In this essay a comparative analysis will be conducted on two mass graves from the terminal classics in the Maya lowlands. This will be done by analysing interpretations of the Cancuén site in Guatemala. Cancuén was a major trading port city in the terminal classics’ southern lowlands. It flourished until its decline in the late 700’s CE. Around the year 800 CE a violent event led to the death of close to 50 elite individuals including the king of Cancuén. Two mass graves have been discovered in the hydraulic system of the city. Individuals in both mass graves represent a variety of ages and genders. A comparative analysis of osteological similarities and differences in the two graves will be based on osteological reports. Previously published work regarding interpretations of the mass graves will be used in an analysis of possible motives behind massacre. Trauma evident in the mass graves as well as their surrounding context suggests that a termination ritual took place after the massacre that the victims were subjected to. / I denna uppsats utförs en komparativ analys av två massgravar från senklassiska perioden i Mayarikets Cancuén, Guatemala. Cancuén var en hamnstad med stort inflytande i låglandet under den senklassiska epoken. Stadens tillväxt av influens och ekonomi skedde under det sena 700–talet e.vt. En våldsam händelse ca 800 e.vt ledde till döden av 50 individer av Cancuéns elit samt stadens egna kung. Två massgravar har påträffats i stadens hydraulsystem. Båda massgravar visar på en variation demografi för både sex och kön. En komparativ analys av osteologiska likheter och skillnader i massgravarna har baserats på osteologiska rapporter. Tidigare publikationer används i en analys av potentiella motivationer bakom massakern. Skeletal trauma i massgravarna samt dess omkringliggande kontext indikerar att en terminations ritual tagit palts efter massakern.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-511358 |
| Date | January 2023 |
| Creators | Wallbing Kenney, Nayelli |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för arkeologi och antik historia |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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