The research conducted in this thesis aims to analyse the possible relationship between the Cocijo effigy vessels recovered from tomb contexts at Monte Alban and the four primary directions. The...Show moreThe research conducted in this thesis aims to analyse the possible relationship between the Cocijo effigy vessels recovered from tomb contexts at Monte Alban and the four primary directions. The Cocijo effigy vessels were crafted by the Zapotec people that inhabited the central valley of Oaxaca, Mexico and who founded Monte Alban around 500 BC. Cocijo was their deity of rain, storms, lightning and fertility and his imagery is extensively present at Monte Alban. The Zapotec people most likely had a worldview akin to a tiered cosmology. In this particular cosmological model, the four cardinal directions are of great importance. Yet, surprisingly little data concerning the four primary directions appears to be available when it comes to the Zapotec populations. Although the Cocijo effigy vessels have been extensively analysed and interpreted when it comes to their iconography, their actual function or the reason why they are located specifically in tomb contexts is still largely unknown. The research conducted in this thesis was aimed at finding new hypotheses through which the presence and function of these vessel may be explained. Through the combination of the iconographical data and physical data of the effigy vessels, the meaning which the Zapotec people probably ascribed to what they recognised as the primary directions and other proposed data on their cosmological models, a new hypothesis has been formed. It is proposed in this thesis, that the Cocijo effigy and its presence and function can be explained through its position relative to the cardinal directions. In the analyses, data concerning the tomb contexts at Monte Alban that yielded effigy vessels has been taken into account as well. The orientation of these tombs, as well as the position that the vessels had therein formed the backbone of the research conducted. Results show, that there is most likely a connection between the positioning of the Cocijo effigy vessels and the primary directions, yet it will warrant further research to arrive at more conclusive answers.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
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This study aims to investigate how evidence from human dentition contributes to the knowledge of cultural practices of the Prehispanic indigenous society of Monte Albán, Oaxaca, Mexico. As such, it...Show moreThis study aims to investigate how evidence from human dentition contributes to the knowledge of cultural practices of the Prehispanic indigenous society of Monte Albán, Oaxaca, Mexico. As such, it focusses on the expression of gender through the analysis of dental modifications. The study is twofold, as it focusses on the one hand on the dental modifications of the individuals found in the archaeological record of the city of Monte Albán, while on the other hand, it deals with the theoretical struggle to relate the biological body to socio-theoretical understanding of gender and the expression of this concept. A theoretical standpoint is chosen where the body is seen as a material culture, and changes to the body – temporal and permanent – are made to express certain cultural values, such as gender. It is assumed that the concepts of sex and gender are related, but not equal. Statistical analysis is conducted to test if there is a difference in the use of dental modifications between men and women, and the exploration of ethnohistorical sources dating from the Colonial period, are used to interpret these results. This exploratory data analysis has established that dental modifications in the skeletal assemblage of Monte Albán is indicative of different gendered identities, however future research is necessary to understand the full extent of the expression of gender through dental modifications discovered in the archaeological record of Monte Albán, and several propositions are made to aid this future research.Show less
