Spectacles and Spectators

Like many pre-modern societies, the Classic period Maya (AD 250-900 AD) used ritual and ceremony performed by rulers or elites to appease gods, repeat historical events, and prepare for the future. But not all ceremonies were secret rituals; in fact, many were public theatrical performances and dances in public arenas to unite communities and express political power relationships. Recent investigations of public ceremonialism by University of Arizona archaeologist Takeshi Inomata reveal the importance of these public rituals, seen in architectural changes made in the Maya cities to accommodate the performances.

This photo essay illustrates some of the plazas at Maya archaeological sites and examines the evidence for public rituals during the Classic period Maya. The text is adapted from The Role of the Plaza in Maya Ritual and sources listed on that page. Photographs by Takeshi Inomata, Lorena Cassady, Alfred Diem, Jami Dwyer, Nick Leonard, Erwin Morales, and Esparta Palma.