Ritualized Discourse in the Mesoamerican Codices An Inquiry into Epigraphic Practice Caitlin Reddington Davis 1 Caitlin Reddington Davis 68 Zijlsingel, Leiden 2315KG
[email protected] +31-06-1881-2691 Image: Black and white representation of the flower and song, Codex Borbonicus p. 2 2 Ritualized Discourse in the Mesoamerican Codices An Inquiry into Epigraphic Practice Student: Caitlin Reddington Davis Student Number: s1531158 RMA Thesis, 1046WTY Supervisor: Prof. Dr. M.E.R.G.N. Jansen Specialisation: Religion and Society in Native American Cultures University of Leiden Faculty of Archaeology Leiden, The Netherlands December 15th, 2015 Final version 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements 6 Chapter 1: Introduction & Postcolonial Theory 1.1 Introduction 7 1.2 Postcolonial theory 10 1.3 Mesoamerica 12 1.4 Ritual & religion 13 Chapter 2: Writing Theory 2.1 Introduction 17 2.2 Writing theory 17 2.3 An argument for the inclusion of pictorial writing 21 2.4 Traditions of knowledge in Mesoamerica 24 2.4.1 Linguistic development 24 2.4.2 Early Mesoamerican writing 26 2.4.3 Approaches to Mesoamerican writing 28 2.5 The Mesoamerican codices 29 Chapter 3: Case Study: Bloodletting 3.1 Bloodletting as a case study 36 3.2 A brief history of the ritual sacrifice of human blood 37 3.3 Statistical analysis 42 3.3.1 Types and subtypes 43 3.3.2 Actors involved in bloodletting 51 3.3.3 Body parts involved in sacrificial behavior 56 3.3.4 Deities involved in bloodletting 65 3.4 Conclusions 66 Chapter 4: Case Study: Difrasismo 4.1 Difrasismo as a case study 68 4.2 Difrasismo & ritual language 69 4.3 Analysis of the codices 73 4.3.1 Flower & song / red & black ink 74 4.3.2 Arrow & shield 75 4.3.3 Mat & throne 79 4.3.4 Day & night 83 4 4.3.5 Food & drink 85 4.3.6 Green/blue & yellow 86 4.4.