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Title: Twentieth Century Maya Worldview.
Creator: See, Mackenzie, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Reyes-Foster, Beatriz, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Maya Folktales offer insight into how twentieth century Maya worldview is a hybrid of indigenous Maya and European beliefs. Analysis was conducted on twenty-eight Maya folktales from the highlands of Guatemala found in folklore anthologies. Stories like The Spirits of the Dead in folklore anthologies can reveal new perspectives on how the Maya feel about rituals spaces, the fabric that separates the land of the dead from the land of the living, and the importance of showing respect to the...
Show moreMaya Folktales offer insight into how twentieth century Maya worldview is a hybrid of indigenous Maya and European beliefs. Analysis was conducted on twenty-eight Maya folktales from the highlands of Guatemala found in folklore anthologies. Stories like The Spirits of the Dead in folklore anthologies can reveal new perspectives on how the Maya feel about rituals spaces, the fabric that separates the land of the dead from the land of the living, and the importance of showing respect to the dead in one's community. Other stories, show the connection the Maya feel with their heritage and the connection they feel with the area where their ancestors lived. Twentieth century Maya folktales can provide insight into how the Maya view their landscape, including the realm of the dead as a part of the physical landscape and the belief that the landscape itself is a living spiritual entity.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004934, ucf:49620
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004934

Title: FISH FROM AFAR: MARINE RESOURCE USE AT CARACOL, BELIZE.
Creator: Cunningham-Smith, Petra, Chase, Arlen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The ancient Maya had strong ties to the sea. The trade, transportation and use of marine resources were important not only to coastal Maya communities, but also to the heavily populated cities that lay many miles inland. A review of zooarchaeological evidence recovered from excavations at the inland site of Caracol, Belize suggests that the inhabitants imported marine fish for food, marine shell for working into trade items, and sharks teeth and stingray spines for ritual use. This thesis...
Show moreThe ancient Maya had strong ties to the sea. The trade, transportation and use of marine resources were important not only to coastal Maya communities, but also to the heavily populated cities that lay many miles inland. A review of zooarchaeological evidence recovered from excavations at the inland site of Caracol, Belize suggests that the inhabitants imported marine fish for food, marine shell for working into trade items, and sharks teeth and stingray spines for ritual use. This thesis examines the manner in which fish and other marine resources were used, procured and transported from the coast to the site of Caracol. The possibility that certain marine fish might have been transported alive to the site is explored. An examination of present day fishing and animal husbandry practices suggests that many species could have survived an inland trip in ancient times if transported under conditions that allowed for water exchanges and minimized stress. Marine resources had important economic and ritual significance to the people of Caracol. Understanding the methods by which these valuable items were transported and traded ultimately facilitates a greater understanding of the economic and socio-political relationships among these ancient polities.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004018, ucf:49162
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004018

Title: Revisiting the postclassic burials at Lamanai, Belize: A second look at the unique ventrally placed, legs flexed burials.
Creator: Izzo, Victoria, Dupras, Tosha, Williams, Lana, Wheeler, Sandra, Callaghan, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Analysis of unique mortuary patterns is often used to evaluate the social lives of the deceased and also those of the living who placed them there. The Ventrally Placed, Legs Flexed (VPLF) burials at the site of Lamanai in Belize, dating to the Postclassic period (1000 - 1544), have been recorded as a Maya mortuary pattern since the late 1970's. While many researchers have analyzed these skeletal remains, comprehensive and cumulative individual analysis of the VPLF individuals from Lamanai...
Show moreAnalysis of unique mortuary patterns is often used to evaluate the social lives of the deceased and also those of the living who placed them there. The Ventrally Placed, Legs Flexed (VPLF) burials at the site of Lamanai in Belize, dating to the Postclassic period (1000 - 1544), have been recorded as a Maya mortuary pattern since the late 1970's. While many researchers have analyzed these skeletal remains, comprehensive and cumulative individual analysis of the VPLF individuals from Lamanai has not been conducted. In this study, I will argue that the VPLF individuals in this study were local to Lamanai, or the surrounding region. To do this, the characteristics of 20 VPLF burials are defined and discussed in context with previously published bone and tooth stable oxygen isotope values. All data was collected from field notes and previously published resources, and then compiled in both a narrative and quantitative fashion. Specifically, the variables of arm position, leg position, head position, body orientation, presence of cranial modification, presence of dental modification, and associated artifacts were statistically tested using a chi-square test of association for correlations. While the correlation results were not statistically significant, the descriptive data did yield the identification of leg and arm positions that are characteristic of VPLF burials. This thesis specifically contributes to the future identification of VPLF burial burials by outlining commonly encountered characteristics operationalization of this unique mortuary practice. More broadly, however, this thesis highlights a general lack of consistency in bioarchaeological and mortuary data recording. Thus, this study is the first to compile VPLF mortuary information into one format, and therefore contributes to the study of bioarchaeology and anthropology by providing a foundation for comparison of future burials.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007197, ucf:52260
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007197

Title: Ritual Use of the Human Form: A Contextual Analysis of the "Charlie Chaplin" Figure in the Maya Lowlands.
Creator: Lomitola, Lisa, Chase, Arlen, Barber, Sarah, Chase, Diane, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Small anthropomorphic figures, most often referred to as (")Charlie Chaplins,(") appear in ritual deposits throughout the ancient Maya sites of Belize during the late Preclassic and Early Classic Periods and later, throughout the Pet(&)#233;n region of Guatemala. Often these figures appear within similar cache assemblages and are carved from (")exotic(") materials such as shell or jade. This thesis examines the contexts in which these figures appear and considers the wider implications for...
Show moreSmall anthropomorphic figures, most often referred to as (")Charlie Chaplins,(") appear in ritual deposits throughout the ancient Maya sites of Belize during the late Preclassic and Early Classic Periods and later, throughout the Pet(&)#233;n region of Guatemala. Often these figures appear within similar cache assemblages and are carved from (")exotic(") materials such as shell or jade. This thesis examines the contexts in which these figures appear and considers the wider implications for commonly held ritual practices throughout the Maya lowlands during the Classic Period and the similarities between (")Charlie Chaplin(") figures and anthropomorphic figures found in ritual contexts outside of the Maya area.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004402, ucf:49394
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004402

Title: Evaluation of an Early Classic Round Structure at Santa Rita Corozal, Belize.
Creator: Kangas, Rachael, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Round structures in the Maya area are an architectural form that is not well understood, in part due to the relatively few examples recovered through archaeological excavations. The site of Santa Rita Corozal, Belize offers one of the few examples of an Early Classic Period round structure (Structure 135) in the Maya region, one that is distinctive in its timing and architectural form. This thesis seeks to compare Structure 135 with the patterns of round structures identified in the...
Show moreRound structures in the Maya area are an architectural form that is not well understood, in part due to the relatively few examples recovered through archaeological excavations. The site of Santa Rita Corozal, Belize offers one of the few examples of an Early Classic Period round structure (Structure 135) in the Maya region, one that is distinctive in its timing and architectural form. This thesis seeks to compare Structure 135 with the patterns of round structures identified in the Preclassic and Terminal/early Postclassic Periods, when there are comparatively more examples and to pinpoint the multiple construction periods evidenced in the excavations to define the changes to the structure over time. Based on this research, Structure 135 at Santa Rita Corozal does not clearly conform to earlier or later patterns of round structures in the Maya region and its use before abandonment and eventual transformation to a rectilinear shape was shorter than previously thought. This research also offers insights into the need for the contextual analysis of ceramics, and the difficulties of assuming context through the use of construction fill, even with a clear cultural formation process.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005962, ucf:50798
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005962

Title: Reflectance Transformation Imaging: Documenting Incised Graffiti in the Maya Lowlands.
Creator: Gill, Rachel, Kovacevich, Brigitte, Branting, Scott, Callaghan, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In the late 19th century, explorers identified graffiti etched in stucco walls of residences, palaces, and temples in the Maya Lowlands. By the mid-20th century, scholars acknowledged that the ancient Maya produced these incised images. Today, archaeologists struggle with documenting these instances of graffiti with precision and accuracy, often relying solely on to-scale line drawings to best represent the graffitied image they see before them. These images can be complex, multilayered, and...
Show moreIn the late 19th century, explorers identified graffiti etched in stucco walls of residences, palaces, and temples in the Maya Lowlands. By the mid-20th century, scholars acknowledged that the ancient Maya produced these incised images. Today, archaeologists struggle with documenting these instances of graffiti with precision and accuracy, often relying solely on to-scale line drawings to best represent the graffitied image they see before them. These images can be complex, multilayered, and difficult to see so identifying the sequence of creation of the incisions can be challenging. Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) is a method that uses a moving light source and photography in order to visualize, interact with, and analyze a three-dimensional object in a two-dimensional image. Performed on a series of 20 unique graffiti from the Maya archaeological site of Holtun, RTI showed promise as a viable technique for documenting and preserving graffiti as cultural heritage and for providing new information about an enigmatic aspect of Maya archaeology. Additionally, RTI is compared to other common methods used to document incised graffiti in the Maya lowland area including to-scale line drawing, tracing, photogrammetry, and scanning to show the new and unique information and data that can be gathered from this method. Finally, RTI is a low-cost, low-maintenance alternative data-gathering method for highly remote archaeological projects where other technology is difficult to obtain and use in the field setting.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007005, ucf:52049
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007005

Title: THE ROLE OF RAIN IN POSTCLASSIC MAYA RELIGIOUS BELIEF.
Creator: Dao, Lillie, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The concept of religion and its practice within ancient societies across the world is a subject that has fascinated scientists for centuries. The pre-Columbian Maya codices, first-hand Postclassic hieroglyphic documents, have been examined by hundreds of anthropologists. Analysis of these books has led scientist to hypothesize that these manuscripts were vitally connected to the Maya Postclassic belief system. Understanding the central focus of a civilization's religion and how, why and under...
Show moreThe concept of religion and its practice within ancient societies across the world is a subject that has fascinated scientists for centuries. The pre-Columbian Maya codices, first-hand Postclassic hieroglyphic documents, have been examined by hundreds of anthropologists. Analysis of these books has led scientist to hypothesize that these manuscripts were vitally connected to the Maya Postclassic belief system. Understanding the central focus of a civilization's religion and how, why and under what circumstances the religion is practiced truly distinguishes them as a culture. The intent of this thesis is to examine the role of rain in Maya Postclassic religious belief. Through an examination of Postclassic Maya ethnographies, archaeological evidence and the Maya Dresden, Paris and Madrid codices, this thesis evaluates the major theme of rain that is threaded throughout the culture and religion of the Maya people. By cross referencing ethnohistoric, ethnographic and archaeological evidence, it is revealed that rain was a fundamental-part of Maya religious practice as: 1) a symbol of fertility, 2) a phenomenon that people actively sought to control through religious practice and 3) as a fundamental building block of the Maya universe, construed broadly to encompass both the natural and divine elements of the universe.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0004126, ucf:44886
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004126

Title: DISCERNING MIGRATION IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD: A CASE STUDY AT CHICHÉN ITZÁ.
Creator: Slusser, Andrea, Chase, Arlen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Migration, as a theory to explain aspects in the archaeological record, has fallen out of favor in Mesoamerican archaeology, possibly due to a lack of a standard definition or description of migration. Migration as an explanation of change in Maya civilizations has been around since the 1950's and the culture-history era of American archaeology. Since the early 1990's, migration has been treated as a process, one that can be discerned in pre-literate cultures as well as historical...
Show moreMigration, as a theory to explain aspects in the archaeological record, has fallen out of favor in Mesoamerican archaeology, possibly due to a lack of a standard definition or description of migration. Migration as an explanation of change in Maya civilizations has been around since the 1950's and the culture-history era of American archaeology. Since the early 1990's, migration has been treated as a process, one that can be discerned in pre-literate cultures as well as historical ones. Models of the migration process are being developed and tested. One type of migration, elite dominance migration, is a particularly suitable process to study in Mesoamerica. A model of elite dominance migration might include the following attributes: advance contact by the migrating culture, migration to a center, maintenance of contact with the sending population, spatial concentration of the incoming population, migration of a selected population of elites, and a cause or push factor. To find these attributes, the receiving population is studied to determine if there are multiple changes in the material record consistent with an intrusion of an outside group. And, there should be a rough chronological correlation between the sending and receiving populations. The Maya site of Chichén Itzá is a classic case study, and provides a starting point as a possible receiving population of an elite dominance migration. There is an abundance of scholarship devoted to the question of the relationship between Chichén Itzá and Tula, Hidalgo, in Central Mexico. The iconographic similarities between the two sites are numerous and have been thoroughly discussed in the literature. But, there is much more evidence that should be examined in applying a model of elite dominance, such as architecture, artifacts (including ceramics and obsidian), burial and caching practices, and site configuration. Comparing all of these categories at the two sites, one reaches two conclusions: there are multiple lines of evidence for change in the material record across the spectrum of categories at Chichén Itzá, and, to a lesser extent, at Tula, Hidalgo, indicating a population intrusion. And, secondly, there are abundant similarities in architecture, caching practices, ceramics, and other aspects of the material record that support the assertion of strong contacts between the two sites. Applying the model of elite dominance migration to Chichén Itzá, the majority of the markers for this type of migration can be seen in the material record of the site, as well as the site of Tula, Hidalgo. Chichén Itzá has the attributes of a receiving population, with an elite dominance migration of Central Mexican people taking place there, either from Tula, Hidalgo or from a third, as yet unspecified site that impacted both Chichén Itzá and Tula.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002393, ucf:47771
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002393

Title: Mirrors as Portals: Images of Mirrors on Ancient Maya Ceramics.
Creator: Rogers, Julie, Callaghan, Michael, Kovacevich, Brigitte, Reyes-Foster, Beatriz, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Maya believed there were multiple worlds in addition to the human world. Portals connected these worlds and allowed active engagement between the Maya and their gods. Without portals and the ability to communicate between the worlds the Maya belief system could not function. Evidence suggests the Maya believed reflective surfaces (-) mirrors and water surfaces (-) were portals to spiritual worlds. In this thesis, I examine the portrayal of mirrors as portals in Maya art, focusing on...
Show moreThe Maya believed there were multiple worlds in addition to the human world. Portals connected these worlds and allowed active engagement between the Maya and their gods. Without portals and the ability to communicate between the worlds the Maya belief system could not function. Evidence suggests the Maya believed reflective surfaces (-) mirrors and water surfaces (-) were portals to spiritual worlds. In this thesis, I examine the portrayal of mirrors as portals in Maya art, focusing on mirrors in scenes painted on ceramics. Combining archaeological, iconographical, and linguistic data I argue that mirrors functioned in service to ritual as an essential gateway between humans and the gods and were two-way portals between earthly and spiritual worlds. I specifically examine fifty-one scenes on painted ceramic vessels involving mirrors to interpret and document their function as portals between worlds, how they were used in courtly life and what they may have meant to the people who used them. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between the Maya, their gods, and a particular aspect of material culture (-) mirrors (-) and how the elite used mirrors and their relationship with the gods as a source of power. I conclude that the gods are not omnipresent and that mirrors portals are always active and strategically placed for the gods to have the best view of the world of humans.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007857, ucf:52799
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007857

Title: Reevaluating the Late Classic Lu-bat Glyphic Phrase: The Artist and the Underworld.
Creator: Carroll, Patrick, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The study of hieroglyphic texts is vital to the interpretation of the ancient Maya and how their worldview contributed to their daily lives. Hieroglyphic decipherment has been an arduous undertaking and a wide variety of the Late Classic Maya writing styles has also been documented. When specific hieroglyphic phrases are not fully understood it has been necessary to utilize other sources of information to help increase the understanding of these texts. The (")lu-bat(") glyphic phrase has been...
Show moreThe study of hieroglyphic texts is vital to the interpretation of the ancient Maya and how their worldview contributed to their daily lives. Hieroglyphic decipherment has been an arduous undertaking and a wide variety of the Late Classic Maya writing styles has also been documented. When specific hieroglyphic phrases are not fully understood it has been necessary to utilize other sources of information to help increase the understanding of these texts. The (")lu-bat(") glyphic phrase has been utilized in multiple mediums throughout the Late Classic period and is described as an artist's signature. This artist signature is directly related to specific iconographic elements and themes that represent a cosmological view of the ancient Maya. This thesis demonstrates the connection between the lu-bat glyphic phrase and iconographic themes indicative of liminal powers exercised by the social elites in terms of the underworld. This connection is strengthened through the evaluation of the associated texts and iconographic analysis. While interpretations of the lu-bat glyphic phrase have suggested that it represented an artist's signature, a concise articulation of the hieroglyphic values for the lu-bat glyphic phrase has not yet be achieved. The iconographic imagery involved with this glyph demonstrates an interactive level between the conduit being and liminal actions. This interaction depicts the individual involved as a direct medium for the ritual activities of the elites in terms of the underworld.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004981, ucf:49572
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004981

Title: WATER AND THE MOUNTAINS: MAYA WATER MANGEMENT AT CARACOL, BELIZE.
Creator: Crandall, James, Chase, Arlen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Water management techniques in the Southern Maya Lowlands are both regionally diverse and site specific. This thesis examines the water management strategies of the Classic Period Maya at the site of Caracol, Belize. While it is likely that elites at Caracol controlled the redistribution of resources, i.e. craft and agricultural products, it is probable that the production of agricultural resources and the maintenance of water resource acquisition took place on a more local level. In order to...
Show moreWater management techniques in the Southern Maya Lowlands are both regionally diverse and site specific. This thesis examines the water management strategies of the Classic Period Maya at the site of Caracol, Belize. While it is likely that elites at Caracol controlled the redistribution of resources, i.e. craft and agricultural products, it is probable that the production of agricultural resources and the maintenance of water resource acquisition took place on a more local level. In order to test this hypothesis, a sample of five reservoirs were examined through original research – and situated in conjunction with past settlement studies - to determine the water storage capacity and likely function of different water management features throughout the built environment of Caracol. As a result, this thesis argues that the placement and construction of water management features - i.e., reservoirs - at the site of Caracol, Belize are indicative of specific landscape patterns which are expressed by a distinct vernacular construction style and are also a reflection of the socio-political organization present within the site during the Late Classic Period.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002652, ucf:48246
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002652

Title: The Quadripartite Badge: Narratives of Power and Resurrection in Maya Iconography.
Creator: Ingalls, Victoria, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Ancient Maya iconography primarily depicted elite individuals in idealized states of being and rationalized their power and authority through ideological concepts and otherworld beings. This study aims to reexamine previous assumptions made concerning the Quadripartite Badge. This motif is examined based on iconographic associations and contexts, as well as temporal and spatial distributions. The dataset was created from currently identified examples of the Quadripartite Badge, although only...
Show moreAncient Maya iconography primarily depicted elite individuals in idealized states of being and rationalized their power and authority through ideological concepts and otherworld beings. This study aims to reexamine previous assumptions made concerning the Quadripartite Badge. This motif is examined based on iconographic associations and contexts, as well as temporal and spatial distributions. The dataset was created from currently identified examples of the Quadripartite Badge, although only a select group is extensively examined. The spread of this motif is demonstrated through time and its spatial dispersals are noted for their political consequences. Indicating the liminal status of its user, the Badge is frequently placed in scenes of transformation, accompanying rites of passage. It is also established that as elite women became more prominent, women from Tikal and Calakmul circulated this iconography through marriage alliances, as seen in the number of newly 'arrived' women carrying the Badge. Other iconographic associations of the Badge revealed strong ties with the Maize God and the cyclical nature of agriculture. For the continuation of the maize cycle and renewal of universal forces, sacrifice was required; the completion of ritual sacrifice was demonstrated through the depiction of the Quadripartite Badge. This one expression of power simultaneously validated earthly and otherworldy authority, ensuring the continuation of the cosmos and the perpetuation of the sun and maize cycles.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004552, ucf:49227
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004552

Title: Geographic and Environmental Influence on Maya Settlement Patterns of the Northwest Yucatan: An Explanation for the Sparsely Settled Western Cenote Zone.
Creator: Rohrer, Patrick, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Walker, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Most settlement pattern research and GIS analysis of the ancient Maya of the Northern Yucatan have focused on water availability in a dry landscape where cenotes are often the only water source. While water is of paramount importance, permanent settlement secondarily requires farmable soil, a resource often as precious as water in many parts of the Yucatan. The dynamics between these resources reveal areas of ideal settlement and more challenging landscapes for which the Maya developed...
Show moreMost settlement pattern research and GIS analysis of the ancient Maya of the Northern Yucatan have focused on water availability in a dry landscape where cenotes are often the only water source. While water is of paramount importance, permanent settlement secondarily requires farmable soil, a resource often as precious as water in many parts of the Yucatan. The dynamics between these resources reveal areas of ideal settlement and more challenging landscapes for which the Maya developed strategies to overcome environmental conditions. A region of the southwest "Cenote Zone", however, appears to have presented the ancient Maya with insurmountably poor environmental conditions despite abundant water resources. The lack of dense population and stone architecture in this area emphasizes the lack of a simple correlation between cenotes and settlement. This thesis uses GIS analysis to identify and explore such problematic settlement areas to better understand the factors and complexities involved in the more successful settlements of neighboring regions.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004589, ucf:49205
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004589

Title: With the Protection of the Gods: An Interpretation of the Protector Figure in Classic Maya Iconography.
Creator: Lindley, Tiffany, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Iconography encapsulates the cultural knowledge of a civilization. The ancient Maya of Mesoamerica utilized iconography to express ideological beliefs, as well as political events and histories. An ideology heavily based on the presence of an Otherworld is visible in elaborate Maya iconography. Motifs and themes can be manipulated to convey different meanings based on context. An example of this mutability can be witnessed in the depiction of Otherworld gods. Maya gods were not like Old World...
Show moreIconography encapsulates the cultural knowledge of a civilization. The ancient Maya of Mesoamerica utilized iconography to express ideological beliefs, as well as political events and histories. An ideology heavily based on the presence of an Otherworld is visible in elaborate Maya iconography. Motifs and themes can be manipulated to convey different meanings based on context. An example of this mutability can be witnessed in the depiction of Otherworld gods. Maya gods were not like Old World pantheons; gods were fluid and could function in multiple roles. Protector gods are an example of the fluidity of Maya deities. Scenes of protector gods are closely related, indicative of a specific theme and meaning. This thesis aims to define a specific iconographic theme, centered around a (")protector,(") based on the similarities of the composition of each scene in the sample set of images found on monuments. In conjunction with archaeological evidence and epigraphy, I suggest the protector theme depicts deities in the role of a protector.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004220, ucf:49010
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004220

Title: An Inconclusive Truth: An Evaluation of Speleothem Evidence for Climate Change as a Driver of Ancient Maya Culture Change.
Creator: Goldblatt, Benjamin, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Callaghan, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As anthropologists who focus their scholarly attention on the past, archaeologists are interested in examining past changes in human cultures, which can include investigating the role(s) of climatic conditions in shaping them. Paleoclimatology offers the possibility of reconstructing past climates and demonstrating their variability over time, potentially contributing a great deal to archaeology. However, while paleoclimatology may lead to new discoveries about the human past, it may also...
Show moreAs anthropologists who focus their scholarly attention on the past, archaeologists are interested in examining past changes in human cultures, which can include investigating the role(s) of climatic conditions in shaping them. Paleoclimatology offers the possibility of reconstructing past climates and demonstrating their variability over time, potentially contributing a great deal to archaeology. However, while paleoclimatology may lead to new discoveries about the human past, it may also lead to new errors in interpreting it. Cave speleothems are sources of paleoclimatic data that have recently attracted attention in Mesoamerican archaeology, particularly in studies of the Maya region. In order to evaluate past uses of speleothem paleoclimatic records to support archaeological hypotheses, I will describe the strengths and weaknesses of particular datasets, evaluate the arguments that have been advanced for their broad spatial applicability, examine the science behind the spatial variability of precipitation patterns, and consider how the application of speleothem paleoclimatology to Maya archaeology might be improved upon. I hope to make clear that speleothem paleoclimatic records can potentially yield insights into the relationship(s) between Precolumbian climate change and ancient Maya culture change, but must be interpreted with the utmost caution.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006311, ucf:51602
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006311

Title: GIS Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts distribution at Holtun from the Preclassic through the Classic Periods.
Creator: Guzman Piedrasanta, Melvin, Kovacevich, Brigitte, Callaghan, Michael, Walker, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The nature of social organization at an archaeological site can be interpreted from many types of material remains. Exotic goods are particularly useful for making inferences about social organization because of their scarcity, utilitarian demand, and symbolic characteristics. Obsidian artifacts are some of the most abundant exotic goods among the Lowland Maya. The acquisition of these artifacts was the result of a wide net of commerce from the highlands of Guatemala and central Mexico into...
Show moreThe nature of social organization at an archaeological site can be interpreted from many types of material remains. Exotic goods are particularly useful for making inferences about social organization because of their scarcity, utilitarian demand, and symbolic characteristics. Obsidian artifacts are some of the most abundant exotic goods among the Lowland Maya. The acquisition of these artifacts was the result of a wide net of commerce from the highlands of Guatemala and central Mexico into the Maya lowlands. The patterns of consumption and distribution of obsidian artifacts vary according the time and location. This variation is seen as the result of complex dynamics of trade and social interactions among the ancient Maya. Therefore, I argue that there is variability perceptible in the patterns of consumption and local distribution of obsidian between the elite residential groups at the site of Holtun. This study presents a descriptive and comparative analysis of the patterns of obsidian consumption observed in the samples from the excavations performed by the Holtun Archaeological Project from 2011 through 2016. The analysis contributes to the understanding of local processes in association with regional socioeconomic and political dynamics in the Maya Lowlands.Previous research has suggested that obsidian distribution in some times and places was centralized and controlled by powerful Maya polities. In addition, research performed on obsidian artifacts reveals a change in the consumption of different obsidian sources at other sites in the Yaxh(&)#225; basin, the geographic location of Holtun. The data collected by Holtun Archaeological Project provide information that correlates with the broader trends of obsidian preferences in the area. Our findings suggest that during the Preclassic period (c. 600 BC to AD 250) the frequency of obsidian artifacts from San Martin Jilotepeque was higher than other sources and the artifacts from El Chayal were restricted to households especially associated with the first ritual and monumental construction at the site. Then, during the Classic Period (AD 250 to 950), the frequency of artifacts from San Martin Jilotepeque experienced a decrease in quantity and the artifacts from El Chayal were more accessible across the site. The process of excavation and mapping, and the subsequent laboratory analyses have allowed for the documentation of this variability in accessibility and consumption preferences within different elite residential groups. To facilitate these interpretations, a map of Holtun was created using Geographic Information Systems. It allows the inclusion of layers of information obtained during this research, constituting a point of reference for the understanding of socioeconomic and political changes experienced within the site during the intriguing transition from the Preclassic to the Classic period.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006945, ucf:51669
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006945

Title: PREVALENCE OF DENTAL PATHOLOGY IN A JUVENILE POPULATION FROM THE ANCIENT MAYA SITE OF ALTUN HA.
Creator: Lefebvre, Lindsey D., Schultz, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The present research seeks to assesses the presence and prevalence of two distinct dental pathologies: linear enamel hypoplasia and caries in an ancient Maya juvenile subsample from Altun Ha, Belize spanning the Preclassic (ca. 600 B.C.) through the Terminal Classic (ca. 900 A.D.) periods. Teeth offer a remarkable wealth of information about the human experience in the past. Developmental and post-eruption pathology can provide insight into cultural and evolutionary processes by illuminating...
Show moreThe present research seeks to assesses the presence and prevalence of two distinct dental pathologies: linear enamel hypoplasia and caries in an ancient Maya juvenile subsample from Altun Ha, Belize spanning the Preclassic (ca. 600 B.C.) through the Terminal Classic (ca. 900 A.D.) periods. Teeth offer a remarkable wealth of information about the human experience in the past. Developmental and post-eruption pathology can provide insight into cultural and evolutionary processes by illuminating social and biological factors such as diet, weaning, illness, and overall health that manifest in observable changes to the composition of teeth. In addition, growth and developmental stages of juveniles provide an ideal framework in which to qualify paleopathological research. From a biological standpoint, high ante-mortem resistance to physiological stress and post-mortem preservation make teeth ideal for analyses of pathology in archaeological contexts. For the analysis of the Altun Ha juvenile subsample, a cohort approach is used in the presentation and discussion of results. Discrete pathologies are analyzed based on age cohorts, individual, tooth type, tooth surface location, and archaeological time period. The results indicate an increase in prevalence of pathology concurrent with increasing dental age as well as a predisposition to pathology among specific tooth types and locations on the crown surface and within the dental arcade as well as temporal shifts in pathology prevalence. These analyses demonstrate the importance of assessing juveniles within the archaeological record with emphasis on the transitory developmental stages experienced by children.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000383, ucf:45882
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000383

Title: ANCIENT MAYA AFTERLIFE ICONOGRAPHY: TRAVELING BETWEEN WORLDS.
Creator: Wilson Mosley, Dianna, Chase, Arlen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The ancient Maya afterlife is a rich and voluminous topic. Unfortunately, much of the material currently utilized for interpretations about the ancient Maya comes from publications written after contact by the Spanish or from artifacts with no context, likely looted items. Both sources of information can be problematic and can skew interpretations. Cosmological tales documented after the Spanish invasion show evidence of the religious conversion that was underway. Noncontextual artifacts are...
Show moreThe ancient Maya afterlife is a rich and voluminous topic. Unfortunately, much of the material currently utilized for interpretations about the ancient Maya comes from publications written after contact by the Spanish or from artifacts with no context, likely looted items. Both sources of information can be problematic and can skew interpretations. Cosmological tales documented after the Spanish invasion show evidence of the religious conversion that was underway. Noncontextual artifacts are often altered in order to make them more marketable. An example of an iconographic theme that is incorporated into the surviving media of the ancient Maya, but that is not mentioned in ethnographically-recorded myths or represented in the iconography from most noncontextual objects, are the "travelers": a group of gods, humans, and animals who occupy a unique niche in the ancient Maya cosmology. This group of figures is depicted journeying from one level or realm of the universe to another by using objects argued to bridge more than one plane of existence at a time. They travel by holding onto or riding objects familiar to the ancient Maya that held other-world or afterlife symbolic significance and that are connected to events related to birth, death, and leadership. This group of figures (the "travelers"), represented across time and space and on wide ranging media, provides insight and broadens what is currently understood about the ancient Maya view of life and death by indicating a persistent belief in the ability to move from one realm to another in the afterlife.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001258, ucf:46915
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001258

Title: MAYA ECLIPSES: MODERN DATA, THE TRIPLE TRITOS AND THE DOUBLE TZOLKIN.
Creator: Beck, William, Chase, Arlen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Eclipse Table, on pages 51-58, of the Dresden Codex has long fascinated Maya scholars. Researchers use the mean-value method of 173.3 days to determine nodal passage that is the place where eclipses can occur. These studies rely on Oppolzer's Eclipse Canon and Schram's Moon Phase Tables to verify eclipse occurrences. The newer canons of Jean Meeus and Bao-Lin Liu use decimal accuracy. What would be the effect of modern astronomical data on the previous studies and the Maya Eclipse...
Show moreThe Eclipse Table, on pages 51-58, of the Dresden Codex has long fascinated Maya scholars. Researchers use the mean-value method of 173.3 days to determine nodal passage that is the place where eclipses can occur. These studies rely on Oppolzer's Eclipse Canon and Schram's Moon Phase Tables to verify eclipse occurrences. The newer canons of Jean Meeus and Bao-Lin Liu use decimal accuracy. What would be the effect of modern astronomical data on the previous studies and the Maya Eclipse Table? The study utilizes a general view of eclipses that includes eclipses not visible to the Maya. Lunar eclipses are also included. This inquiry differs from previous studies by calculating the Maya dates of eclipses instead of nodal passage. The eclipse dates are analyzed using the three eclipse seasons, of the 520 days, which is the Double Tzolkin or twice the Sacred Calendar of the Maya. A simulation of the Eclipse Table, using the 59-day calendar, is created to test modern data against the Dresden Table. The length of the Table is the Triple Tritos of 405 lunations. The use of the Tritos instead of the Saros suggests the Table is independent of Western Astronomy. Advanced Astronomy is not needed to produce this Table; a list of eclipses could produce this table. The result of this inquiry will be to create a facsimile of the Eclipse Table, which can be compared to the Eclipse Table to test the structure, function and purpose of the Table.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001910, ucf:47478
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001910

Title: THE EMERGENCE OF THE MAYA TLALOC: A LATE CLASSIC RELIGIOUS ICON.
Creator: Groff, Amanda, Chase, Arlen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Iconography has the capability to memorialize and guarantee one's place in history; iconography can also provide powerful insight into human culture, and explore social and cultural values in a visual manner. Iconography can incorporate information about group identities, allegiances, religious affiliations, propaganda, and acceptance within both modern and ancient societies. By studying a specific iconographic figure, the Central Mexican god Tlaloc, as a visual representation of a belief...
Show moreIconography has the capability to memorialize and guarantee one's place in history; iconography can also provide powerful insight into human culture, and explore social and cultural values in a visual manner. Iconography can incorporate information about group identities, allegiances, religious affiliations, propaganda, and acceptance within both modern and ancient societies. By studying a specific iconographic figure, the Central Mexican god Tlaloc, as a visual representation of a belief or identity, we can glean a greater understanding of the cultural transmission of iconographic symbols. The substantial use of this icon, in both Central Mexico and the Maya region, reveals iconography as capable of being catalogued and traced over space and time to interpret meaning. With these goals in mind, this research project focuses on the iconographic representations of the Central Mexican god Tlaloc in the Maya region. It was during the Early Classic Period (A.D. 250-550) that Tlaloc transcended the boundaries of Central Mexico and was adopted into Maya ideology. During the Late Classic Period (A.D.550-900), a 'Maya Tlaloc' was established and used to express ideologies depicting warfare and ritual activity. The adoption of Tlaloc imagery among the ancient Maya ultimately holds significant value to understanding Maya ideology and religion as well as facilitates an understanding of wide-scale interactions with Central Mexico.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001861, ucf:47403
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001861

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