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1 - Monkeys in the City of Gods
- from Part I - The Americas
- Edited by Bernardo Urbani, Dionisios Youlatos, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Andrzej T. Antczak, Universiteit Leiden
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- Book:
- World Archaeoprimatology
- Published online:
- 03 August 2022
- Print publication:
- 18 August 2022, pp 13-47
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- Chapter
- Export citation
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Summary
Primates are mammals with high cultural significance in ancient societies. The objective of this research is to explore the material culture and biological remains of primates found in Teotihuacan, one of the largest pre-Hispanic urban areas of Mexico. Remains of Mesoamerican spider monkeys (Ateles cf. A. geoffroyi) were found in the Pyramid of the Moon, Xalla, and the Plaza of the Columns. Portable material culture that resembles primates was recovered elsewhere within Teotihuacan, but mostly in Tetitla and La Ventilla. Murals with representations of monkeys were found at these last two Teotihuacan sites. Possibly, primates reached Teotihuacan because of relationships with peoples from more distant lands such as the Mayan region as well as the Oaxacan province ruled by Monte Albán. The rise of the presence of primates in Teotihuacan occurred during the Classic period (~200–550 CE); however, it is relatively scarce considering the large size of the city and the long period of time in which Teotihuacan had been researched. Nevertheless, the existence of monkeys in Teotihuacan, either as exotic animals or as portable objects, does also seem to indicate that they were disseminated within different parts of the city. Thus, living primates and their representations circulated with their symbolic value in Teotihuacan, particularly among members of the ruling elite, and likely among members of other neighboring Mesoamerican societies.
Keywords:Archaeoprimatology, Classic period, Maya, Oaxaca, Osteoarchaeology, Pottery, Primatology, Puebla.