Mesoamerican iconography

Daily life in a Mayan kingdom was a complex, multi-faceted -- and often times difficult -- way of life.  Their geographic area encompassed a portion of Mesoamerica, from Southeastern Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula down into Northern Central America.  Mayan territory included Pacific coastline, mountainous highlands, and forested lowlands.  Scholars today believe the total area covered approximately 125,000 square miles.  Each area had its own unique challenges, from the fertile Pacific side, with warm, tropical conditions, to the highlands, with cooler, more temperate-like zones.  Volcanoes, rivers, mountains and forests fill Mayan Mesoamerica, each with its own sub-zone and micro climate.  Unlike North American tribal societies, where large animals were followed seasonally, the food sources of the Maya -- fish, small animals, deer, and birds -- remained mostly stationary, permitting earlier members of Mayan society to establish deep roots in particular locales.

En este artículo se sostiene que el nombre original del Nevado de Toluca es Chicnauhtécatl, el autor lo sustenta presentado un estudio etnohistórico y arqueológico. Chicnauhtécatl, es un vocablo náhuatl que se traduce al español como "Señor Nueve", lo cual lo asocia a complejos simbolismo mesoamericanos.

One of four known ancient Maya books, the Grolier Codex depicts different manifestations of Venus; the column of glyphs on the left of each panel records days in a 104-year Venus almanac. These plaster-coated bark-paper pages, carbon-dated to the 13th century, represent only half of the 20-page original. This article is an excerpt of pages 98-99 from the March 1990 National Geographic Magazine article "America's Ancient Skywatchers" by John B. Carlson with a numbered photographic arrangement of the Grolier Codex depicting the author's discovery that Codex pages 10 and 11 are actually two parts of the same "page 10".  Carlson clarifies the identities of Venus deities depicted in the Grolier Codex from a comparison of images from the Cacaxtla murals and links the images of the Grolier Codex with ancient Maya astronomically timed ritual warfare and sacrifice. (Grolier Codex photographs: Enrico Ferorelli; Mural photograph: Bob Sacha)

This article has been posted on Academia.edu as part of the Grolier Codex Project of the Center for Archaeoastronomy under the directorship of John B. Carlson, Ph.D.  The Grolier Codex Project seeks to further advance the study of the Maya Grolier Codex.

Los murales de Teotihuacan constituyen un lenguaje plástico cuyo contenido genera multiples lecturas, muchas de ellas aún no descifradas para nosotros. La pintura de la ciudad describe acontecimientos, relatos, pasajes históricos o hechos míticos. Escenas y diseños encuentran sus claves profundas en la combinación de colores, el tipo de emblema y el espacio donde se encuentran situados.

The Grolier Codex is discussed in the context of the archaeoastronomy of the ancient Americas on pages 98-99 of the March 1990 National Geographic Magazine article "America's Ancient Skywatchers" by John B. Carlson. One of four known ancient Maya books, the Grolier Codex depicts different manifestations of the planet Venus; the column of glyphs on the left of each panel records days in a 104-year Venus almanac. These plaster-coated bark-paper pages, carbon-dated to the 13th century, represent only half of the 20-page original. A numbered photographic arrangement of the Grolier Codex depictes the author's discovery that Codex pages 10 and 11 are actually two parts of the same "page 10".  Carlson clarifies the identities of Venus deities depicted in the Grolier Codex from a comparison of images from the Cacaxtla murals and links the images of the Grolier Codex with ancient Maya astronomically timed ritual warfare and sacrifice. (Grolier Codex photographs: Enrico Ferorelli; Other photos: Bob Sacha)

This article has been posted on Academia.edu as part of the Grolier Codex Project of the Center for Archaeoastronomy under the directorship of John B. Carlson, Ph.D.  The Grolier Codex Project seeks to further advance the study of the Maya Grolier Codex.

Nota importante: se recomienda revisar la versión original, titulada "Deidades  Mesoamericanas  de  los  Mantenimientos  en  la  Cultura  Bolaños (Norte  de  Jalisco)" pues el texto publicado en el libro fue modificado, alterando sensiblemente los planteamientos originalmente propuestos.
En un texto publicado en el año 2016 por la doctora María Teresa Cabrero García se realiza un estudio breve acerca de figurillas descubiertas en la cultura Bolaños de la región norte de Jalisco. Estas piezas de carácter antropomorfo destacan por su abstracción y simpleza y, además, por la ausencia de elementos visuales que permitan clasificarlas detalladamente. Ante esta situación, Cabrero (2016) repara en otros atributos como los materiales de los que están hechos y señala, además, que su uso fue generalizado entre los distintos niveles sociales, tanto en el Piñón, como en Pochotitán y la Mezquitera (p. 97). No obstante, en sus tablas de distribución se nota que las figurillas elaboradas en roca tienen una distribución preferencial en contextos religiosos (p. 98).
El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar si estas figuras pudieran denotar
el culto específico a una deidad, con base en los mínimos detalles glíficos que presentan y considerando un modelo teórico metodológico ya desarrollado y contrastado para el análisis de la imagen en sociedades prehispánicas mesoamericanas, en el cual son considerados aspectos no solo sociales e históricos, sino en relación con el bricoleur, en los cuales se conjugan muchos aspectos que permiten explicar la diversidad de formas y variantes de
determinados glifos (Márquez 2009, 2012a, 2012b, 2014, 2015a, 2015b, 2015c, 2017, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c, 2020).

The Grolier Codex (Codice Maya de Mexico, CMM) is discussed in the context of the archaeoastronomy of the ancient Americas on pages 98-99 of the March 1990 National Geographic Magazine article "America's Ancient Skywatchers" by John B. Carlson. One of four known ancient Maya books, the Grolier Codex depicts different manifestations of the planet Venus; the column of glyphs on the left of each panel records days in a 104-year Venus almanac. These plaster-coated bark-paper pages, carbon-dated to the 13th century, represent only half of the 20-page original. A numbered photographic arrangement of the Grolier Codex depictes the author's discovery that Codex pages 10 and 11 are actually two parts of the same "page 10".  Carlson clarifies the identities of Venus deities depicted in the Grolier Codex from a comparison of images from the Cacaxtla murals and links the images of the Grolier Codex with ancient Maya astronomically timed ritual warfare and sacrifice. (Grolier Codex photographs: Enrico Ferorelli; Other photos: Bob Sacha)

This article has been posted on Academia.edu as part of the Grolier Codex Project of the Center for Archaeoastronomy under the directorship of John B. Carlson, Ph.D.  The Grolier Codex Project seeks to further advance the study of the Maya Grolier Codex.

Pacific Nicaragua has long been recognized as a cultural crossroads, with groups of historically documented migrants from central Mexico integrating with Chibchan groups affiliated with Central and South America. This multicul-tural setting has inspired decades of archaeological investigation, particularly in search of the southeastern frontier of the Mesoamerican culture area. Following ethnohistorical accounts, Nahuat-speaking groups migrated into and colonized the Rivas area in the late Postclassic / Ometepe period (c. 1300-1525 CE). The most prominent ceramic type used to identify this time period was Luna Polychrome, often found in mortuary contexts and therefore currently the best artifact class for inferring Nahua culture and ideology. This paper presents a detailed analysis of sixty Luna vessels. We suggest that the overarching theme of the painted designs relates to the praying mantis. This interpretation coincides with oral traditions identifying the mantis as the "Madre Culebra," a powerful and revered predator of the insect world and closely affiliated with female symbolic authority. Iconography on some of the more elaborate pots parallels polychrome ceramic female figurines that have been interpreted as ritual practitioners, or shamans, and we suggest a possible correlation between painted designs with visions experienced during trances. Through this analysis we explore the role of ceramic iconography as an expression of ritual practice.

RESUMEN Desde hace mucho tiempo, se reconoce el Pacífico nicaragüense como un cruce de caminos cultural, donde hay registros históricos de grupos de migrantes del centro de México que se unió a grupos Chibchan originarios de América Central y del Sur. Este entorno multicultural ha inspirado décadas de investigación arqueológica, que se ha interesado particularmente en definir la frontera sureste de la zona cultural mesoamericana. De acuerdo con relatos etnohistóricos, los grupos de habla nahua emigraron y colonizaron el área de Rivas en el período Posclásico Tardío, también llamado Ometepe (c. 1300-1525 CE). La principal cerámica que se ha usado para identificar esta era fue la del Polícromo Luna, que, ya que se encuentra a menudo en contextos mortuorios, constituye hoy día la mejor clase de artefacto para reconocer la cultura e ideología nahua. Este artículo presenta un análisis detallado de sesenta vasos Luna. Mantenemos que el tema general de los diseños pintados se relaciona con la mantis religiosa. Esta interpretación coincide con las tradiciones orales que identifican a la mantis como la "Madre Culebra", un depredador poderoso y venerado del mundo de los insectos y estrechamente relacionado con la autoridad simbólica femenina. La iconografía en algunas de las macetas más elaboradas se asemeja a la de las estatuillas femeninas de cerámica policromada, en las que algunos han querido ver a practicantes de rituales o chamanes. Por nuestra parte, proponemos una posible correlación entre los diseños pintados y las visiones típicas de los trances. A través de este análisis, exploramos el papel de la iconografía cerámica como expresión de la práctica ritual. PALABRAS CLAVE iconografía cerámica, Pacífico nicaragüense, mantis religiosa, etno-entomología, chamanismo, cerámica, cerámica para servir

RESUMO A Nicarágua do Pacífico é reconhecida há muito tempo como uma encruzilhada cultural, com um importante grupo sendo documentado historicamente como migrantes do centro do México, integrando-se a grupos de Chibchan afiliados à América Central e do Sul. Esse cenário multicultural inspirou décadas de investigação arqueológica, particularmente em busca da fronteira sudeste da área cultural mesoamericana. Segundo relatos etno-históricos, grupos falantes de Nahuat migraram para e colonizaram a região de Rivas no período pós-clássico tardio/Ometepe (c. 1300-1525 dC). A cerâmica mais proeminentemente utilizada para diagnosticar esse período de tempo foi o policromo Luna, frequentemente encontrado em contextos mortuários e, portanto, atualmente a melhor classe de artefato para inferir a cultura e a ideologia de Nahua. Este artigo apresenta uma análise detalhada de sessenta recipientes Luna. Sugerimos que o tema dominante dos desenhos pintados esteja relacionado ao louva-a-deus. Essa interpretação coincide com tradições orais que identificam o louva-a-deus como a "Madre Culebra", uma predadora poderosa e reverenciada do mundo dos insetos e intimamente afiliada à autoridade simbólica feminina. A iconografia de alguns dos vasos mais elaborados é paralela às figuras femininas de cerâmica policromada que 28

The almanacs on pages 27 and 28 of the Borgia Codex are rare examples  in the highland Mexican Borgia Group that record dates in the 52-year calendar.  In this paper, I propose a historical dating model for both almanacs using astronomical imagery that aligns their shared rain and maize iconography with the beginning and end of the maize planting season in central Mexico.

Hydrographic features dominate the Olmec heartland. Fishing, travel, transport, and trade via watercraft were essential parts of daily life. This chapter synthesizes archaeofaunal, iconographic, and biological data about human–animal relationships during the Formative period in the Gulf Coastal lowlands of Veracruz, Mexico. Aquatic environments were reliable sources of physical sustenance for the Olmec and Epi-Olmec, and fresh-water fish, turtles, and local and migratory water birds made up the daily diet. Animals found in marine environments were elevated to a sacred status and venerated in iconography, and jade and ceramic effigies and pendants became important parts of spiritual sustenance.

Order this Book from:  vgarthnorman@gmail.com

Spanish Translation of the "Izapa Sacred Space" book:
"Izapa Espacio Sagrado, El Codice Calendarico"  (2016)
                            por V. Garth Norman.
Order this Book from: vgarthnorman@gmail.com

This handbook is an educational resource designed for the Department of Education of the National Gallery of Victoria. It intends to facilitate the teaching and understanding of the NGV collection of Mesoamerican art. It comprises the main Mesoamerican socio-cultural topics depicted in the artworks of this collection. In addition, it recommends optional sources of information as a complement to this manual.

""One of the centrepieces of the Central and South American gallery of the National Museum of Ethnology (NME) in Leiden, the Netherlands is a Mesoamerican human skull decorated with turquoise mosaic. This mosaic skull is thought to have been created by Mixtec artisans in the Late Postclassic period (AD 1300-1521). Since the skull was acquired on the art market, nothing is known about its provenance prior to 1962. As a result, some have questioned its pre-Columbian origin. Similar questions have been raised about unprovenanced mosaic skulls in other museum collections.
This article presents the findings of research carried out at the NME and at the Centre des Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF), Paris in 2011 and 2012, with a view to determining whether the Leiden mosaic skull is an authentic pre-Columbian artefact, an entirely modern creation, or a modern combination of authentic elements. The article also explores the
reasons for the skull’s acquisition in the 1960s, in the absence of any background information, and discusses the significance of these research findings for the presentation and perception of this particular artefact.""

The cadejo is a contemporary myth about an evil and vicious dog who attacks stragglers in the night. Recent analysis of Pataky Polychrome pottery from Mi Museo in Granada has found similarities to creatures tentatively identified as badgers. This brief paper argues that the cadejo myth may have 1000 year history in Pacific Nicaragua.

In a 1992 article, V. Bricker and H. Bricker detail their historical approach to dating and decoding codical almanacs in the Maya codices that lack explicit Long Count dates.  Astronomical and seasonal imagery are the key to their methodology.  In honor of their work, I apply their method to an almanac in the highland Mexican Borgia Codex.  After a discussion of Venus iconography identified in the Maya and Borgia Group codices, I discuss how similar astronomical imagery in the almanac on Borgia 49a-52a, 53b can be used to propose a model that situates the instrument in real time.

PhD dissertation (Leiden University): interpretive study of the precolonial Mixtec Codex Vindobonensis Mexicanus 1 (Codex Yuta Tnoho), dealing with the origin of Mixtec dynasties.
Apéndices: (1) Fray Gergorio García’s text on the origin of the Mixtec world, (2) Colonial documents on indigenous healing in Chalcatongo, (3) Resettlement of Chalcatongo in the colonial period, (4) Legends from Apoala told by don Macario López, (5) Customs of Apoala told by doña Otilia Alavarado.
Detailed endnotes to the book. Accompanying illustrations. Codex Vindobonensis Mexicanus 1 in line drawings.
See for the individual chapters also: http://www.cedla.uva.nl/50_publications/archive_CLAS.html

In this article, see pages 164, 166-168 for Stuart's discussion of the Grolier Codex.  It is highly significant that the Mexican State of Chiapas and the Universidad Autonoma de Chiapas chose to include the Grolier Codex as an authentic ancient Maya book in 1985 and make a fine color facsimile available along with the Dresden, Paris, and Madrid codices for further research. 

This review and essay of "Los Codices Mayas" is being posted as a personal tribute to my friend and colleague, the late George E. Stuart, Ph.D. (1935 - 2014) for his great generosity and many extraordinary contributions promoting world archaeology over several generations.

This article has been posted on Academia.edu as part of the Grolier Codex Project of the Center for Archaeoastronomy under the directorship of John B. Carlson, Ph.D.  The Grolier Codex Project seeks to further advance the study of the Maya Grolier Codex.

"Selected proceedings of the “First International Conference on Ethnoastronomy: Indigenous Astronomical and Cosmological Traditions of the World”held at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 5-9 September 1983."

Available on Amazon.com  - see link in listing. Ships internationally from the USA.

Reseña de Rocío García Valgañón del libro Las mujeres en Mesoamérica prehispánica, de María J. Rodríguez-Shadow, coord. México, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, 2007, 284 pp. Publicado en la Revista Española de Antropología Americana 38(1), pp. 265-270. Madrid, Departamento de Historia de América II (Antropología de América), 2008.

In 'Time and the Ancestors: Aztec and Mixtec Ritual Art', Maarten Jansen and Aurora Pérez present new interpretations of enigmatic masterpieces from ancient Mexico. Combining iconographical analysis with the study of archaeological contexts, historical sources and living cultural traditions, they shed light on central symbols and values of the religious heritage of indigenous peoples, paying special attention to precolonial perceptions of time and the importance of ancestor worship. They decipher the meaning of the treasure deposited in Tomb 7 at Monte Albán (Oaxaca) and of artworks such as the Roll of the New Fire (Selden Roll), the Aztec religious sculptures and, last but not least, the mysterious chapter of temple scenes from the Book of Night and Wind (Codex Borgia).
[ For high quality open access of each chapter > https://brill.com/view/title/34471 ]

The study of music from the earliest past draws upon iconography and archaeology, and any attempt to understand the earliest acoustic ecologies requires some level of approximation based on material artefacts. Participants are invited to offer embodied, experiential, phenomenological, creative, practice-based and practice-led research that explores the sonic contexts of prehistory and antiquity. These explorations may consider the examination of sound-producing objects and musical instruments, acoustics of performance spaces, or role of sound in rituals, ceremonies and everyday events. Research is welcomed that uses digital technologies in (re)constructions of ancient soundscapes, and explorations of sonic textures drawing upon iconographic, archaeological and literary sources. Also considered may be performances or other artistic content, whether focused on musical, sonic, performance or visual arts. They should provide information about the source material which has created the basis of the work, but subsequently freely engage with performative explorations.

Il rinvenimento nella penisola di Nicoya (Costarica) di un pendente in giadeite datato al 500 a.C. e la scoperta di giadeite “olmec blue” nella valle di Motagua hanno rafforzato l’ipotesi che ci siano stati contatti tra gli Olmechi e la Gran Nicoya.
Anche l’analisi iconografica dei pendenti in giadeite e pietra verde prodotti da queste due culture rafforza questa ipotesi.

Codex Bodley (Codex Ñuu Tnoo - Ndisi Nuu) is a precolonial Mexican pictorial manuscript, stemming from the Mixtec region (Ñuu Dzaui). It tells the history and genealogy of the rulers of the Mixtec city-states Tilantongo (Ñuu Tnoo) and Tlaxiaco (Ndisi Nuu) during the five centuries before the Spanish conquest (1521).
This book contains a general introduction to ancient Mixtec pictography, which discusses the history of the manuscript, its cultural-historical context and indicates how to read the manuscript, as well as a full page-by-page reading of both the obverse part of the codex (dealing with the dynasty of Tilantongo) and of the reverse part of the codex (dealing with the dynasty of Tlaxiaco).

The work is one of the final drafts of a study about the Nahua system of writing employed in the Codex Xolotl and published as Chapter 13 the homage to Karen Dakin. Chapter 13 compares the Nahuatl of the folio that Thouvenot classified as X.010 to posit that a portion of this segment was included in Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl's Historia de la Nación Chichimeca. It also argues that this folio contains two Nahuatl graphemes: a logogram standing for polihui and a new phonogram for Tollan.