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RITUAL REMAINS AND COLLECTIVE MEMORY: MAYA EXAMPLES FROM WEST CENTRAL BELIZE

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2011

Sonja A. Schwake  and
Gyles Iannone
Sonja A. Schwake*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Kenyon College, Palme House, Gambier, OH, 43022, USA
Gyles Iannone
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada
*
E-mail correspondence to: schwakes@kenyon.edu
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Abstract

The idea of collective or social memory is explored in this paper as a way to understand ancient Maya ritual behavior. The theoretical characteristics of collective memory are defined and a strategy to operationalize the theory of collective memory using archaeological remains is presented. Two archaeological examples from the sites of Minanha and Zubin in west central Belize are discussed in terms of how they fit this new model. Finally, the social motivations that underlie this behavior are examined.

Type
Special Section: Current Perspectives on Social Memory
Information
Ancient Mesoamerica , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , Fall 2010 , pp. 331 - 339
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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