Maya Burials - Late Preclassic

MAYA BURIALS - LATE PRECLASSIC

One of the many approaches to take to the understand of the Maya culture is the analysis of the material remains of burials. The analysis of 94 Preclassic burials from Chiapas de Corzo revealed great information about the Maya. The burials demonstrated that there was a rise in population during this period given the fact that burials were very close to occupation areas. There were also a high number of child burials which means that sacrifice was an interesting postulate to consider. It was noted that children of slaves were sacrificed upon the death of their parents (Tozzer 1941). However, another possibility for the high rate of child deaths could have been to childhood susceptibility to disease and other vulnerabilities.

It was also noted that the burials at the site of Chiapas de Corzo contained more female individuals than males. This correlated well with the social organization of the male dominated Maya culture. Red pigment was another interesting observation seen at Chiapas de Corzo which was most likely related with prestige and social importance ( Coe 1959, Weaver 1993). Evidence of burning was limited at this site which indicated that cremation was not practice during the Preclassic at Chiapas de Corzo. This supported with what Wauchope(1948) imposed, which stated that cremation had a late incidence in Mesoamerica. This incomplete practice of cremation is also seen at the site of Piedras Negras during this period (Coe 1959).

Grave goods analysis also provided information regarding belief system and ritual practices (Gellar 2004). Grave goods showed a slight variation at Chiapas de Corzo where the individuals that were buried within structures had grave goods of better quality. Some of the burials contained bones of a small mammal painted with red pigment which clearly point to the offering for the benefit of the deceased. Ultimately, the distributions of burials at Chiapas de Corzo appear to reflect a ritual importance since many burials were distributed among the plaza. In conclusion, burials offer a unique medium for the study of the past because they are not only a reflection of the deceased individual, but also a reflection of the agenda of the living (Hodder 1982; McAnany 1995).

BY: Delmy C