Ancient Maya Women (Volume 3) (Gender and Archaeology, 3)

"The flood of archaeological work in Maya lands has revolutionized our understanding of gender in ancient Maya society. The dozen contributors to this volume use a wide range of methodological strategies--archaeology, bioarchaeology, iconography, ethnohistory, epigraphy, ethnography--to tease out the details of the lives, actions, and identities of women of Mesoamerica. The chapters, most based upon recent fieldwork in Central America, examine the role of women in Maya society, their place in the political hierarchy and lineage structures, the gendered division of labor, and the discrepancy between idealized Mayan womanhood and the daily reality, among other topics. In each case, the complexities and nuances of gender relations is highlighted and the limitations of our knowledge acknowledged. These pieces represent an important advance in the understanding of Maya socioeconomic, political, and cultural life--and the archaeology of gender--and will be of great interest to scholars and students."--Back cover.

The flood of archaeological work in Maya lands has revolutionized our understanding of gender in ancient Maya society. The dozen contributors to this volume use a wide range of methodological strategies—archaeology, bioarchaeology, iconography, ethnohistory, epigraphy, ethnography—to tease out the details of the lives, actions, and identities of women of Mesoamerica. The chapters, most based upon recent fieldwork in Central America, examine the role of women in Maya society, their place in the political hierarchy and lineage structures, the gendered division of labor, and the discrepancy between idealized Mayan womanhood and the daily reality, among other topics. In each case, the complexities and nuances of gender relations is highlighted and the limitations of our knowledge acknowledged. These pieces represent an important advance in the understanding of Maya socioeconomic, political, and cultural life—and the archaeology of gender—and will be of great interest to scholars and students.

Women and gender in the ancient Maya world / Traci Ardren Gender and Maya farming: Chan Nòohol, Belize / Cynthia Robin Gender divisions of labor and lowland terrace agriculture / Linda Stephen Neff Spindle whorls: household specialization at Ceren / Marilyn Beaudry-Corbett and Sharisse McCafferty Death became her: images of female power from Yaxuna burials / Traci Ardren Engendering a dynasty: a royal woman in the Margarita tomb, Copan / Ellen E. Bell Lady K'awil, Goddess O, and Maya warfare / Maricela Ayala Falcón Women in classic Maya hieroglyphic texts / J. Kathryn Josserand Women in the hieroglyphic inscriptions of Chichén Itzá / Ruth J. Krochock Women-men (and men-women): classic Maya rulers and the third gender / Matthew G. Looper Representations of women in postclassic and colonial Maya literature and art / Gabrielle Vail and Andrea Stone Encountering Maya women / Wendy Ashmore.