Were+the+Danzantes+a+state+religion?

Type in the content of your new page here. Jeffrey Harris Dr. Barber Complex Societies Danzantes as State Religion To argue if the “Danzantes” were indeed a state religion one must first define what a state religion is, and what a state religion instills in the state in concordance with its religion. Then show examples of why the “Danzantes” were or were not a part of a state religion. State religions systemic views would come from the, demands of the church as the state would, have to provide… protection, provision for its needs, freedom from all burdens and a liberal preference in the enjoyment of all the benefits which the state had to offer (Gerd p.64) meaning that the unofficial taxes collected would benefit the church, its needs would be met out of necessity, from the necessity of the church… zealous preachers informed the king that his sovereignty was an office that he himself was a servant of the church and that he had to obey the superior wisdom of the priest (Gerd p.64) this brought a ruling class under a state religion by creating through a leaders actions the imposed will of doctrine church law for the people or state, but does this model fit the “Danzantes” as an implication of a state religion or As ceremonial art. A historical view of the “Danzantes” would portray… 300 conquest slabs that leaders carved on the outside wall of the largest building in the city (Fash p.35) William Fash and Mary Lyons go on to say that these “Danzantes” were specimens killed in ceremony later names were carved above them showing of a conquest. I argue if these were in fact conquests then larger portions would depict violence in stead of ceremony, ceremony tells of religion and not necessarily of a warring political party or state. In Mary Ellen Millers book: “The Art of Mesoamerica from Olmec to Aztec,” she describes the… “Danzantes,” or dancers, were so named in the nineteenth century because of their free, loose postures (Miller p.48) The “Danzantes” were always pictured in a three quarter (3/4) or side view – it looks as if the bodies are in motion all the time, but Miller makes the argument that the carvings show the eyes closed (Miller p.49) I argue in that this might be an misinterpretation for as well as these carvings are truly ancient and great art they are far from realism or “portrait lifelike.” The majority of my argument pertaining if the “Danzantes” were indeed a part of a state religion does stem from the work of John F. Scott and his book: “The Danzantes of Monte Alban,” Scott goes on to describe the posturing of these works as… Certain postures of the “Danzantes” have been compared with those on Olmec reliefs and jades. Certainly the extreme flexibility of many “Danzantes” with outstretched arms, bent legs, and occasional contrapposto (Scott p.19) But Olmec Jades were earlier seen as dancers themselves. Scott describes figures with outstretched arms and bent legs, one could argue this posturing could represent kneeling or penance to a deity with arms reaching away, or to a ruling elite, but since so many “Danzantes” sculptures were portrayed with bent legs this kneeling could be construed as an act defined by a state religion as the site was built atop a mountain to be closer to a rain god or deity. Scott also sights …”Leopoldo Batres” (1902: 28) was the first to use the term “dancers” in print, although he stated that he was merely repeating the name by which they were called in the area (Scott p.21) Scott then shows examples by describing rows of dancers all facing different directions as a choreographic movement, telling of a tradition in religion, that to describe these as warlike is premature and these “Danzantes” imply Monte Alban as a religious center. Let there be no blame in the argument between a state religion an ceremonial killings verses that of violent an warlike depictions, mankind’s two greatest inventions unfortunately have always been religion and war and both have been getting better ever since their invention this is a fantastic reason to misinterpret these “Danzantes,” but religion I implement was first invented and was the sole reason to describe the “Danzantes” as dancers with respect not only the location of Monte Alban and as to why it was built but to unite a people in the Oaxaca Valley to boot. Another proof of example of these “Danzantes” is referred to as the “Estatic Emasculation,” Scott then credits ‘Eusebio Davalos Hurtado,’ as noting… Why these men were castrated an emasculated? Davalos believes these acts served as an initiation into the priesthood of Monte Alban and as sacrifices, either as an offering to the deities of fertility or as insurance for a successful harvest (Scott p.25) in this case “Estatic Emasculation,” shows a state religion in effect away from later reports of captions of “Danzantes” as stating conquests. Many of these pictures show a flower like image where the emasculated area would be, Scott identifies many of these “Danzantes” as painted or tattooed around the genital area (Scott p.25) these painted or tattooed areas further define not torture or ceremonial sacrifice but a religious ceremony further instituting a state religion as per traditions at Monte Alban. The “Danzantes” from Monte Alban show a culture rich in tradition that holds its own in the surrounding area in not only art but conceptual visualization and many leading interpretations as to why or how life was optimal at different times in the Oaxaca Valley. No one understands why Monte Alban was finally abandoned or why it flourished when id did but the archeological records left have been found to lead archaeologists to better understandings to better interpret the valley. The “Danzantes” were great images taking snapshots in time but when one disseminates the past the most correct assumption is one you can prove by facts and ideology, unfortunately the “Danzantes” as clear as they are to see and as well they were preserved still do not shed light on what the images were to represent there is no one hundred percent interpretation to describe war at Monte Alban and even early religious ceremonies have no written names. Monte Alban is famous for its site but not much has come from it concerning spears or burials to answer questions of war or religion, no ceremonial knives have been excavated so interpretations’ will forever haunt a historical past of the “Danzantes.” The images below show posturing of kneeling and poses contrary to that of war or conquest, this is for the reader to interpret what actions are more prevalent, I have argued the latter to better describe the day to day interworking of a religious center for Monte Alban, I can see why it is always fun to describe a people as fanatical in violence but “Danzantes” show daily life an ritual not historical leadership through great battles. This slab of a “Danzantes,” ‘dancer’ has the ritualistic tattooing or painting around the area deemed “estatic emasculation” this then by Scott’s sources could be a priest or an individual who was part of a religious ceremony. As can be observed his posture is that of a dancing one: note both the left and right hands as they face one single direction this is done by muscle control not by an involuntary action so this individual is indeed not a conquest or slab indicating death. This slab of a “Danzantes,” ‘dancer’ is most unusual in its carving by which its appearance shows a bearded face, and his posture is most unorthodox by any human stance this carving shows the eye as carved in stone as he might be portrayed as dead or slain, my argument as a “Danzantes” as a state religion make the claim that the art of the “Danzantes” is art but these slabs are not “portrait lifelike.” Body proportions are not accurate even by scale, the eyes are rounder without any real context to being shut, and the pose is unnatural as if the individual was dipping down in a ritual dance. One could even say this individual looks as if he was sitting. This slab of a “Danzantes” has a look all its own, but this individual is the one I call the praying or penitent man as he is sitting or worshiping something or one deity, there is elaborate decorations around the head and neck of this individual, a necklace of sorts hang from the neck line being some sort of symbol, his ears are hidden by discs, some kind of status symbol in itself, his face is the next issue as there is much debate how to interpret the eyes and mouth, the eyes in this slab of the “Danzantes” appear closed but is this a real rendition of a praying man, now the mouth on the other hand is most unusual its open as if there is a representation of speaking or chanting. I chose these three pictures as references to the article and argument if the “Danzantes” were a part of a state religion, one can only argue facts and use archaeological artifacts as case in point. So I used these pictures and previous knowledge by those archaeologists who have studied, researched and dug in the site to fund my interpretations of these ‘dancers.’ The most disturbing part of any archaeological dig is the interpretation of what is found, most secrets go to the grave with the people and later ideas of what these great people were doing is just a hypothesis upon another hypothesis from studying those from a different area, Doctors of Anthropology, Archaeology, try to piece together realistic portraits of past occurrences but when you archaeologically dig a site of a palace or town you don’t dictate a war but how the people lived there many generations, calling anything a violent interaction might be intriguing but wars of the past lasted moments, but religion was used every year and every day, this is the true archaeological record of the people from Monte Alban. Fash, William. Lyons, Mary. __The Ancient American World__ New York, Oxford University Press. Gerd, Tellenbach. 1959 __Church State and Christian Society__ Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. 49 East 33rd Street New York, New York. 10016 Miller, Mary Ellen. 1986 __The Art of Mesoamerica from Olmec to Aztec__ Thames and Hudson 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10110 Scott, John. F. 1978 __The Danzantes of Monte Alban Part 1: Text__ Dumbarton Oaks Trustees For Harvard University, Washington D.C. Library of Congress Catalog number 79-63725