Major
Anthropology
Anticipated Graduation Year
2024
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
Children of ancient times are frequently overlooked within the archaeological record. For this presentation, I examined different aspects of Mesoamerican culture in order to identify two figurines discovered at the Postclassic site of Tzunun, Mexico. These figurines shine light onto ritualistic objects and ceremonies regarding childbirth as well as aiding to clarify the roles and expectations of Mesoamerican children. They allow us to investigate the past and in turn to reconstruct Maya life cycles and how children progressed into adulthood in Mesoamerican, and more specifically, Maya society.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Christopher Hernandez, PhD, Anthropology
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Understanding Mesoamerican Life Cycles and Rituals Through Figurines
Children of ancient times are frequently overlooked within the archaeological record. For this presentation, I examined different aspects of Mesoamerican culture in order to identify two figurines discovered at the Postclassic site of Tzunun, Mexico. These figurines shine light onto ritualistic objects and ceremonies regarding childbirth as well as aiding to clarify the roles and expectations of Mesoamerican children. They allow us to investigate the past and in turn to reconstruct Maya life cycles and how children progressed into adulthood in Mesoamerican, and more specifically, Maya society.