Human Sacrifice, Militarism, and Rulership: Materialization of State Ideology at the Feathered Serpent Pyramid, Teotihuacan (New Studies in Archaeology)

COVER 1 HALF-TITLE 3 SERIES-TITLE 4 TITLE 5 COPYRIGHT 6 DEDICATION 7 CONTENTS 9 FIGURES 11 TABLES 15 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 17 1 Introduction: cognition of state symbols and polity 21 Motivations and ends 21 Structure and brief summaries 28 Theories and strategies 30 City layout 33 Iconography 33 Mortuary program 34 Human sacrifice 35 2 Background: data and ideation 38 Excavations at the Feathered Serpent Pyramid 38 Discoveries before 1980 38 Discoveries between 1980 and 1987 42 Discoveries by the PTQ 1988–89 44 Mesoamerican cosmology 52 3 The Ciudadela and the city layout 58 Search for the Teotihuacan Measurement Unit (TMU) 60 Principles of space management in the city 61 Monuments on the Avenue of the Dead 66 The Ciudadela as an integral element of the city layout 67 General discussion 68 4 Architecture and sculpture 73 Architecture 73 Sculpture of the facades 76 Feathered Serpents 78 The headdress head on the Feathered Serpent’s body 88 Temple sculpture 96 Feathers 97 Shells 97 Scrolls 98 Feathered disks 101 Punctuation panels 101 Circles 103 Possible plants 103 Half-oval pieces 103 General discussion 104 5 Burials 107 Contextual interpretations 109 Grave 15 109 Grave 12 109 Grave 14 110 Grave 13 110 South interior of the pyramid 111 Upper part of the pyramid 112 North and south sides 113 East (posterior) side 114 West (principal) side 115 The four corners of the pyramid 116 Burial patterns 116 Number of persons buried 117 Location and form of graves 118 Burial area 120 General body position 121 Orientation of body axis 123 Orientation of body facing 125 Body flexion 126 Arm position 129 Sex 129 Age 130 Dental modification 132 Skeletal evidence 134 General discussion 134 6 Offerings 142 Obsidian 144 Projectile points 144 Prismatic blades 149 Bifaces 151 Figurines (eccentrics) 155 Greenstone 160 Greenstone beads 161 Greenstone earspools 163 Greenstone nose pendants 163 Greenstone anthropomorphic figurines 168 Greenstone “resplandores” 172 Greenstone cones 173 Miscellaneous 177 Slate and other stones 179 Disks 179 Large cones 183 Shell 185 Unworked shell 186 Shell pendants 188 Maxilla necklace complexes 191 Shell earplugs 199 Other items 200 Pottery 200 Wood baton or scepter 202 Textiles 204 Plants and animals 205 Offering associations 205 General discussion 218 7 Overview: sacrificial and elite burials 220 Sacrificial burials in Teotihuacan 221 Dismemberment 221 Decapitation 221 Infanticide 222 Sacrificial burials at monuments 223 Discussion 226 Elite burials in Teotihuacan and Teotihuacan provinces 227 Elite burials in Teotihuacan 227 Elite burials in Kaminaljuyú 232 Discussion 237 8 Conclusion: the Feathered Serpent Pyramid as symbol of sacrifice, militarism, and rulership 240 Symbolism 240 Sociopolitical implications 243 Human sacrifice 244 Militarism 249 Rulership 251 Materialization of power in ancient states 256 NOTES 265 Chapter 1 Introduction: cognition of state symbols and polity 265 Chapter 2 Background: data, and ideation 265 Chapter 3 The Ciudadela and the city layout 266 Chapter 4 Architecture and sculpture 267 Chapter 5 Burials 268 Chapter 6 Offerings 269 Chapter 7 Overview: sacrificial and elite burials 270 Chapter 8 Conclusion: the Feathered Serpent Pyramid as symbol 270 REFERENCES 273 INDEX 292 Teotihuacan was one of the earliest and more populous preColumbian cities, and the Feathered Serpent was its vital monument, erected circa 200 AD. This work explores the religious meanings and political implications of the pyramid with meticulous and thorough analyses of substantially new excavation data. Challenging the traditional view of the city as a legendary, sacred, or anonymously-governed centre, the book provides significant new insights on the Teotihuacan polity and society. It provides interpretations on the pyramid's location, architecture, sculptures, iconography, mass sacrificial graves and rich symbolic offerings, and concludes that the pyramid commemorated the accession of rulers who were inscribed to govern with military force on behalf of the gods. This archaeological examination of the monument shows it to be the physical manifestation of state ideologies such as the symbolism of human sacrifice, militarism, and individual-centred divine authority, ideologies which were later diffused among other Mesoamerican urban centres. Teotihuacan Was One Of The Earliest And More Populous Pre-colombian Cities, And The Feathered Serpent Was Its Vital Monument, Erected Circa Ad 200. This Work Explores The Religious Meanings And Political Implications Of The Pyramid With Meticulous And Thorough Analyses Of Substantially New Excavation Data. Challenging The Traditional View Of The City As A Legendary, Sacred, Or Anonymously Governed Center, The Book Provides Significant New Insights Into The Teotihuacan Polity And Society.--book Jacket. Introduction: Cognition Of State Symbols And Polity -- Background: Data And Ideation -- The Ciudadela And The City Layout -- Architecture And Sculpture -- Burials -- Offerings -- Overview: Sacrificial And Elite Burials -- Conclusion: The Feathered Serpent Pyramid As Symbol Of Sacrifice, Militarism And Rulership. Saburo Sugiyama. Revision Of The Author's Thesis (ph. D.)--arizona State University, 1995. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. By the third century AD, Teotihuacan had become the largest urban centre in the New World and the Feathered Serpent Pyramid a spectacular symbol of state power. Sugiyama investigates the ritual sacrifices that marked the erection of the Pyramid and the role of warfare and sacrifice in early Teotihuacan statecraft. In the first two centuries AD, Teotihuacan was the largest urban centre in the New World and the Feathered Serpent Pyramid a spectacular symbol of state power. Sugiyama investigates the ritual sacrifices that marked the erection of the Pyramid and the role of warfare and sacrifice in early Teotihuacan statecraft