Abstract
Sacred Giants: Depiction of the Malvaceae Subfamily Bombacoideae on Maya Ceramics in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize This study categorized and identified plants depicted on Maya ceramics from the Classic Period (250 a.d.–900 a.d.). We chose art objects with a predominance of iconographic images of Malvaceae subfamily Bombacoideae, which are easily identified morphologically and have culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, economic, and cosmological significance to the Maya. Among ten species of Bombacoideae native to the Southern Lowlands region of Central America (Belize, parts of Guatemala, and Mexico), the Maya utilized at least six, which also have Maya names. We observed four or five bombacoid species depicted on Maya ceramics; most images were identifiable to genus. Burial urns and incensarios (incense burners) commonly had images of trunk spines of Ceiba pentandra, the Maya “World Tree.” Flowers of Pseudobombax ellipticum, a plant used to make ceremonial beverages, were most similar to floral images portrayed on vessels, bowls, and plates, although the morphologically similar flowers of Pachira aquatica may also be depicted. Plants representing Quararibea funebris or Q. guatemalteca, which were used during preparation of cacao beverages, were discernable on drinking vessels.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Marjorie Duncan, Blanche Haning, Nikole Zidar, Daniel Moerman, and Mary Jo Watson for their critical reading of the manuscript. Charles Zidar gratefully acknowledges the encouragement of Joe Whitecotton and Dorie Reents-Budet as well as the assistance of the Duke Museum of Art, The University of Michigan Herbarium, Justin and Barbara Kerr, the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI), The New York Botanical Garden, The Missouri Botanical Garden, Fruit and Spice Park, Fairchild Tropical Gardens, and Lindy Allen. We thank Justin and Barbara Kerr, Gerry Carr, Kevin Nixon, and Dennis Stevenson for their permission to reproduce photographs. This paper represents a portion of a master’s thesis submitted to the College of Liberal Studies at the University of Oklahoma.
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Zidar, C., Elisens, W. Sacred Giants: Depiction of Bombacoideae on Maya Ceramics in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Econ Bot 63, 119–129 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-009-9079-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-009-9079-2