Representations of Resources in West Mexican Shaft Tomb Figures

Summary

This is an abstract from the "From the Underworld to the Heavens: Expanding the Study of Central Jalisco’s Past" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

West Mexican shaft tomb sculptures(300 BCE- 400 CE) have captivated scholars for their unique and intricate depictions, often analyzed through art historical lenses. While archaeological studies frequently touch upon the significance of these figures, the specific representations of food and resources within them have received less focused attention. Notably, these figures rarely depict domesticated resources such as maize, which is commonly portrayed in other Mesoamerican regions.

This research explores the significance of these representations, posing the question: What is the cultural and symbolic importance of depicting non-domesticate resources in shaft tomb figures, and how do regional styles of these sculptures correlate with the actual distribution of food resources in the region? By investigating the intersection of artistic expression and resource availability, this study seeks to uncover the potential cultural and environmental factors that influenced these unique depictions.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• From the Underworld to the Heavens: Expanding the Study of Central Jalisco’s Past

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 50734