Ritual networks and the structure of moral communities in Classic Maya society

• Published in: Journal of anthropological archaeology 2024-06, Vol.74, p.101584, Article 101584
• Main Authors: Munson, Jessica, Looper, Matthew, Scholnick, Jonathan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Archaeological network; Community organization; Maya archaeology; Network structure; Ritual practice; Social networks
• ISSN: 0278-4165; 1090-2686
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaa.2024.101584

•Ritual similarity networks of the Classic Maya exhibit multiscalar structural patterning with some communities delineated by dense connections and others that are less integrated.•Relational connections within Classic Maya moral communities vary according to the mode of ceremonial practice, revealing interesting divisions between more and less collective forms of ritual action. Ritual plays an important integrative function in the creation, maintenance, and transformation of human society. The shared experience of ritual establishes strong bonds between individuals that defines their membership in certain social groups. However, rituals are not timeless traditions, nor do they simply restore social equilibrium. Rather, rituals are active and ongoing social processes that unite and divide across multiple social categories. This paper applies archaeological network methods to analyze the multiscalar structure of ritual traditions across Classic Maya (ca. 300–900 CE) society using hieroglyphic inscriptions from dated and provenienced monuments cataloged in the Maya Hieroglyphic Database (Looper and Macri 1991–2024). For the Classic Maya, public ritual and performance were highly charged political events where meaning and power could be negotiated, creating opportunities for identity formation and community integration. Such contexts helped establish strong moral bonds in Classic Maya society. However, we know relatively little about the specific forms and content of these ritual practices. In this study we construct ritual similarity networks from hieroglyphic inscriptions to analyze the structure and organization of these moral communities as well as the ritual relations that bound them together.