An Archaeology of Rituals

Abstract

Prehispanic settlements in the LowerEvery July 16, the people from the small town of Chavín de Huántar in Ancash, Peru, celebrate the Virgen del Carmen festival. A clear fusion between Catholic and Andean beliefs, the Virgen del Carmen celebration is a well-organized event that involves the entire community. Typically, two sponsors (mayordomos) are in charge of organizing the festivities, which include the procession of the Virgen (figure 1.1), a mass at the local church, a live music band, a potluck meal, and bullfighting. To prepare for this event, the community is divided to partake in particular activities, such as preparing chicha (a traditional alcoholic corn beverage), baking special breads, and sacrificing pigs and chickens for consumption. Some of the classic Andean principles of reciprocity, community, and duality can be seen during this celebration (Murra 1975; Rostworowski de Diez Canseco 2001). Locals and visitors clearly enjoy these days of praying, dancing, eating, drinking, and fireworks. The Virgen del Carmen festival coincides with the beginning of the harvest season, the most important time in the agricultural cycle for farming communities. The celebrations, however, also renew ties with Catholic figures by attending mass, praying, and participating in the colorful procession while also strengthening relationships among local townspeople who must work together in preparing the food (e.g., meat, bread, and alcohol) for public consumption. Ethnographic and ethnohistoric studies have shown that the interplay of customary and collective actions among humans and 4 SI LVANA A. ROSENFELD AND ST EFANI E L. BAU T ISTA between humans and non-humans or supernatural agents, through the ritual mixture of Catholicism and indigenous practices, has been central to many communities in both South America and Mesoamerica (e.g., Nutini 1988; Rostworowski de Diez Canseco 1992). This volume seeks to highlight, from different archaeological perspectives and contexts across the Andes, how ritual affected or was affected by the diverse groups of peoples in this region.The practice of ritual across time has long fascinated anthropologists, as it can highlight some of the most integral, emotive, and elaborative practices of human life. The study of ritual can demonstrate the interconnections among the various aspects of society, such as religion, politics, and economy. Though ritual has long been important to anthropologists (e.g., Bastien 1978; Bolton 1979; Flores Ochoa 1977; Geertz 1973; Rappaport 1999;Turner 1967), archaeologists have only more recently recognized the importance of studying ritual and its role in past societies (e.g., Bauer and Stanish 2001; Benson and Cook 2001; Kyriakidis 2007). Ritual is now considered a major component in the development of some ancient sociopolitical systems, as it aided in their creation, maintenance, and change (DeMarrais, Castillo, and Earle 1996; Marcus and Flannery 2004; Pauketat et al. 2002).While there have been discussions of how different archaeological frameworks ...

The Community of Practice: An Essential and Elegant Framework for Archaeological Interpretation

“…While archaeologists are already asking how communities of practice extend across space, much less has been written about how they can extend (or not) across time. Here, the existing discourse on the theory and archaeology of ritual, particularly on questions of continuity and persistence, would be foundational [45][46][47]. Microhistory has also proven to be a compelling approach to the question of practice and belonging over time [48].…”

Chamanismo, ontologías del arte y transcorporalidad: puentes entre el arte Diaguita y los bailes chinos en el norte semiárido chileno

“…Estas aproximaciones han significado, además, nuevas miradas para el estudio arqueológico de la ritualidad. Su abordaje en esta área ha sido problemático debido a la escasez de herramientas metodológicas que permitan abarcar, de modo concreto, las prácticas asociadas a ella (Rosenfeld & Bautista 2017). Buscando alternativas para soslayar esta situación, Nielsen y colaboradores (2017) sostienen que la ritualidad estaría presente en aquellos registros arqueológicos que en su proceso interpretativo muestran el establecimiento de relaciones entre entidades humanas y no humanas.…”

Quebrando ossos: um estudo sobre as fraturas perimortem nas práticas funerárias da Lapa do Santo (Lagoa Santa - MG)

“…Algumas práticas relacionadas à morte deixam como vestígio somente alguns traços materiais, deixando inacessíveis as práticas imateriais e elaborações coletivas emocionais (Metcalf & Huntington, 1991). Se o significado é algo que escapa à prática arqueológica, uma forma de perceber a intencionalidade de uma ação através do registro é identificar padrões na materialidade, como ausências sistemáticas ou concentrações de ossos em posições específicas (Py-Daniel, 2015; Rosenfeld & Bautista, 2017).…”