• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.22
• /
• pp.177-201
• /
• 2011

The Lord of Mayan society was a person who was thought to be able to understand phenomena in the universe. And also the Lord could realize these activities of heaven on Earth through ritual. But the manifested ritual function of lordship was very different depends on Classic and Postclassic period. The Classic Mayan rituals were closely related to personal dignity, specially royal blood tradition meanwhile the Postclassic Mayans focused on public function of ritual. The ritual sacrifices of blood letting from their own body, manifested in Yaxchilan Lintel 24, 25 and 17, were focused on royal family's activity, showing the dignity of royal blood. The same ritual about the birth of family successor was observed at the Structure 5C4 from Postclassic ruin of Chichen Itza. However, this scene in focus, was two representative men and the answer of ancestor, not a special person. Also at the Lintel 1 of Temple of Four Lintels it was observed names of four Lords of Chichen Itza, their relationship, their action of firing to dedicate temple instead of writing long history of great royal family. All above shows that during Postclassic period the lords preferred a public function of their lordship than to dignify some royal persons through ritual.

• Journal of International Area Studies (JIAS)
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.223-240
• /
• 2010

In this article I would like to propose the characteristics of "Village Council(Consejo del Pueblo)" as a sociopolitical device and institution, which maintains and encompasses all aspects of governance in a decentralized authority. A brief definition of Village Council is a "select group of people from the same village who are in charge of deciding the most important affairs of the village". The Village Council took charge of the most fundamental aspects of prehispanic Mayan society, most significantly, during the Late Postclassical era. The members of this council were respected people from the village, but not necessarily the people who held high positions within the hierarchical structure of Mayan society. It is likely that they were selected by the public in a direct way. This is the most essential bureaucratic institution in terms of the control of the political and socioeconomical affairs. The important decisions regarding legislation, the governance and jurisdiction of the village were entrusted to the council. Especially, the Village Council was responsible for monitoring and punishing the abuses of village governors. The majority of the members of the council were elders, consequently, the council was a political institution, more powerful than the governorships. The "Multepal" of Yucatán, could be an example of the Village Council during the late postclassic period.