February 19, 2022 Dr. Joshua J. Kwoka, Dept. of Anthropology, Georgia State University: “Death, Liminality, and Ancestor Veneration among the Ancient Maya.”
As in many cultures, the ancient Maya of Central America did not view death as the end, nor was it a singular event. Instead, the passing of the physical body marked the beginning of a liminal, or transitional phase that culminated with resurrection in the Underworld. For a special few, the journey was longer and lead to eventual rebirth as a celestial being. Regardless of destination, deceased ancestors were considered active participants in the world of the living, though not all were imbued with equal power. Ancestors could be consulted, intervene on the behalf of the living, or even participate in ceremonies. These beliefs were explored in the context of an Early Classic Maya tomb discovered at the site of Tz’unun, Belize.
Between AD 300 – 350, a small funerary temple was constructed to house the remains of a royal individual. Over the following 250 years, the Maya reentered the tomb at least twice to perform rituals of cleansing and renewal, thus reaffirming their connection with the deceased. Eventually all physical traces of the temple were erased when it was buried by later buildings. Nevertheless, the recovery of multiple Late – Terminal Classic (AD 600 – 950) ritual offerings demonstrates that this particular ancestor was not forgotten. His tomb even served as a pilgrimage site long after Tz’unun was abandoned. These events, which attest to the continued presence and importance of the deceased, were presented in detail.
Joshua Kwoka joined the Department of Anthropology at Georgia State University in the fall of 2020. Prior to that, he held the positions of Research Assistant Professor and Director of the Teotihuacan Archaeology Laboratory at the University at Buffalo (PhD, 2014). In addition to directing excavations at the site of Tz’unun in northwestern Belize, he is the lithicist for the El Zotz, La Cuernavilla, and Southern Tikal Archaeological Projects in Guatemala. He has also conducted extensive collections-based research and published on Teotihuacan and the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois). Dr. Kwoka has technical expertise in lithic analysis, GIS, and remote sensing. His research interests include the anthropology of technology, social and symbolic realms of craft production, ancient Maya land tenure and wealth inequality, and interactions within border regions.