

Archaeologist

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Ian Skoggard ; 2000

Field Date

1975-1987

Coverage Date

3200-1850 BP

Coverage Place

Cuello, Belize

Notes

Cynthia Robin ; Juliette Cartwright Gerhardt ; Norman Hammond

Burial practices / Cynthia Robin and Norman Hammond -- Offertory practices: caches / Norman Hammond and Juliette Cartwright Gerhardt -- Art and iconography / Norman Hammond

For bibliographical references see document number 9: Anonymous

LCCN

90001858

LCSH

Mayas--Antiquities