Syllabus
There are six core themes of the course:
1. Introduction. The course gives a great stress on the interaction of the Maya with its environment and the subsequent core phenomena that ensue from it, such as the importance of Maize God and Rain God, diverse symbolism tied to the tropical environment etc. Second part of the first theme introduces Maya (and Mesoamerican) history, the basic timelines and shifts of power. Third theme introduces the core primary sources of our understanding of the Maya religion, both Pre- and Post-Conquest.
2. Gods and other supernatural beings. In the first part, the theme gives a general introduction to the development of scholarly understanding of Pre-Columbian Maya “pantheon” and the biases and preconceptions that stood behind the first systematizations - Morley’s and Thompson’s idea of monolatry and Schellhas’ “alphabet”, including its later modifications. Secondly, the theme introduces Maya Creation myth and its main protagonists. Finally, the theme surveys most important Maya gods and goddesses, religious symbols and the cult of sacred ancestors.
3. Spiritual culture. Firstly, this theme comprises of the introduction to Maya calendar and its diverse components. Secondly, it deals with general worldview, both spatial and temporal, and Maya Shamanism.
4. Sacred space and objects of worship. The class gives a concise introduction into sacred space, both as wilderness and as a city, and the most important phenomena connected to it.
5. Religious specialists. The fifth theme focuses on the human protagonists of the Maya religion, from the sacred kings and ancestors to Maya idea of priesthood, both Classic and Postclassic.
6. The Changes in Post-Classic Maya religion. Finally, the last theme briefly surveys the major changes in Maya religion in Post-Classic period, discussing literacy and calendar, changes in legitimacy of power and image of rulership, and the idea of Toltec migration including the severe contemporary criticism of the concept.
Annotation
The class gives a general introduction to Maya Religion and its core phenomena such as gods, goddesses and other supernatural beings, cult and worship, rituals, human sacrifice, worldview, concepts of sacred space and sacred time, and religious specialists. After the course, the student will have a basic knowledge of Maya religious culture and will be able to distinguish it from its image in New Age milieu.