Death and the Afterlife among the Classic Period Royal Tombs of Copán, Honduras The Harvard ...

489 Pages·2012·18.04 MB·English

To Be Born an Ancestor: Death and the Afterlife
among the Classic Period Royal Tombs of Copán,
Honduras
Citation
Fierer-Donaldson, Molly. 2012. To Be Born an Ancestor: Death and the Afterlife among the
Classic Period Royal Tombs of Copán, Honduras. Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University.
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© 2012 – Molly Fierer-Donaldson
All rights reserved
William L. Fash Molly Fierer-Donaldson
To Be Born an Ancestor: Death and the Afterlife Among the Classic Period Royal Tombs
of Copán, Honduras
Abstract
This goal of this dissertation is to participate in the study of funerary ritual for the Classic Maya.
My approach evaluates comparatively the seven royal mortuary contexts from the city of Copán,
Honduras during the Classic period from the early 5th century to early 9th century CE, in order to draw out
the ideas that infused the ritual behavior. It is concerned with analyzing the tomb as a ritual context that is
a materialization of a community's ideas about death and the afterlife. The heart is the data gathered from
my participation in the excavation of the Classic period royal tomb called the Oropéndola Tomb. In
addition to the archaeological data, the project draws from ethnohistoric, ethnographic, epigraphic, and
iconographic sources as important loci for ideas of how to interpret the archaeological data. The project
stands at the intersection of the work by Patricia McAnany's (1995; 1998; 1999) on the role of ancestors
in Maya life, James Fitzsimmon's (2002, 2009) comparison of mortuary ritual across sites, and Meredith
Chesson's (2001c) study on the relationship between social memory, identity and mortuary practice.
The analysis of the Oropéndola Tomb and its comparison to other royal tombs at Copán was an
opportunity to investigate our understanding of Classic Maya conceptualizations of death and the afterlife
within one city. After a consideration of how to identify a Maya royal tomb, I was able to confirm that the
Oropéndola Tomb is a royal tomb that likely belonged to one of rulers of the site during the second half of
the 5th century CE, and that it contains funerary offerings that reflect the identity of the deceased in his
role as a warrior and contains information reflecting how the Maya of Classic period Copán
conceptualized the afterlife.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
1.1 The research question 1
1.2 Theoretical approaches to mortuary contexts 5
1.2.1 Ritual Studies 5
1.2.2 Mortuary Studies 9
1.2.3 Tomb as context: funerary ritual, the creation of ancestors, identity
and social memory 1(cid:22)
1.3 Methodology 1(cid:25)
1.3.1 Categorization and the importance of symbols (cid:21)(cid:19)
1.3.2 Hermeneutics of suspicion 2(cid:21)
1.3.3 The use of ethnohistoric evidence 2(cid:25)
1.3.4 The use of ethnographic evidence 2(cid:27)
1.3.5 The use of epigraphic evidence (cid:22)(cid:19)(cid:3)
1.3.6 The use of iconographic evidence (cid:22)(cid:20)(cid:3)
1.4 The ancient city of Copán
Chapter 2: Ethnohistoric sources 3(cid:28)
2.1 Catholicism in the 1th century 3(cid:28)
2.1.1 Catholic beliefs about death and the afterlife 3(cid:28)
2.1.2 The process of conversion 4(cid:23)
2.2 Ethnohistoric sources 46
2.2.1 Mexica-Aztec ethnohistory 46
2.2.1.1 Bernardino de Sahagún Florentine Codex 47
2.2.1.2 Bernardino de Sahagún Primeros Memoriales (cid:23)(cid:28)
2.2.1.3 Diego Duran Historia de Las Indias de Nueva España
e Islas de la Tierra Firme 5(cid:22)
2.2.2 Maya Ethnohistory 5(cid:25)
2.2.2.1 Diego de Landa Relación de las Cosas de Yucatan 5(cid:25)
2.2.2.2 Popol Vuh 6(cid:20)
Chapter 3: Ethnographic sources 6(cid:26)
3.1 Souls (cid:25)(cid:27)
3.2 Afterlife Landscapes 7(cid:19)
3.3 Ancestors 7(cid:23)
3.3.1 Chamula 7(cid:24)
3.3.2 Chichicastenango 7(cid:25)
3.3.3 Chenhaló (cid:26)(cid:26)
3.3.4 Zinacantán (cid:26)8
3.3.5 Ixil Area (cid:26)(cid:28)
3.4 Rebirth 8(cid:20)
3.5 Funerary Ritual 8(cid:21)
3.5.1 Chenhaló 8(cid:22)
3.5.2 Zinacantán 8(cid:24)
3.5.3 Chan Kom (cid:27)(cid:26)
3.5.4 Najá (cid:27)(cid:27)
3.5.5 Conclusions 89
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Chapter 4: Epigraphy and Iconography 92
4.1 Epigraphic sources 92
4.1.1 cham-i 93
4.1.2 ik, k'a'ay u sak ? Ik'aal 93
4.1.3 ochb'ih and ochha' 95
4.1.4 Souls 98
4.2 Iconography 100
4.2.1 Rebirth 100
4.2.2 Maize God life-cycle 105
4.2.3 Geography of the world 111
4.2.3.1 Underworld 112
4.2.3.2 Upperworld 118
4.2.4 Ancestors 123
4.3 Conclusions 127
Chapter 5: The Oropéndola Tomb 130
5.1 The Oropéndola Tomb (Tomb 08-01) 131
5.2 The Skeleton 139
5.2.1 Sex 141
5.2.2 Age 143
5.2.3 Pathologies 143
5.2.4 Use of cinnabar 146
5.2.5 Burning or smoking of the body 147
5.3 Ceramics 148
5.3.1 Cylindrical Tripods 150
5.3.1.1 Melano cylindrical slab-foot tripods 150
5.3.1.2 Plano-relief cylindrical slab-foot tripod 153
5.3.1.3 Stuccoed and painted cylindrical slab-foot tripod 156
5.3.2 Ring-foot bowls 159
5.3.3 Unique vessels 165
5.3.4 Pot stands 168
5.4 Jade 169
5.4.1 Earflares 169
5.4.2 Jade beads 174
5.5 Pyrite mirrors/plaques 184
5.6 Obsidian 192
5.7 “Alabaster” double cups 193
5. 8 Mica 195
5. 9 Shell and pearls 197
5.9.1 Spondylus Shell 198
5.9.1.1 Spondylus shell rings or goggles 198
5.9.1.2 Spondylus shell Beads 199
5.9.1.3 Spondylus shell Spangles 200
5.9.1.4 Worked shell 202
5.9.2 Nodipecten shell 204
5.9.3 Pearls 205
5.10 Wood 206
5.11 Textile 207
5.12 Matting 208
5.13 Basketry 211
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5.14 Hide 212
5.15 Black organic material over the floor 213
5.16 Stuccoed and painted objects 214
5.17 Animal bone 216
Chapter 6: A Comparison of the royal tombs of Copán 217
6.1 Introduction 217
6.2 How to recognize a Classic Maya royal tomb 217
6.2.1 Identifying royal tombs of Copán 221
6.2.2 The Margarita Tomb 223
6.2.3 The Motmot Tomb 224
6.2.4 Burial 92-3, Chirmol Burial 227
6.2.5 Tomb 10J-45 228
6.2.6 Tomb of Ruler 16 231
6.3 A detailed comparison of the royal tombs of Copán 235
6.3.1 The elements to be considered for the comparison 235
6.3.2 Tomb locations 235
6.3.3 Tomb chambers 238
6.3.4 Burial platforms 239
6.3.5 Skeletal orientation 239
6.3.6 Body treatment 240
6.3.7 Personal adornment 241
6.3.7.1 Mouth beads 241
6.3.7.2 Headdresses 242
6.3.7.3 Necklaces 242
6.3.7.4 Bar pectorals or tubular beads 243
6.3.7.5 Earflares 244
6.3.7.6 Belts/loincloths 244
6.3.7.7 Bracelets, anklets, etc. 245
6.3.8 Objects on burial platform 246
6.3.8.1 Mats/textiles 246
6.3.8.2 Jaguar skins, hide 247
6.3.8.3 Adornment 247
6.3.8.4 Ceramics 248
6.3.8.5 Animal bones 249
6.3.8.6 Other objects on the burial platform 250
6.3.9 Objects on tomb floor 251
6.3.9.1 Floor covering 252
6.3.9.2. Items of personal adornment 253
6.3.9.3 Ceramic vessels 254
6.3.9.4 Animal bones and shells 264
6.3.9.5 Stone tools 265
6.3.9.6 Miscellaneous 266
6.4 Conclusion 268
Chapter 7: The “Teotihuacan Warrior Costume” at Copán 269
7.1 Introduction 269
7.2 Teotihuacan symbols and materials in the Maya Area 271
7.3 The “Teotihuacan Warrior Costume” 272
7.3.1 Atlatl 275
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7.3.2 Rings or goggles 276
7.3.2.1 Iconography of goggles at Teotihuacan 278
7.3.2.2 Iconography of goggles at Maya sites 279
7.3.3 Shell platelet headdresses 280
7.3.3.1 Iconography of shell platelet headdresses at Teotihuacan 280
7.3.3.2 Archaeological examples of shell platelet headdresses 282
7.3.4 Thick shell collars 283
7.3.4.1 Iconography of thick shell collars 284
7.3.5 Iron-ore mirrors/pyrite plaques/pyrite mirrors 285
7.3.5.1 Iconography of Iron-ore mirrors 285
7.3.5.2 Archaeological examples of iron-ore mirrors 287
7.3.6 Knee garters 288
7.3.7 Square feathered shield 288
7.4 Burials of Warriors at Teotihuacan 289
7.5 “Teotihuacan Warrior” burials at Copán 292
7.5.1 Shell goggles at Copán 294
7.5.2 Shell platelets headdresses at Copán 296
7.5.3 Atlatls and atlatl darts at Copán 298
7.5.4 Iron-ore mirrors at Copán 298
7.5.5 Distribution of the elements of the “Teotihuacan Warrior Costume” 301
7.6 Maya Epigraphic Data Associated with the “Teotihuacan Warrior Costume” 302
7.7 Conclusion 306
Chapter 8: Conclusion 309
Appendix A: Artifact List 334
Appendix B: Additional data from the analysis of ethnohistoric sources in Chapter 2 344
Appendix C: Additional data from the analysis of ethnographic sources in Chapter 3 371
Appendix D: Additional data from the comparison of the royal tombs of Copán 387
Bibliography 443
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Lists of Figures and Tables
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 Map of Mesoamerica 3(cid:21)
Figure 1.2 Plan map of the Principal Group of the site of Copán 3(cid:23)
Figure 4.1 The Berlin Vase 10(cid:20)
Figure 4.2 Side of Pakal's sarcophagus at Palenque 10(cid:22)
Figure 4.3 Pakal's sarcophagus lid at Palenque 10(cid:23)
Figure 4.4 Carved bone from Tikal Burial 116 10(cid:26)
Figure 4.5 Rebirth of the Maize God 11(cid:19)
Figure 5.1 Section drawing of Structure 10L-16 showing the location of the Oropéndola Tomb 13(cid:19)
Figure 5.2 Oropéndola Tomb shaft 13(cid:21)
Figure 5.3 Las losas (Feature RC-2-561). Large capstones covering the shaft 13(cid:21)
Figure 5.4 The northern edge of losa #5 (RC-2-561) 13(cid:23)
Figure 5.5 Heavy green cobble with red, yellow, and black pigment 13(cid:24)
Figure 5.6 Las Lajas (RC-2-578). The square-cut stones that covered the tomb 13(cid:25)
Figure 5.7 Emplanteado (RC-2-582). Small stones on east side of the tomb 13(cid:26)
Figure 5.8 Los canales (RC-2-580). Large capstones most made from reused drain stones 1(cid:22)(cid:27)
Figure 5.9 Right ulna and humerus 14(cid:19)
Figure 5.10 The teeth 14(cid:23)
Figure 5.11 Left Tibia showing cinnabar application to the bone and surrounding area 14(cid:25)
Figure 5.12 Melano slab-foot tripod cylinder. Artifact #09-30/Main Object #31 15(cid:20)
Figure 5.13 Melano slab-foot tripod cylinder. Artifact #09-31/Main Object #32 15(cid:21)
Figure 5.14 Melano slab-foot tripod cylinder. Artifact #09-95/Main Object 42 15(cid:21)
Figure 5.15 Melano slab-foot tripod cylinder (damaged). Artifact #09-105/Main Object #48 15(cid:22)
Figure 5.16 Plano-relief cylindrical slab-foot tripod. Artifact #08-12/Main Object #2 15(cid:23)
Figure 5.17 Plano-relief cylindrical slab-foot tripod. Artifact #08-13/Main Object #3 15(cid:24)
Figure 5.18 Plano-relief cylindrical slab-foot tripod. Artifact #09-102/Main Object #46 15(cid:24)
Figure 5.19 Plano-relief cylindrical slab-foot tripod. Artifact #09-107/Main Object #50 15(cid:25)
Figure 5.20 Stuccoed and painted slab-foot tripod cylinder. Artifact #09-62/Main Object #33 15(cid:26)
Figure 5.21 Stuccoed and painted slab-foot tripod cylinder. Artifact # 09-106/Main Object #49 1(cid:24)(cid:28)
Figure 5.22 Melano ring-foot bowl with red stripe at rim. Artifact #08-14/Main Object #4 16(cid:19)
Figure 5.23 Melano ring-foot bowl with red stripe at rim. Artifact #08-19/Main Object #6 16(cid:19)
Figure 5.24 Melano Ring-foot bowl with red stripe at rim. Artifact #08-24/Main Object #9 16(cid:20)
Figure 5.25 Melano Ring-foot bowl with red stripe at rim. Artifact 09-99/Main Object #44 16(cid:20)
Figure 5.26 Melano Ring-foot bowl. Artifact #08-27/Main Object #11 16(cid:22)
Figure 5.27 Melano ring-foot bowl. Artifact #09-91/Main Object #39 16(cid:22)
Figure 5.28 Melano ring-foot bowl. Artifact # 09-92/Main Object #40 16(cid:23)
Figure 5.29 Melano ring-foot bowl. Artifact #09-07/Main Object #27 16(cid:24)
Figure 5.30 Faux thin-orange vessel. Artifact #08-21/Main Object #8 16(cid:25)
Figure 5.31 Highly burnished red-orange bowl. Artifact #09-25/Main Object #30 16(cid:26)
Figure 5.32 Pot stands. Artifacts #09-96, #09-97/Main Object #43 and Artifacts #09-100,
#09-101/Main Object #45 16(cid:27)
Figure 5.33 Jade mosaic earflares (right side). Artifact #08-55/Main Object #12 17(cid:19)
Figure 5.34 Solid jade earflares. Artifacts #09-02 and #09-03/Main Object #23 17(cid:19)
Figure 5.35 Solid jade earflares. Artifacts #09-10 and #09/11/Main Object #28 17(cid:20)
Figure 5.36 Jade earflare. Artifact #09-104/Main Object #47 17(cid:21)
Figure 5.37 Jade mosaic earflares with shell bases and resin necks and throats. Artifacts
#09-109-01 and #09-109-02/Main Object #53 17(cid:22)
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Figure 5.38 Jade, shell, and mosaic jade earring. Artifacts #09-108/Main Object #51 17(cid:22)
Figure 5.39 Globular jade and shell bead necklace. Main Object # 1 17(cid:23)
Figure 5.40 Jade bead necklace with face pendant. Artifact #09-05/Main Object #23. 17(cid:24)
Figure 5.41 Jade bead necklace with beads in the shape of macaw heads. Main Object #13 17(cid:25)
Figure 5.42 Beads from the pelvis. Main Object #14 17(cid:26)
Figure 5.43 The jade beads found in association with the right ankle. Main Object #34 17(cid:27)
Figure 5.44 Jade pendant. Main Object #36 179
Figure 5.45 Jade mouth bead. Main Object # 17 180
Figure 5.46 Large rectangular jade bead. Artifacts #08-80 and #08-81/Main Object #20 18(cid:19)
Figure 5.47 Large spherical jade bead. Artifact #08-82 18(cid:20)
Figure 5.48 Large tubular jade bead. Artifact #08-20/Main Object #7 182
Figure 5.49 Tubular jade bead. Artifact #08-49/Main Object #15 18(cid:21)
Figure 5.50 Tubular jade bead. Artifact #08-79/Main Object #19 183
Figure 5.51 Concentric circles of small jade beads. Artifact #09-06/Main Object #26 184
Figure 5.52 Stack of iron-ore mirrors and shell and jade mosaic objects. Main Object #29 185
Figure 5.53 Shell and jade mosaic ring with hematite. Artifact #09-24 186
Figure 5.54 Uppermost pyrite backed iron-ore mirror. Artifact #09-137 188
Figure 5.55 Iron ore mirror with stone back. Artifact #09-138 189
Figure 5.56 Jade mosaic decoration originally from stone animal. Artifact #09-139 1(cid:28)(cid:19)
Figure 5.57 Stone animal (armadillo?) with jade mosaic decoration. Artifact #09-140 19(cid:20)
Figure 5.58 Bottommost iron-ore mirror with slate back. Artifact #09-141 19(cid:21)
Figure 5.59 Pachuca obsidian sequins. Artifact #09-112/Main Object #54 19(cid:22)
Figure 5.60 Stuccoed and painted “alabaster” double cups. Main Object #22 19(cid:23)
Figure 5.61 Sheets of mica. Main Object #57 195
Figure 5.62 Mica circle. Artifact #09-110/ Main Object # 53 196
Figure 5.63 Small mica ovals. Artifact #09-158 19(cid:26)
Figure 5.64 Shell rings/goggles. Artifact #09-94/Main Object # 41 19(cid:28)
Figure 5.65 Shell bead necklace. Artifact #09-153/Main Object #58 (cid:21)(cid:19)(cid:19)
Figure 5.66 Shell platelets/spangles. Main Object #5 20(cid:20)
Figure 5.67 Spondylus shell in the shape of a hand. Artifact #09-93-06/Main Object #21 20(cid:21)
Figure 5.68 Anthropomorphic Spondylus shell. Artifact #09-9-12/Main Object #21 20(cid:22)
Figure 5.69 Highly elaborated Spondylus shell. Artifact #09-93-10/Main Object #21 20(cid:23)
Figure 5.70 (a) Nodipectin shell Artifact #09-93-04, (b) Main Object #21 in situ 20(cid:24)
Figure 5.71 Natural Pearls Main Object #18 20(cid:25)
Figure 5.72 Layered textile fragment. Organic Sample #09-522 20(cid:26)
Figure 5.73 Textile fragment found associated with Artifact #09-30 20(cid:27)
Figure 5.74 Petate placed over the body of the tomb occupant 20(cid:28)
Figure 5.75 Petate placed on top of the burial platform 2(cid:20)(cid:19)
Figure 5.76 Petate pressed onto cascajo floor below a cylinder tripod vessel (Artifact #08-12) 2(cid:20)(cid:19)
Figure 5.77 Basketry inside of a ring-foot bowl (Artifact #09-99). Organic Sample #09-518 21(cid:20)
Figure 5.78 Basketry on exterior of the burnished red-orange bowl (Artifact #09-25) 21(cid:21)
Figure 5.79 Basketry from inside a ring-foot bowl (Artifact #09-07) 21(cid:21)
Figure 5.80 Underside of the material placed on burial platform. (petate and hide) 21(cid:22)
Figure 5.81 Black organic material covering cascajo at tomb's eastern side wall 21(cid:23)
Figure 5.82 Bone needle fragments. Artifacts #09-29, #09-90, and #09-128 21(cid:25)
Figure 7.1 Tikal Stela 31 front, sides 273
Figure 7.2 Facade of the Temple of the Feathered Serpent at Teotihuacan 276
Figure 7.3 Sepultura V-4 29(cid:22)
Figure 7.4 Burial 95-1 294
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Table of Tables
Table 1.1 The Rulers of Copán with the years of their reigns CE 4
Table 2.1 Catholicism 4(cid:23)
Table 2.2 The Florentine Codex (FC) (cid:23)(cid:28)
Table 2.3 Primeros Memoriales (PM) 5(cid:21)
Table 2.4 Historia de Las Indias de Nueva España e Islas de la Tierra Firme 5(cid:23)
Table 2.5 Mexica-Atec Comparison 5(cid:24)
Table 2.6 Relación de las Cosas de Yucatan 6(cid:20)
Table 2.7 Popol Vuh 6(cid:25)
Table 2.8 Maya comparison 6(cid:25)
Table 3.1 Souls 7(cid:19)
Table 3.2 The upperworld 7(cid:22)
Table 3.3 The underworld 7(cid:23)
Table 3.4 Ancestors 8(cid:19)
Table 3.5 Rebirth on earth 8(cid:21)
Table 3.6 Funerary ritual 9(cid:20)
Table 6.1 Comparison of tomb construction, burial platforms, and skeletal treatment 2(cid:23)(cid:20)
Table 6.2 Personal adornment worn by the deceased 24(cid:24)
Table 6.3 Comparison of the burial platforms and associated objects 2(cid:24)(cid:19)
Table 6.4 Floor material and floor covering 25(cid:21)
Table 6.5 Items of Adornment on the floor of the tombs 253
Table 6.6 Hunal Tomb Ceramics 255
Table 6.7 The Margarita Tomb ceramics (Chamber 1) 256
Table 6.8 Oropéndola Tomb ceramics 257
Table 6. 9 Sub-Jaguar ceramics 258
Table 6.10 Chorcha Tombs ceramics 260
Table 6.11 Animal cone and chell from the tomb floors 265
Table 6.12 Flake stone and groundstone tools from tomb floors 266
Table 6.13 Miscellaneous items from tomb floors 26(cid:26)
Table 7.1 Elements of the “Teotihuacan Warrior Costume” in the burials of Kaminaljuyu 300
Table 7.2 The “Teotihuacan Warrior Costume” at Copán, Honduras 301
All photos courtesy of Proyecto Oropéndola, Asociación Copán unless otherwise indicated
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