Maya Shell Trumpets: An Interpretative Pivot

Summary

For the ancient Maya, the use of music was often depicted as central to ritual activity.  One of the longest lasting instruments, the shell trumpet, provides ample material for analysis.  My three-pronged interpretive approach is made possible by the shell’s use in ancient ritual contexts, its appearance in Classic era iconography, and its organic origins. Archeologically provenanced trumpets, for example, yield deposition data, while art historical methods address both unprovenanced trumpets and their depictions in Maya art. Malacological information about marine mollusks and their ecological niche offer a supplementary layer to interpretative efforts that impacts our understanding of ancient Maya shell selection. The conjunction of the three approaches emphasizes the ritual function shell trumpets fulfilled and further indicates an association between specific species and specific ritual practices.  What is more, some examples suggest a concerted effort to coordinate the species chosen with other ritually important components like directionality and color.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Music Archaeology

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16966