In the maw of the earth monster : mesoamerican ritual cave use
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Authors
Brady, James Edward, 1948-
Prufer, Keith M. 1960-
Advisors
Issue Date
2005
Type
Keywords
Indians of Mexico Rites and ceremonies , Indians of Mexico Religion , Indians of Mexico Antiquities , Caves Religious aspects , Mayas Rites and ceremonies , Mayas Religion , Mayas Antiquities
Citation
Brady, James Edward, and Keith M. Prufer, editors. In the Maw of the Earth Monster: Mesoamerican Ritual Cave Use. 1st ed, University of Texas Press, 2005.
Abstract
Table of Contents
As portals to the supernatural realm that creates and animates the universe, caves have always been held sacred by the peoples of Mesoamerica. From ancient times to the present, Mesoamericans have made pilgrimages to caves for ceremonies ranging from rituals of passage to petitions for rain and a plentiful harvest. So important were caves to the pre-Hispanic peoples that they are mentioned in Maya hieroglyphic writing and portrayed in the Central Mexican and Oaxacan pictorial codices. Many ancient settlements were located in proximity to caves. This volume gathers papers from twenty prominent Mesoamerican archaeologists, linguists, and ethnographers to present a state-of-the-art survey of ritual cave use in Mesoamerica from Pre-Columbian times to the present. Organized geographically, the book examines cave use in Central Mexico, Oaxaca, and the Maya region. Some reports present detailed site studies, while others offer new theoretical understandings of cave rituals. As a whole, the collection validates cave study as the cutting edge of scientific investigation of indigenous ritual and belief. It confirms that the indigenous religious system of Mesoamerica was and still is much more terrestrially focused that has been generally appreciated.
Description
Publisher
University of Texas Press
Journal
Book Title
Series
Linda Schele series in Maya and pre-Columbian studies.