Human sacrifice, militarism, and rulership : materialization of state ideology at the Feathered Serpent Pyramid, Teotihuacan / by Saburo Sugiyama.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sugiyama, Saburo, author.

Series:

New studies in archaeology.

New studies in archaeology

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Quetzalcoatl (Aztec deity).

Indians of Mexico--Mexico--San Juan Teotihuacán--Politics and government.

Indians of Mexico.

Indians of Mexico--Mexico--San Juan Teotihuacán--Rites and ceremonies.

Indians of Mexico--Mexico--San Juan Teotihuacán--Antiquities.

Human sacrifice--Mexico--San Juan Teotihuacán.

Human sacrifice.

Excavations (Archaeology)--Mexico--San Juan Teotihuacán.

Excavations (Archaeology).

Human remains (Archaeology)--Mexico--San Juan Teotihuacán.

Human remains (Archaeology).

Teotihuacán Site (San Juan Teotihuacán, Mexico).

San Juan Teotihuacán (Mexico)--Antiquities.

San Juan Teotihuacán (Mexico).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xvii, 280 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Other Title:

Human Sacrifice, Militarism, & Rulership

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Teotihuacan was one of the earliest and more populous preColumbian cities, and the Feathered Serpent was its vital monument, erected circa 200 AD. This work explores the religious meanings and political implications of the pyramid with meticulous and thorough analyses of substantially new excavation data. Challenging the traditional view of the city as a legendary, sacred, or anonymously-governed centre, the book provides significant new insights on the Teotihuacan polity and society. It provides interpretations on the pyramid's location, architecture, sculptures, iconography, mass sacrificial graves and rich symbolic offerings, and concludes that the pyramid commemorated the accession of rulers who were inscribed to govern with military force on behalf of the gods. This archaeological examination of the monument shows it to be the physical manifestation of state ideologies such as the symbolism of human sacrifice, militarism, and individual-centred divine authority, ideologies which were later diffused among other Mesoamerican urban centres.

Contents:

Introduction: cognition of state symbols and polity

Background: data and ideation

The ciudadela and the city layout

Architecture and sculpture

Burials

Offerings

Overview: sacrificial and elite burials

Conclusion: the feathered serpent pyramid as symbol of sacrifice, militarism and rulership.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-271) and index.

ISBN:

1-107-12907-9

0-511-11274-2

1-280-41507-X

0-511-29933-8

0-511-18160-4

0-511-19843-4

0-511-48956-0

OCLC:

60456171