In the Maw of the Earth Monster: Mesoamerican Ritual Cave Use

The Linda Schele Series in Maya and Pre-Columbian Studies

by James E. Brady, Keith M. Prufer (Editor)

"This volume represents a unique contribution to the published data on ritual cave use in Mesoamerica.... No other volume includes such a range of sites, materials, or methodological approaches." -- Charles Golden, University of Pennsylvania Museum, coeditor of Continuities and Changes in Maya Archaeology: Perspectives at the Millennium

As portals to the supernatural realm that creates and animates the universe, caves have always been held sacred by the peoples of Mesoamerica. From ancient times to the present, Mesoamericans have made pilgrimages to caves for ceremonies ranging from rituals of passage to petitions for rain and a plentiful harvest. So important were caves to the pre-Hispanic peoples that they are mentioned in Maya hieroglyphic writing and portrayed in the Central Mexican and Oaxacan pictorial codices. Many ancient settlements were located in proximity to caves.

This volume gathers papers from twenty prominent Mesoamerican archaeologists, linguists, and ethnographers to present a state-of-the-art survey of ritual cave use in Mesoamerica from Pre-Columbian times to the present. Organized geographically, the book examines cave use in Central Mexico, Oaxaca, and the Maya region. Some reports present detailed site studies, while others offer new theoretical understandings of cave rituals. As a whole, the collection validates cave study as the cutting edge of scientific investigation of indigenous ritual and belief. It confirms that the indigenous religious system of Mesoamerica was and still is much more terrestrially focused that has been generally appreciated.

438 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2005

Reviews

[Housni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, It got me to understand why some christians becomes atheists when they read this kind of books, due to the similarity of symbols and rituals between mesoamerican and christianty.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating look into early Mesoamerican beliefs, rituals and the use of caves. Left me wanting to travel and explore both caves and the blending of Catholic/Christian belief with native belief. I'm a lover of both faith rituals and caves! The illustrations, maps and photos add a lot of value and interest to this text.