Las costumbres funerarias como un indicador de la estructura social en el formativo mesoaméricano

Many of the studies of the social structure of Formative Mesoamerica are still speculative due to the lack of appropiateand operable models based on the archaeological data. This paper examines the most relevant indicators that are helpful toadequately understand the social structure of Formative Me...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Serra Puche, Mari Carmen, Sugiura Yamamoto, Yoko
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2010
País:México
Institución:UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTÓNOMA DE MÉXICO
Repositorio:Anales de Antropología
Idioma:español
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/16829
Acceso en línea:https://www.revistas.unam.mx/index.php/antropologia/article/view/16829
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Organización Social
Costumbres funerarias
Ritual mortuorio
Ofrendas
Descripción
Sumario:Many of the studies of the social structure of Formative Mesoamerica are still speculative due to the lack of appropiateand operable models based on the archaeological data. This paper examines the most relevant indicators that are helpful toadequately understand the social structure of Formative Mesoamerica. Seven indicators are selected: artifacts, techniques of cultivation, household cluster; monumental architecture, mortuary practices, site catchment areas and settlement pattern. An integral analysis of these factors reveals the fundamental part of the economic structure on which the social structure is based, forming a complex feed-back systemic relationship. In this paper, mortuary customs are given special consideration. Following Binford's idea, the classification of mortuary attributes, is established, as reflected in the techniques and ritual phenomena of mortuary customs, which are the determining elements in the understanding of the social structure. The analysis of the system of mortuary practices offers great potential as one of the most relevant indicators for the construction of a model of the social structure, Thus according to Binford, the structure of a social system is symbolized in death through variations in forrns of mortuary ritual, resulting in a high and direct correlation between the complexity of mortuary ceremonial and the complexity of the social structure.