[Aztlan] Re Sacrifice at Teotihuacán

[Justin Kerr]

The concept of body parts as trophies is well attested to in the Maya area.
There are scenes on vases that show captives being dismembered (K1082) and
there many instances of trophy heads worn at the waist (K1206, please notice
the "bubble mouth" on the decapitated heads somewhat similar to the ""bubble
mouth" Colima figures). In the supernatural world, animals very often hold a
cache vessel with a severed hand, an eye, and a bone. Fingers have been
found in incensarios at Palenque. 
However, it is assumed that these trophies were taken by the individual
warrior and worn as a token of his prowess. But in the case of the mandibles
under discussion, some of them were reproductions. That is sort of like a
Western gunfighter cutting notches in gun when he did not shoot anyone. I
looked at many images of trophy heads, both painted on vases and
three-dimensional as well and found no instances of mandibles missing.
Until more evidence comes along, the mandibles remain a point one of those
mysteries of the Ancients.
Justin Kerr  

-----Original Message-----
From: aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org [mailto:aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org]
On Behalf Of ECOLING at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 1:42 AM
To: aztlan at lists.famsi.org
Subject: [Aztlan] Re Sacrifice at Teotihuacán

Hasn't it been said somewhere that necklaces of jawbones
are like trophy heads or notches on belts etc.,
that is, public display of evidence of being a valiant warrior?

Best wishes,
Lloyd

Lloyd Anderson
Ecological Linguistics
PO Box 15156
Washington DC 20003
ecoling at aol.com
202-547-7683



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