[Aztlan] mirrors, reversed glyphs, and liminal space?

[Helen R. Haines]

Hey Cameron

I am thinking you may be on to something - both in the how and why reversed
glyphs might have been viewed.

If you take into account that mirrors were used for divination/scrying
purposes maybe the idea of seeing a reversed image right-way-round in a
mirror has something to do with accessing the supernatural realm through
visions?  Couple that to the idea that temple interiors may have served as
liminal spaces between the two worlds (sacred/profane)and you really start
to blur the line between which realm the person viewing the images was meant
to be considered in - not to mention how temple interiors may have been
symbolized.

Hmmm, now you have me thinking . . . 

Cheers,
Helen

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Message: 5
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:11:30 -0400
From: Cameron Griffith <casgriff at indiana.edu>
Subject: [Aztlan] re: reversed glyphs
To: aztlan at lists.famsi.org
Message-ID: <20070816091130.3cw2r5l68sss004s at webmail.iu.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=ISO-8859-1;	format="flowed"

Listeros,

Is it possible that the reversed glyphs in the Lintel 25 case were 
meant to be viewed with a pyrite mirror, by someone standing 
comfortably in the entrance chamber of Temple 23?  Could this be the 
case for other instances of reversed glyphs?


    > Listeros:  The most well known, if not the most unusual example of
    > "reversed glyphs" on Classic Maya monuments is of course the
inscription
    > running across the top of Lintel 25, the centermost of the three 
adjoining
    > lintels once above the entrance to Temple 23, Yaxchilan. It has 
often been
    > argued that the reason for this peculiar presentation was that it was
    > intended to be read from straight above; that is, by divine eyes 
in the  sky
    > who presumably could see through stone.


--
Cameron S. Griffith
Department of Anthropology
Indiana University
Student Building 130
701 E. Kirkwood Avenue
Bloomington, Indiana  47405-7100
USA



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End of Aztlan Digest, Vol 21, Issue 14
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