Title

STATES AND EMPIRES IN ANCIENT MESOAMERICA

Authors

Authors

A. F. Chase; D. Z. Chase;M. E. Smith

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Anc. Mesoam.

Keywords

Archaeology

Abstract

Ancient Mesoamerican polities are an important source of data for considerations of state development, despite internal debate over their size and complexity. We review complex political units, usually referred to as "states" and "empires," in ancient Mesoamerica and reach the following conclusions: these polities tended to be hegemonic, rather than territorial, in composition; they melded ritual and political action; and they utilized the ruler as a symbol of the "body politic." We also note the apparently larger size of most Maya polities as compared to other Mesoamerican city-states. Besides reviewing the commonalities among ancient Mesoamerican states, we also highlight the variation among these polities and the need to consider historic and archaeological data contextually in making interpretations of political structure.

Journal Title

Ancient Mesoamerica

Volume

20

Issue/Number

2

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

175

Last Page

182

WOS Identifier

WOS:000282490100002

ISSN

0956-5361

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