Maya figurines : intersections between state and household /

In this substantive and theoretically sophisticated study of small, three-dimensional clay figures from the Maya area dating from the seventh to tenth centuries CE, Halperin (Princeton) addresses the relationship between large-scale state control and small-scale household practices. She argues that figurines bridge the gap between these two social domains through their imagery, their use in ritual and daily life, and their economic importance. The author draws on excavated examples from Motul de San José (Guatemala) as the foundation for her analysis, but also considers figurines from other archaeological sites in Mexico and Central America. Many photographs, some in color, and drawings illustrate her discussion of how figurine imagery connects to or differs from other forms of Maya art, especially sculpture and polychrome pottery. Compositional analysis of some of the figurines allows Halperin to consider distribution, while the archaeological contexts yield information about figurine use. Appendixes provide more detailed information about the sample. Focusing on how figurines imitate life (mimesis) and the ways that the material properties of figurines interact with and shape people's experiences (materiality), Halperin argues effectively that figurines reinforced both political centralization and household independence. --Julia A. Hendon, Gettysburg College