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Anthropology1158 MayaNarratives:Gods,Lords,andCourts(86159)
Fall2011 MondayandWednesday,11am12pm;PeabodyMuseumRm.14A;sectionsTBA;ExamGroup4 http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/86159 Instructor: Dr.AlexandreTokovinine,PeabodyMuseum35C,6174967186,tokovin@fas.harvard.edu CourseDescription: ThiscoursehighlightsthecontinuinginvestigationofClassicMayatextsandimagesandhowitchangesourunderstandingofthe Mayacivilization.TheClassicMayaaretheonlyPreColumbiancivilizationwithasubstantialcorpusofinscriptionsproducedwell beforeanycontactwiththeOldWorld.Mayawrittenandvisualnarrativesrevealdetailsofhistoryandmyth,lifeatthecourtsof lordsandnobles,religionandworldview.Theirtestimoniesareoftenstriking,unique,andhardtounderstand,buttheyarenot mediatedbynonindigenousinterpretersandopenawindowintoaworldlonggone. ThecoursebeginswithanoverviewofthediscoveryanddeciphermentofMayainscriptionsandthepresentunderstandingof theplaceofwrittenandvisualnarrativesintheClassicMayaculture.WearegoingtoexploreClassicMayaideasaboutthe originsoftheworld,humans,andsociety,brieflydiscusspoliticalhistory,andthencenteronkeyprotagonistsofthenarratives includinglords,queens,youngmen,nobles,and,ofcourse,gods,ancestors,andlessersupernaturalbeings.Thelastpartofthe courseisdedicatedtodifferentfacetsofthelifeintheClassicMayaworldasrevealedintheindigenousnarrativessuchas warfare,calendarrituals,musicanddancing,eatinganddrinking,games,moralityandhumor. Requirements: Readingassignments,attendanceoflecturesandactiveparticipationinsectionmeetingsarerequired.Graduatestudents attendingthecourseareexpectedtodoadditionalreadings(labeledasextrainthesyllabus)andtocompletealongerfinal writtenproject.AllextrareadingsinSpanishareonlyforthestudentswithsufficientlanguageskills.Nopriorknowledgeofthe ClassicMayaculture,SpanishoranyMayalanguagesisrequiredorrecommendedforthiscourse. Inadditiontothemidtermandthefinalexam,thereisafinalwrittenproject:apaperreviewingcontributionsofthestudyof inscriptionstooneofthetopicsinClassicMayahistoryandculture.Topicsforthepapersmustbechosenandapproved(along withapreliminarybibliography)bytheinstructornolaterthanthemidtermexam. Gradesforthecoursewillbedeterminedontheperformanceinthefollowingareas: Classparticipation 16% MidtermExam 24% FinalExam 30% Finalwrittenproject 30% Readings: Threemonographsconstitutethecoresetofrequiredreadingsforthiscourseinadditiontovariousarticlesandbookchapters assignedtoindividuallectures: (1) Houston,StephenD.,andTakeshiInomata2009TheclassicMaya.Cambridge;NewYork,N.Y.:CambridgeUniversity Press(availableattheHarvardCOOPbookstoreorAmazon) (2) Houston,Stephen,DavidStuart,andKarlA.Taube2006TheMemoryofBones:Body,Being,andExperienceamongthe ClassicMaya.Austin:UniversityofTexasPress(availableattheHarvardCOOPbookstoreorAmazon) (3) Martin,Simon,andNikolaiGrube2008ChronicleoftheMayakingsandqueens:decipheringthedynastiesofthe ancientMaya.London:Thames&Hudson(availableattheHarvardCOOPbookstoreorAmazon)

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Accommodationsforstudentswithdisabilities StudentsneedingacademicadjustmentsoraccommodationsbecauseofadocumenteddisabilitymustpresenttheirFaculty LetterfromtheAccessibleEducationOffice(AEO)andspeakwiththeprofessorbytheendofthesecondweekoftheterm. FailuretodosomayresultintheCourseHead'sinabilitytorespondinatimelymanner. ClassSchedule Introduction August31(W):ClassicMaya:discoveryandoverview Readings: September5(M):noclass(LaborDay) September7(W):MayaNarratives:mediaandgenres Readings: (1)Houston,Stephen2000Intothemindsofancients:advancesinglyphstudies.JournalofWorldPrehistory 14:121201,pp.121142,147177 (2)Martin,Simon2006OnPreColumbianNarrative:RepresentationAcrosstheWordImageDivide.InAPre ColumbianWorld.J.QuilterandM.E.Miller,eds.Pp.55105.Washington,D.C.:DumbartonOaksResearch LibraryandCollection. (1)Miller,MaryEllen,andSimonMartin2004CourtlyArtoftheAncientMaya.SanFranciscoandNewYork: FineArtsMuseumsofSanFranciscoandThames&Hudson,pp.120161 (1)HoustonandInomata2009,pp.327 (2)Martin,Simon,andNikolaiGrube2008ChronicleoftheMayakingsandqueens:decipheringthedynasties oftheancientMaya.London:Thames&Hudson,pp.816

Extra: TheMayaworldasitcametobe:myth,history,place,andpeople September12(M):Originsandjustsostories Readings: (4)Martin,Simon2006CacaoinAncientMayaReligion:FirstFruitfromtheMaizeTreeandOtherTalesfrom theUnderworld.InChocolateinMesoamerica:ACulturalHistoryofCacao.C.L.McNeil,ed.Pp.154183. Gainesville:UniversityPressofFlorida Extra: September14(W)Thecomingofkings (1)Stuart,David2005TheInscriptionsfromTempleXIXatPalenque:ACommentary.SanFrancisco:ThePre ColumbianArtResearchInstitute,pp.59112 (2)Sachse,Frauke2008OverDistantWaters:PlacesofOriginandCreationinColonialKicheanSources.InPre ColumbianLandscapesofCreationandOrigin.J.E.Staller,ed.Pp.123160.NewYork,N.Y.:Springer. (1)Houstonetal.2006,pp.8997 (2)Stuart,David,andGeorgeE.Stuart2008Palenque:eternalcityoftheMaya.NewYork:Thames&Hudson, pp.189215 (3)Stuart,David2005TheInscriptionsfromTempleXIXatPalenque:ACommentary.SanFrancisco:ThePre ColumbianArtResearchInstitute,pp.158185

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Readings: (1)Stuart,David2004ThebeginningsoftheCopandynasty:areviewofthehieroglyphicandhistorical evidence.InUnderstandingEarlyClassicCopan.E.E.Bell,M.A.Canuto,andR.J.Sharer,eds.Pp.215248. Philadelphia:UniversityofPennsylvaniaMuseumofArchaeologyandAnthropology. (2)Stuart,David,andGeorgeE.Stuart2008Palenque:eternalcityoftheMaya.NewYork:Thames&Hudson, pp107117 (1)Martin,Simon1997Paintedkinglist:acommentaryoncodexstyledynasticvases.InMayaVaseBook5:a CorpusofRolloutPhotographsofMayaVases.Pp.847867.NewYork:KerrAssociates. (2)Martin,Simon2003Inlineofthefounder:aviewofdynasticpoliticsatTikal.InTikal:Dynasties,Foreigners, andAffairsofState.J.A.Sabloff,ed.Pp.346.SchoolofAmericanResearchPress:SanteFe,pp. (3)Stuart,David2007WhiteOwlJaguar:ATikalRoyalAncestor. http://decipherment.wordpress.com/2007/11/04/whiteowljaguaratikalroyalancestor/

Extra:

September19(M)ClassicMayalandscape Readings: (1)Stuart,David,Houston,StephenD.1994ClassicMayaPlaceNames.StudiesinPreColumbianArtand Archaeology,33DumbartonOaksResearchLibraryandCollection,Washington,DC,pp318,6980 (2)Stuart,David1997Hillsarealive:sacredmountainsintheMayacosmosSymbols(Spring):1317 (3)Vogt,EvonZ.;Stuart,David2005SomenotesonritualcavesamongtheancientandmodernMayaInInthe MawoftheEarthMonster:MesoamericanRitualCaveUse.JamesE.BradyandKeithM.Prufer,eds.pp.155 185UniversityofTexasPress,Austin,pp.155163 Extra: (1)Stuart,David,Houston,StephenD.1994ClassicMayaPlaceNames.StudiesinPreColumbianArtand Archaeology,33DumbartonOaksResearchLibraryandCollection,Washington,DC,pp8195 (2)Vogt,EvonZ.;Stuart,David2005SomenotesonritualcavesamongtheancientandmodernMayaInInthe MawoftheEarthMonster:MesoamericanRitualCaveUse.JamesE.BradyandKeithM.Prufer,eds.pp.155 185UniversityofTexasPress,Austin,pp.164180

September21(W)PlaceandidentityinClassicMayanarratives Readings: (1)Tokovinine,Alexandre2006PeoplefromaPlace:ReInterpretingClassicMayaEmblemGlyphs.InEcology, Power,andReligioninMayaLandscapes.MalmUniversity. (2)Fash,WilliamL.,AlexandreTokovinine,andBarbaraFash2009TheHouseofnewFireatTeotihuacanandIts LegacyinMesoamerica.InArtofUrbanism:HowMesoamericanKingdomsRepresentedThemselvesin ArchitectureandImagery.W.L.FashandL.LpezLujn,eds.Pp.201229.Washington,D.C.:DumbartonOaks ResearchLibraryandCollection. (1)Beliaev,DmitriD.2000WukTsukandOxlahunTsuk:NaranjoandTikalinthelateClassic.InSacredandthe profane:architectureandidentityintheMayalowlands.P.RobertColas,ed.Pp.6381.Berlin:Verlagvon Flemming

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September26(M)PoliticalhistoryI:EarlyClassic Readings: (1)HoustonandInomata2009,pp.105110 (2)Martin,Simon,andNikolaiGrube2008ChronicleoftheMayakingsandqueens:decipheringthedynasties oftheancientMaya.London:Thames&Hudson,pp.1743,101111,191202

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Extra: (1)Stuart,David2000TheArrivalofStrangers:TeotihuacanandTollaninClassicMayaHistory.In MesoamericasClassicHeritage:TeotihuacantotheAztecs.D.S.Carrasco,L.Jones,andS.Sessions,eds.Pp. 465513.Boulder:UniversityPressofColorado

September28(W)PoliticalhistoryII:LateClassicorder Readings: (1)HoustonInomataCh4,pp.110112 (2)Martin,Simon,andNikolaiGrube2008ChronicleoftheMayakingsandqueens:decipheringthedynasties oftheancientMaya.London:Thames&Hudson,pp.4467,112115,139175 Extra: (1)Martin,Simon,andNikolaiGrube2008ChronicleoftheMayakingsandqueens:decipheringthedynasties oftheancientMaya.London:Thames&Hudson,pp.6999,117137,203225 (2)Stuart,David2005Aforeignpast:thewritingandrepresentationofhistoryonaroyalancestralshrineat Copan.InCopan:TheHistoryofanAncientMayaKingdom.E.W.AndrewsandW.L.Fash,eds.Pp.373394. SantaFe,NM:SchoolofAmericanResearchPress.

Gods,Lords,andCourts October3(M)ClassicMayaroyalcourts:setting Readings: Extra: (1)Martin,Simon2001CourtandRealm:ArchitecturalSignaturesintheClassicMayaSouthernLowlands.In RoyalCourtsoftheAncientMaya,Volume1:Theory,Comparison,andSynthesis.T.InomataandS.D.Houston, eds.Pp.168194.Boulder:WestviewPress. (1)HoustonandInomata2009,pp.150161 (2)Miller,MaryEllen,andSimonMartin2004CourtlyArtoftheAncientMaya.SanFranciscoandNewYork: FineArtsMuseumsofSanFranciscoandThames&Hudson,pp.1649

October5(W)ClassicMayacourts:people Readings: (1)Houston,Stephen,andDavidStuart2001PeoplingtheClassicMayaCourt.InRoyalCourtsoftheAncient Maya,Volume1:Theory,Comparison,andSynthesis.T.InomataandS.D.Houston,eds.Pp.5483.Boulder: WestviewPress.

October10(M)noclass(ColumbusDay) October12(W)Godsandancestors Readings: (1)HoustonandInomata2009,pp.193217 (2)Houston,Stephen,andDavidStuart1996OfGods,Glyphs,andKings:DivinityandRulershipamongthe ClassicMaya.Antiquity70:289312 Extra: (1)Miller,MaryEllen,andSimonMartin2004CourtlyArtoftheAncientMaya.SanFranciscoandNewYork: FineArtsMuseumsofSanFranciscoandThames&Hudson,pp.5091 (2)Fitzsimmons,JamesL.2009DeathandtheclassicMayakings.Austin:UniversityofTexasPress,pp.105141 October17(M)Finalpaperproposaldue October17(M)Midtermexam

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October19(W)KingsandQueens Readings: (1)HoustonandInomata2009,pp.13150 (2)Martin,Simon2008 WivesandDaughtersontheDallasAltar. <www.mesoweb.com/articles/martin/Wives&Daughters.pdf>. (3)Stuart,David1985InscriptionsonfourshellplaquesfromPiedrasNegras,Guatemala.InFourthPalenque RoundTable,1980.ElizabethP.Benson,ed.Pp.175183:SanFrancisco:PreColumbianArtResearchInstitute, 1985. Extra: (1)ReeseTaylor,Kathryn,etal.2009WarriorqueensamongtheClassicMaya.InBloodandBeauty:Organized ViolenceintheArtandArchaeologyofMesoamericaandCentralAmerica.R.KoontzandH.Orr,eds.Pp.3972. LosAngeles:CotsenInstituteofArchaeology,UniversityofCaliforniaMartinonLaCoronaAltar1

October24(M)Youngmen Readings: October26(W)Ajkuhuunandsajalofficials Readings: (1)HoustonandInomata2009,pp.163192 (2)Jackson,Sarah,andDavidStuart2001TheAjKuhunTitle:DecipheringaClassicMayaTermofRank.Ancient Mesoamerica12:217228. Extra: (1)Tokovinine,Alexandre2007ArtoftheMayaepitaph:thegenreofposthumousbiographiesintheLate ClassicMayainscriptions.InSacredbooks,sacredlanguages:twothousandyearsofreligiousandritualMayan literature.R.ValenciaRiveraandG.LeFort,eds.Pp.120.ActaMesoamericana,18.MarktSchwaben:Verlag AntonSaurwein. (2)Tokovinine,Alexandre2005Thedynasticstruggleandthesajaloob:"Iwaswiththatking".InWarsand conflictsinprehispanicMesoamericaandtheAndes.Selectedproceedingsoftheconferenceorganizedbythe SocitdesAmricanistesdeBelgiquewiththecollaborationofWayeb(EuropeanAssociationofMayanists): Brussels,1617November2002.P.EeckhoutandG.LeFort,eds.Pp.3749.BARInternationalSeries1385. Oxford:JohnandEricaHedges. October31(M)Lakamandothercourtlytitles Readings: (1)HoustonandInomata2009,pp.163192 (2)Houston,Stephen2008AClassicMayaBailiff?http://decipherment.wordpress.com/2008/03/. (3)Beliaev,DmitriD.2004Wayaab'titleinMayahieroglyphicinscriptions:ontheproblemofreligious specializationinClassicMayasociety.InMayaReligiousPractices:ProcessesofChangeandAdaptation.D. GraaBehrens,N.Grube,C.Prager,F.Sachse,S.Teufel,andE.Wagner,eds.Pp.121130.Acta Mesoamericana,14.MarktSchwaben:VerlagAntonSaurwein. Extra: November2(W)Scribes,carvers,craftsmen,merchants Readings: (1)HoustonandInomata2009,pp.250287 (1)Lacadena,Alfonso2008Eltitulolakam:evidenciaepigrficasobrelaorganizacintributariaymilitarinterna delosreinosmayasdelClsico.Mayab20:2344. (1)Houston,Stephen2009ASplendidPredicament:YoungMeninClassicMayaSociety.Cambridge ArchaeologicalJournal19:149178

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(2)Houston,Stephen2000Intothemindsofancients:advancesinglyphstudies.JournalofWorldPrehistory 14:147157 (3)CarrascoVargas,Ramn,VernicaA.VsquezLpez,andSimonMartin2009DailyLifeoftheAncientMaya RecordedonMuralsatCalakmul,Mexico.ProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciencesoftheUnited StatesofAmerica106(46):1924519249. LifeataClassicMayaCourt November7(M)Thecourtatwar Readings: (1)Miller,MaryEllen,andSimonMartin2004CourtlyArtoftheAncientMaya.SanFranciscoandNewYork: FineArtsMuseumsofSanFranciscoandThames&Hudson,pp.162197 (2)Houstonetal.2006,pp.202226 November9(W)Timeandcalendarrituals Readings: (1)Martin,Simon,andNikolaiGrube2008ChronicleoftheMayakingsandqueens:decipheringthedynasties oftheancientMaya.London:Thames&Hudson,pp.1213 (2)Stuart,David2011TheOrderofDays:TheMayaWorldandtheTruthAbout2012.NewYork:Harmony Books,pp.252282 (3)Stuart,David2010Shiningstones:observationsontheritualmeaningofearlyMayastelae.InTheplaceof stonemonuments:context,use,andmeaninginMesoamerica'spreclassictransition.J.Guernsey,J.E.Clark, andB.Arroyo,eds.Pp.283298.Washington,D.C.:DumbartonOaksResearchLibraryandCollection. Extra: (1)Stuart,David2009ThesymbolismofZacpetnAltar1.InTheKowoj:Identity,Migration,andGeopoliticsin LatePostclassicPetn,Guatemala.P.M.RiceandD.S.Rice,eds.Pp.317326.Boulder:UniversityofColorado Press. (2)Stuart,David2011TheOrderofDays:TheMayaWorldandtheTruthAbout2012.NewYork:Harmony Books,pp.115251 November14(M)Musicanddance Readings: (1)Houstonetal.2006,pp.252276 (2)Grube,NikolaiK.1992ClassicMayaDance:EvidencefromHieroglyphsandIconography.Ancient Mesoamerica3(2):201218. Extra: (1) Houston, Stephen 2006 Impersonation, Dance, and the Problem of Spectacle. In Archaeology of performance : theaters of power, community, and politics. T. Inomata and L.S. Coben, eds. Pp. 135155. Lanham,MD:AltamiraPress. (2)Tokovinine,Alexandre2003AClassicMayatermforpublicperformance.InMesoweb:URL: <www.mesoweb.com/features/tokovinine/Performance.pdf>. November16(W)Eatinganddrinking Readings: (1)Houstonetal.2006,pp.102133 (2)Beliaev,DmitriD.,AlbertDavletshin,andAlexandreTokovinine2009SweetCacaoandSourAtole:Mixed DrinksonClassicMayaCeramicVases.InPreColumbianFoodways:InterdisciplinaryApproachestoFood,

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Culture,andMarketsinAncientMesoamerica.J.E.StallerandM.Carrasco,eds.Pp.257273.NewYork: SpringerScienceandBusinessMedia. Extra: (1)Hull,KerryM.2009AnEpigraphicAnalysisofClassicPeriodMayaFoodstuffs.InPreColumbianFoodways: InterdisciplinaryApproachestoFood,Culture,andMarketsinAncientMesoamerica.J.E.StallerandM. Carrasco,eds.Pp.235256.NewYork:SpringerScienceandBusinessMedia (2)Zender,Marc2000AstudyoftwoUaxactnstyletamaleservingvessels.InTheMayaVaseBook,6.B.Kerr andJ.Kerr,eds.Pp.10381055.NewYork:KerrAssociates. November21(M)Games Readings (1)Zender,Marc2004Sport,spectacleandpoliticaltheater:newviewsoftheClassicMayaBallgame.ThePARI Journal4(4):1012. (2)Taube,KarlA.,andMarcZender2009AmericanGladiators:RitualBoxinginAncientMesoamerica.InBlood andBeauty:OrganizedViolenceintheArtandArchaeologyofMesoamericaandCentralAmerica.R.Koontz andH.Orr,eds.Pp.161220.LosAngeles:CotsenInstituteofArchaeology,UniversityofCalifornia. November23(W)noclass(Thanksgiving) November28(M)Moralityandhumor Readings: (1)HoustonandInomata2009,pp.2864 (2)Taube,KarlA.1989 RitualHumorinClassicMayaReligion.InWordandImageinMayaCulture: ExplorationsinLanguage,Writing,andRepresentation.W.F.HanksandD.S.Rice,eds.Pp.351382.SaltLake City:UniversityofUtahPress. Extra: (1)Beliaev,DmitriD.,andAlbertDavletshin2007Lossujetosnovelsticosylaspalabrasobscenas:losmitos,los cuentosylasancdotasenlostextosMayassobrelacermicadelperiodoClsico.InSacredbooks,sacred languages:twothousandyearsofritualandreligiousMayaliterature.R.ValenciaRiveraandG.LeFort,eds.Pp. 2144.ActaMesoamericana,18.MarktSchwaben:VerlagAntonSaurwein.

Newbeginnings November30(W)TerminalClassicstories Readigns: (1)LacadenaGarcaGallo,Alfonso2010HighlandMexicanandMayaintellectualexchangeintheLate Postclassic:somethoughtsontheoriginofsharedelementsandmethodsofinteraction.InAstronomers, scribes,andpriests:intellectualinterchangebetweenthenorthernMayalowlandsandhighlandMexicointhe LatePostclassicperiod.G.VailandC.Hernndez,eds.Pp.383406.Washington,D.C.:DumbartonOaks ResearchLibraryandCollection. (2)Martin,Simon,andNikolaiGrube2008ChronicleoftheMayakingsandqueens:decipheringthedynasties oftheancientMaya.London:Thames&Hudson,pp.226228 December12(M)Finalpaperisdue FINALEXAM