Iconographic Themes among Classic Maya Graffiti: A Comparative Case Study from Xunantunich, Belize

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Classic Maya graffiti (AD 300–800) provides a unique perspective of individual experiences, with figures etched onto plastered surfaces that were added as secondary elements within existing architecture. In the Maya lowlands, graffiti is typically found within monumental architecture, as these contexts favor preservation in tropical environments. The architectural media on which graffiti is found primarily include walls, floors, benches, door jambs, and vaulted ceilings. However, some portable media such as ceramic and slate have also been documented. Here we assess the graffiti assemblage from the major ceremonial center Xunantunich in central Belize to determine categorical themes present within the assemblage including anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures, depictions of architecture, geometric patterns, and glyphic annotations, among other themes. We present a brief comparison of the categorical themes identified in the Xunantunich assemblage with other graffiti assemblages noted across the Maya lowlands to understand broad patterns in the shared human experience during the Classic period.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37530.0