Browsing by Subject "Maya art"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Bodies politic, bodies in stone : imagery of the human and the divine in the sculpture of Late Preclassic Kaminaljuyú, Guatemala
(2013-05) Henderson, Lucia; Guernsey, Julia, 1964-; Stuart, David, 1965-
Bulldozed, effaced, and paved over by the buildings and winding streets of Guatemala City, the vast majority of the archaeological remains of Kaminaljuyú are now lost to us. This early site, which reached its peak during the Late Preclassic period (ca. 300BC-250AD), was once the largest and most influential site of the Maya highlands and one of the most important sites of early Mesoamerica. This dissertation, begun as an art historical salvage project, is at once documentary and analytical. It not only focuses on recording and preserving the Late Preclassic bas-relief stone sculptures of Kaminaljuyú through accurate technical drawings, but also provides cautious and detailed analyses regarding what this iconography can tell us about this ancient site. In essence, the following chapters approach, flesh out, and describe the bodies of Late Preclassic Kaminaljuyú---the stone bodies, the divine bodies, and the human bodies that interacted with them across the built landscape. They discuss topics like human sacrifice, the Principal Bird Deity, and the myriad supernatural forms related to water and wind at Kaminaljuyú. They consider the noisiness of performance, the sensory impact of costumed rulers, and the ways in which these kings utilized the mythical, supernatural, and divine to sustain their rule. In addition to untangling the complex iconography of these early sculptures, these chapters give voice to the significance of these stones beyond their carved surfaces. They contemplate the materiality of stone and the ways in which the kingly body and sculpted monuments were inscribed, made meaningful, and performed to establish and maintain ideological, socio-political, and economic structures. In essence, then, these chapters deal with the interwoven themes of stone and bone and flesh and blood; with the structuring of human, sculpted, and divine bodies; and with the performative role these bodies shared as transformative spaces where extraordinary things could happen. In other words, this dissertation not only addresses stone carvings as crucial points of access into the belief structures and political strategies of Kaminaljuyú, but as active participants in the social, economic, and ideological processes that shaped human history at this ancient site.
Framing the portrait : towards an understanding of elite late classic Maya representation at Palenque, Mexico
(2007-05) Spencer, Kaylee Rae, 1975-; Guernsey, Julia, 1964-
This dissertation examines portraiture at Palenque during the Classic period. I propose that portraits communicated information about the identity of the sitter through the representation of the face and head. I argue that when picturing the same person, sculptors rendered particular facial features with remarkable consistency. Artists also represented modifications to the face. Some superficial treatments that play roles in the ascription of identity include cosmetic devices appended to the face, tattoos or scarification, and facial hair. These changeable features operated alongside the face's form to communicate individual identity. The representation of facial features allowed the designers of visual programs at Palenque to make specific claims about the identity of sitters. For example, in some cases portraits quote physical characteristics observable in earlier portraits to mark biological connections of the individuals represented. Additionally, posthumous portraits furnished opportunities to situate some ancestors into divine lineages. Artists represented the faces, heads, and costumes of certain sitters in a manner that overtly referenced images of Maize Gods. In contrast, contemporary portraiture typically exhibits variations in the face's details, differences in the age of the sitter, and a diverse array of costumes. Despite this instability, portraits created during the sitter's lifetime still exhibit enough consistency to facilitate the identification of particular individuals. I suggest that emphasis placed on either divine lineage or temporal concerns shifted depending on political circumstances. This complex negotiation took place as the roles and responsibilities of kings changed during the Late Classic period. I advocate that portraits reflect the fragile and tenuous political environment during this time period, but more importantly, I propose that portraits actively participated in shaping environments and attitudes of Palenque's inhabitants.
The mask flange iconographic complex: the art, ritual, and history of a Maya sacred image
(2005) Carrasco, Michael David; Stuart, David, 1965-; Guernsey, Julia, 1964-
This dissertation examines the symbolism, ritual use, and formal development of the Mask Flange Iconographic Complex (MFIC), one of the most important and ubiquitous iconic forms for the presentation of Maya deities from the Late Preclassic to post-Classic periods. The MFIC is characterized by a central mask, face, or figure surmounted by an ornate headdress that rests on a personification of the earth. Ornamented symmetrical side flanges flank this central composition. This dissertation argues that the cosmological narrative, preserved in Classic period inscriptions and imagery, informed the imagery of the MFIC and that this motif, as part of sculptural programs, mapped creation mythology to the built environment. It is demonstrated that the MFIC was central to the ix manifestation of the Maya’s conception of world order. Specifically, it is suggested that more than depicting a layered conception of the cosmos common to many cultures of the Americas, the patterns presented by the MFIC are best understood vis-à-vis the life cycle of maize which was and still is a major structuring metaphor in Maya thought. With a greater insight into the development and ritual use of the MFIC, a more subtle understanding is gained, not just of the symbol system of the ancient Maya, but also of the nature of the interaction between art and ritual. This dissertation, therefore, engages such larger theoretical questions as representation’s role in ritual, the material embodiment of the divine, and the nature of Classic period Maya religious thought.
Signs of life: cultural memory and experience as performed by un-animated objects in the ancient Maya ceremonial arena
(2005) Wright, Ann Chapman; Miller, Lynn, 1951-; Stuart, David, 1965-