UNIVERSITY OF K ANSAS KU A NTHROPOLOGIST VOLUME 18 SUMMER 2006 The Re-veneration of Their Sacred Past: Evidence for an Emerging Pattern of Ritual Behavior at San Bartolo, Guatemala By Jessica H. Craig community’s desire for direct have termed "re-veneration" IN THIS V OLUME communication with the gods. because it involves the re-use Investigations at the ancient Maya Excavations conducted be- of ancient features, both func- RITUAL B EHAVIOR 1 site of San Bartolo continue to tween 2002 and 2006 at tionally and ritually. AT S AN B ARTOLO yield evidence for the use of Structure 63, the royal palace, Structure 63 is small T- MTDNA V ARIA- 1 ceremonial practice for the main- and one of the site's two main shaped building that is among TION IN Y AKUTIA tenance of social, political, and pyramids have yielded evi- the structures surrounding San spiritual order. While the spec- dence that the community Bartolo's main plaza. Set into CULTURAL I NVO- 2 tacular murals for which the site participated in a unique type the floor of the structure is a CATION IN C OM- is most well known continue to of ceremonial behavior that large barrigon , or pot-bellied MERCIAL S PACE regale scholars with tales of Maya involved the provision of of- boulder monument, measuring FROM THE D IREC- 11 creation and mythology, evi- ferings and burning events for over a meter in length and TOR OF THE LBA dence for ritual practices across the sake of ancestral buildings height ( Fig. 2 , page 4). The and monuments ( Fig. 1 , page the site in ceremonial and resi- FACULTY NEWS 14 dential structures indicate the 4). This specific practice I (Ritual Behavior, Continued on page 4) ALUMNI N EWS 14 Mitochondrial DNA Variation in GRADUATE 15 Yakutia: The Genetic Structure of an STUDENT NEWS Expanding Population DINNER & 16 DISCUSSION By Mark Zlojutro proficiency at characterizing notable insights garnered from UNDERGRADUATE 17 genetic variation at the DNA this burgeoning field of study, STUDENT N EWS Introduction level has increasingly been known today as molecular an- utilized by physical anthro- thropology, relate to human FROM THE D ESK 18 During the past thirty years, ma- OF THE C HAIR jor advances in DNA-based tech- pologists that have collected origins and evolutionary his- nologies have revolutionized the and analyzed a wealth of ge- tory. EXPLORING KU 18 netic data from various hu- field of molecular biology and Mitochondrial DNA ARCHAEOLOGY man populations to address provided the high-throughput (mtDNA) has been the most questions concerning topics RECENT 19 and efficient sequencing that was popular genetic system for this such as human disease, adap- GRADUATES necessary for the successful com- area of research, highlighted by tation, and growth and devel- pletion of the much-publicized INCOMING G RADU- 19 (MtDNA, Continued on page 8) Human Genome Project. This opment. However, the most ATE S TUDENTS PAGE 2 KU A NTHROPOLOGIST Cultural Invocation in Commercial Space : A case study of cultural adherence utilizing material culture By Molly Debailles found in the material artifacts and con- nicipal policies. Their proximity, similar Lykins neighborhood in northeast Kan- structed space of each businesses examined merchandise, and corner locations pro- sas City, Missouri, was my home from place analysis firmly in the theoretical vide a similar context and thus the basis 1998 to 2005. During those seven years, realm of symbol systems. As this study fo- for comparison. I observed the context and development cuses on material culture, I shall not discuss Photograph 1 is of Ninth Street; Nel- of two local corner stores, Nelson’s Is- the owners or clientele. In many ways this son’s Island Mart is in the foreground. land Mart and Las Tres Palmas. Differ- approach encourages you, the reader, to On the same side of the street, at the ences in the inclusive/exclusive nature of make and examine your assumptions about bottom of the hill, is Las Tres Palmas spatial arrangements, the extent to which the owners and patrons. I deem this ap- (Photo 2 ). The stores are two blocks cultural heritage is invoked, and eco- proach helpful as it forces us to examine from one another and market themselves nomic specializations emerged. Symbol our assumptions and deductive processes. to the same geographic community. Like systems, embodied in material culture at Adaptation to existing space differs in many other buildings on Ninth Street, Las Tres Palmas and Nelson’s Island Mar- each store. Cultural assumptions are im- Nelson’s was built in the 1930s. Las Tres ket, are important in understanding the plied by use and construction of space Palmas occupies a former 7-11 store built cultural, economic, geographic, and (Rapoport:1989) facilitating each business’ in the 1970s. Both stores carry general global meanings of each business’s rela- relationship to the community. The mate- groceries, cigarettes, snacks, and toilet- tionship to the community. My theoreti- rial record bespeaks an exclusive relation- ries. Nelson’s specializes in alcohol sales cal basis hails from symbolic archaeology ship between Nelson’s and the community, while Las Tres Palmas sells prepared and sociology which stipulates “material in contrast to an inclusive relationship be- food. Exterior signage communicates culture is meaningfully constituted… tween Las Palmas and the community. The store owners’ intended image. The ideas and concepts embedded in social conclusion links findings to the neighbor- name, design, and placement of exterior life which influence the way material hood’s economics, geography, and finally, signs convey differing cultural invoca- culture is used, embellished and dis- to global meanings. tion. Interior decoration also differs: Las carded” (Hodder:1992). Artifacts with The “corner stores” are two blocks from Tres Palmas has Piñatas and Rosaries meaning are deemed symbolic when each other, within walking distance of the displayed for sale; Nelson’s displays mass their meanings are of particular interest same clientele and subject to the same mu- produced alcohol advertisements and a (Halle:1998). Thus, interesting meanings shrine facing the entrance. Photograph 1 : Nelson’s Island Mart. Note the placement of exterior signs Photograph 2 : Las Tres Palmas. Signs at the mart are in both English and Spanish, contributing to the invocation of both Anglo and Mexican culture. VOLUME 18 PAGE 3 CULTURAL I NVOCATION IN C OMMERCIAL S PACE ... (Culture & Space, Continued from page 2) on the building, not just above the door, is a norm for Mexican businesses in America The exterior presentation of Nelson’s (Arreola:1988). Most signs are produced Island Mart is congruent with norms of specifically for this business; there are, the historic Anglo/Italian host culture however, mass produced cigarette ads (Heldstab: 2000). “Nelson’s” sounds An- placed in the window. The store’s signage glo, representative of the majority of the indicates dual affiliation with Mexican and city’s inhabitants. “Island” refers to the Anglo culture: primarily Mexican due to nature of the building, surrounded on all the language, name and images of palm sides by streets. The business name sign is trees; secondarily the historic Anglo host placed above the entrance. Flanking it, culture because of mass produced ads and above the windows on both sides, as well English use. as in the windows, are mass produced The architecture intends to display the beer signs. store’s interior to automotive passersby The historical built environment shapes and facilitate easy access to motorists. the space of Nelson’s Island Mart in dra- Construction favoring motorists is evident matic ways. Historic architectural fea- by the large windows across the façade Photograph 3 : Nelson’s Island. Note the tures include high ceilings, a full base- facing the busiest street and parking lot in raised countertop, creating an exclusive space for ment, brick construction, picture win- front of the building. Despite the architec- employees and a separation from the customer. dows on three sides, street parking, and tural intentions of the original 7-11, Las modest size. Nelson’s Island thus invokes Tres Palmas communicates, via sign place- tion of space point to differing manners of norms of the historic host culture in its ment, imagery and language, norms which relating to the community: exclusivity is signage, and historical architecture in its differ from those of the historic host cul- materially communicated at Nelson’s Is- constructed space. Current owners refer- ture. land Mart, while Las Tres Palmas commu- nicates inclusiveness. ence the historic host culture and architec- Examining the exteriors of these ture in the business name. neighborhood businesses, differential cul- The countertop in Nelson’s Island mart The name Las Tres Palmas, “the three tural invocation is discernable. On one is raised; the sales person stands about 2 palms,” evokes a Mexican landscape, not hand, Las Tres Palmas invokes both Anglo feet higher than the customer ( Photo 3 ). Kansas City’s. Signs are raised next to the and Mexican culture through sign place- The counter’s entrance is at the rear of the street, above the door and on each side of ment, imagery, and the use of two lan- store, limiting accessibility. Such con- the façade. Utilizing every available space guages. On the other, signs at Nelson’s struction forms a clear distinction be- Island Mart tween the customer and sales person, cre- adhere to the ating an exclusive space for employees. historic Anglo Thus constructed space communicates host culture’s exclusivity separating the sales person norms through from the customer. sign placement The countertop at Las Tres Palmas is and name. level with the customer and the entrance Further ex- is easily accessible ( Photo 4 ). This ar- amination of rangement differs from that of the previ- material culture ous business.