Toying with Classic Maya Society: Ceramic Figurine Whistles and Children’s Socialization at Ceibal, Guatemala

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

We analyze 253 Late and Terminal Classic (c. AD 600-950) Maya ceramic figurine whistles (ocarinas) and fragments excavated at Ceibal, Guatemala, as materials of socialization. The figurines are mold-made and represent repeating characters. Based on mortuary contexts and other evidence, we argue they were used in household performances and associated with women and children. Children could easily access and play with these everyday objects. As in the case of modern toys, like Barbie dolls, the cast of characters represented in the figurine whistles was determined by adults and tells us about dominant ideologies, including gender and beauty norms. For example, women were shown as active participants in both public and domestic life, while men were shown in public but not domestic roles. As agents of socialization, children could have reimagined or subverted narratives around these objects. However, the materiality of the figurines limited play and shaped social structures for centuries.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38255.0