Comparative Study of Death

Conceptual Maps

I. Maps as cultural expressions
  A. Relations between people and places
  B. Reflect values and assumptions of people's cultures
  C. Using familiar to understand unfamiliar

II. Native American map making traditions
  A. Diversity of traditions
  B. Part of broader pictographic traditions
  C. Not linear or angular
  D. Pictures of experience
  E. Oral components often integral
  F. Astronomical components

III. Aztec map making
  A. Central Mexico, 1400+ CE
  B. Tlacuilo, painter & scribe
  C. Not a separate genre of documents
  D. No pre-Columbian survivals
  E. Community charters

IV. Maya map making
  A. Central America, 1000 BCE - present
  B. Reading classic ceramic drawings as maps (250-900 CE)
  C. Importance of glyphs to indicate place & titles
  D. Xibalba as watery otherworld
     1. Twins, Hunahpu (Hunter) and Xbalanque (Jaguar Deer)
     2. Bottom of cliff
     3. Cross river of spikes
     4. Rivers of blood and puss
     5. Throne room of Lords of Death
     6. Tree of life
     7. Houses of ordeals (dark, razor, bat, etc.)
     8. Ball court
  E. Justin Kerr collection

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