Architecture, ritual, and social identity at Late Postclassic Zacpeten, Peten, Guatemala: Identification of the Kowoj.
详细信息
- 作者：Pugh ; Timothy Wayne.
- 学历：Doctor
- 年：2001
- 导师：Rice, Don S.
- 毕业院校：Southern Illinois University
- 专业：Anthropology, Archaeology.;History, Latin American.;Architecture.
- ISBN：0493299505
- CBH：3019263
- Country：USA
- 语种：English
- FileSize：25002381
- Pages：690
文摘
This project investigates the ceremonial architecture and associated ritual practices of Late Postclassic (A.D. 1250 to 1540) and Contact Period (A.D. 1541 to 1697) Zacpetén, Petén, Guatemala to observe the ritualized construction of social boundaries by the Kowoj, an ethnic group occupying the site from approximately A.D. 1400 to 1697. Ritual performances are among the most powerful means through which social groups communicate information about themselves to themselves and others and are important media for storing and remembering collective memories. The ceremonial architecture at Zacpetén recorded crucial information concerning Kowoj history, social organization, and cosmogony.;Zacpetén is an archaeological site on a peninsula in Late Salpetén, which lies in an area believed to have been occupied by the Kowoj. The Kowoj were the enemies of the Itza, the most powerful group in the region. In A.D. 1697, the Spaniards, who had been attempting to convert the Itza to Christianity for approximately 172 years, conquered the Itza capital, Nojpeten, which rested on an island in Lake Petén Itzá. The conquest of Nojpeten led to the subjugation of the Itza and Kowoj, many of whom were resettled in mission communities. While information regarding the Kowoj is sparse, they were known to have had fortified settlements in the northeast portion of the region and a claimed to have migrated from Mayapán in Yucatán, México. The Itza, who occupied the western and southern portions of the Petén lakes region, claimed to have migrated from Chich'en Itza also in Yucatán.;Archaeological excavations at Zacpetén cleared shallow humus and collapse from ceremonial and domestic architecture and revealed in situ artifacts and features. The distributions of artifacts were utilized to reconstruct activity areas in ceremonial and domestic contexts. Rituals at Zacpetén were repetitive, ordered, traditional, formal and occurred in special/sacred contexts. The ritual assemblages housing the performances were constructed very similar to those of other sites in the Kowoj region and had layouts nearly identical to those of Mayapán. These ceremonial groups did more than materially define the Kowoj region; they likely acted as proof of migration from Mayapán and social continuity with the city and served as foundations of Kowoj identity.