Magic Soul Containers of the Classic Maya in Archaeological Context

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Magic, Spirits, Shamanism, and Trance" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Classic Maya (CE 250–800) texts include a phrase k’a’ay u sak nikte’, faded his white flower, as a reference to the ending of the sweet breath of rulers and as a metaphor of their death. The breath—allegory of white flower—is evidently an allusion to soul force. Scholars identified on Tikal Stela 5 a reference for a White Flower Soul Container, which is believed to be a lidded jar used as a receptacle for containing the breath soul. Excavations at the ancient Maya site of Waka’ have unveiled white stone and black and brown lidded ceramic jars placed in the tombs of rulers, likely soul containers. At Tikal, two lidded jade mosaic encrusted cylinders found in royal tombs are also identified by the authors of this work as soul containers, and additionally as receptacles for patron maize gods conjured by rulers

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Magic, Spirits, Shamanism, and Trance   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37929.0