Human Sacrifice, Militarism, and Rulership
Materialization of State Ideology at the Feathered Serpent Pyramid, Teotihuacan
1st Edition
Published on 23. June 2005
978-0-511-11172-3 (ISBN)
Description
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.
Reviews / Votes
'This is a remarkable achievement and will be a deeply influential contribution to all future discussions of Teotihuacan.' Dr David Freidel, Southern Methodist UniversityMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cambridge University Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises; 2 Tables, unspecified; 2 Plates, unspecified
File size
14,98 MB
ISBN-13
978-0-511-11172-3 (9780511111723)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Saburo Sugiyama
Human Sacrifice, Militarism, and Rulership
Materialization of State Ideology at the Feathered Serpent Pyramid, Teotihuacan
Book
03/2005
Cambridge University Press
€129.60
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Saburo Sugiyama is a Professor in the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Aichi Prefectural University, Japan. He has contributed to a number of edited works on Mesoamerican archaeology including Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice (Blackwell Publishing, 2003).
Content
1. Introduction: cognition of state symbols and polity; 2. Background: data and ideation; 3. The Ciudadela and the city layout; 4. Architecture and sculpture; 5. Burials; 6. Offerings; 7. Overview: sacrificial and elite burials; 8. Conclusion: Feathered Serpent Pyramid as symbol of sacrifice, militarism, and rulership.
