Book
The Maya sky, the Maya world: a symbolic analysis of Maya cosmology
University Microfilms International • Ann Arbor, Mich • Published In 1999 • Pages:
By: Sosa, John R..
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
Sosa worked closely with Yucatec Mayan shamans, observing and recording a variety of rituals including rain, first fruit, and Day of the Dead ceremonies; and Fiestas and curing practices. He carefully analyzes the patterns of ritual movement, structures of altars, and texts of prayers to discern the cosmology invoked in each case. He argues that Mayan cosmology is based on the observation of natural phenomena: the movement of the sun, moon and stars. Through metaphorical use of language this cosmology infuses all aspects of Mayan life, especially farming. Sosa also notes how the Bible is interpreted in reference to Mayan cosmology. For him cosmology is both a structure and guide to action. He identitifies a central theme in the expression, 'u hol gloryah,' which refers to an imagined conduit between heaven and earth, symbolized by a hole, pole, tree, or the milky way. The sun runs along this conduit, as did Jesus, as do one's prayers and God's blessings. However, it is also the source of evil winds and sickness. This is a dissertation and the first 150 pages are devoted to an extrensive review of the anthropology of religion literature.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Theoretical orientation in research and its results
- Magical and mental therapy
- Shamans and psychotherapists
- Cosmology
- Prayers and sacrifices
- Magic
- Organized ceremonial
- Ethnometeorology
- Interlinear translations
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Maya (Yucatán Peninsula)
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2000
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Middle America and the Caribbean
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Maya Area
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Ian Skoggard ; 2000
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1982-1983
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1982-1983
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Yalcobá, Yucatán, Mexico
- NotesAdditional notes
- John Robert Sosa
- Thesis (Ph.D.) -- State University of New York at Albany, 1985
- UM 8523311
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 484-498)
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Mayas