A Study of Social Change from Classic to Postclassic

고전기에서 후기고전기로의 마야 사회의 변화: 돋을새김의 분석

The Lord of Mayan society was a person who was thought to be able to understand phenomena in the universe. And also the Lord could realize these activities of heaven on Earth through ritual. But the manifested ritual function of lordship was very different depends on Classic and Postclassic period. The Classic Mayan rituals were closely related to personal dignity, specially royal blood tradition meanwhile the Postclassic Mayans focused on public function of ritual. The ritual sacrifices of blood letting from their own body, manifested in Yaxchilan Lintel 24, 25 and 17, were focused on royal family's activity, showing the dignity of royal blood. The same ritual about the birth of family successor was observed at the Structure 5C4 from Postclassic ruin of Chichen Itza. However, this scene in focus, was two representative men and the answer of ancestor, not a special person. Also at the Lintel 1 of Temple of Four Lintels it was observed names of four Lords of Chichen Itza, their relationship, their action of firing to dedicate temple instead of writing long history of great royal family. All above shows that during Postclassic period the lords preferred a public function of their lordship than to dignify some royal persons through ritual.