Classic Maya Figurines as Materials of Socialization: Evidence from Ceibal, Guatemala
MacLellan, Jessica
Item Files
- MacLellan Triadan JAA 2023 Accepted version compressed.pdf
- sup table A1 maya burials w figurines 2023.xlsx
- sup table A2 ceibal burials 2023.xlsx
Item Details
- title
- Classic Maya Figurines as Materials of Socialization: Evidence from Ceibal, Guatemala
- author
- MacLellan, Jessica
- author
- Triadan, Daniela
- abstract
- We examine Late and Terminal Classic (c. AD 600-950) Maya ceramic figurine whistles from Ceibal, Guatemala, as materials of socialization. The figurines are mold-made and represent repeating characters, including humans, animals, and supernaturals. Based on mortuary and other contextual evidence, we argue that they were used for household performances among adults and children. Figurines were everyday objects, used in ritualized and nonritualized activities. They were played and played with by children. The cast of characters represented in the figurine whistles was determined by adults and tells us about dominant ideologies, including gender and beauty norms. As agents of socialization, children could have reimagined or subverted narratives around these objects. However, the materiality of the figurines limited play and shaped social structures that persisted for centuries.
- subject
- Mesoamerican archaeology
- household archaeology
- Maya archaeology
- childhood
- gender
- citation
- 72 (volume)
- date
- 2023-11-20 (accessioned)
- 2025-09-21 (available)
- 2023-09-21 (issued)
- identifier
- MacLellan, Jessica, and Daniela Triadan. 2023. "Classic Maya Figurines as Materials of Socialization: Evidence from Ceibal, Guatemala." Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 72:101548. (citation)
- http://hdl.handle.net/10339/102794 (uri)
- identifier
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaa.2023.101548 (doi)
- publisher
- Elsevier Inc.
- rights
- Rights: © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (license)
- source
- Journal of Anthropological Archaeology
- type
- Article