Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
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This bachelor thesis focuses on the novel integration of robots within Japanese Buddhism. It does so by zooming in on the integration and assignment of different roles to three robots.
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
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The field of analyzing the ritual traditions found in societies around the globe has long been an area of fruitful study in both archaeology and anthropology. Besides reflecting on some significant...Show moreThe field of analyzing the ritual traditions found in societies around the globe has long been an area of fruitful study in both archaeology and anthropology. Besides reflecting on some significant reconceptualizations relevant to the investigation of ritual, the aim of this thesis is to approach visual imagery as a way of investigating ritual conventionality. In this effort, the compatibility of Roy Rappaport’s model of investigation will be tested on several examples from the archaeological site of Yaxchilan. Working from a theoretical framework focusing on the mental ordering of surroundings manifested in ritual forms, this thesis will explore the value of further interdisciplinary research of the system involving constructed world visions and ritual performance.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
open access
Perception of time is a constituting pillar in the Maya worldview. The Maya calendar system, which has been in use for thousands of years, however, is currently under threat by a variety of...Show morePerception of time is a constituting pillar in the Maya worldview. The Maya calendar system, which has been in use for thousands of years, however, is currently under threat by a variety of developments. This research master thesis focuses on the contemporary practices and beliefs related to the Maya calendar in Mexican and Guatemalan Maya communities by analyzing ethnographies published between 1889 and 1982. The aims are firstly to analyze the forms in which the traditional time perception has continued over time, and secondly to examine how changes in the field of Maya research have affected the specific ethnographic investigations on the Maya calendar. The main part of this thesis includes a literature study on three entangled topics which all have influenced how scholars currently look at the Maya calendar. Firstly, a synthesis of the different ethnographic works is provided, in which the different forms of Maya calendar systems in Mexico and Guatemala are discussed. The Maya calendar has played an important role in Maya archaeology and anthropology. This thesis provides the first overview of ethnographic research since a doubtful publication dating from 1952. The goal of synthesizing the ethnographies is to provide new insights in the variety of contemporary practices and beliefs related to time among the Maya. Secondly, based on this inventory, this thesis examines the changing ethnographic approaches towards this topic. By examining the assumptions, interpretations and approaches in the light of their time, it becomes clear how we have come to our current view on the Maya calendar system. Thirdly, this thesis looks into cultural continuity and how rituals contribute to the continuation of calendar systems and their related worldviews. Due to the decreasingly traditional way of life, more research into this topic is very much needed. Additional to the literature research and a small-scale ethnographic fieldwork has been performed among the Yucatec Maya of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, focusing on the perception of time based on environmental observations and related rituals. The empirical data that were collected during this fieldwork are presented in the final part of this thesis.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
open access
2014-01-01T00:00:00Z
The interpretations of unusual burials in archaeology are often highly tentative. A focus on the context-bound meaning of a specific mortuary ritual can prevent archaeologists from gaining a more...Show moreThe interpretations of unusual burials in archaeology are often highly tentative. A focus on the context-bound meaning of a specific mortuary ritual can prevent archaeologists from gaining a more conclusive understanding of the data at hand, and limit the value of such interpretations. The meaning behind these acts is very difficult to derive, especially in prehistoric periods. In order to allow for a more profound interpretation, a systematic approach was chosen for in the investigation of the unusual burials of the Late Neolithic cemetery at Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria. The unusual burials were not studied in isolation but as part of the statistical analysis of the entire buried population. This enabled the singling out of cases that were (statistically) significantly different to the rest of the population, and the examination of their divergence in multiple aspects. Focusing on the behavioral aspect of ritual, rather than on its meaning, made it possible to study the trends of mortuary practices visible in the cemetery. The analysis revealed the formation of groups within the unusual burials, that make up a large segment of the buried population. The interpretation of the results of this study suggests that 'unusual burial' is not external to, but part of the normative death rites and ritual life at Late Neolithic Tell Sabi Abyad.Show less
