24
Biology of Sea Turtles, Volume II
the sustaining sea” (Taube, 1988: 199; see also Miller and Taube, 1993: 69, 175).
With this in mind, it could be argued that many of the chelonians depicted by Maya,
from Preclassic to Colonial times, refer in one way or another to marine turtles.
Further evidence for the singular importance of marine turtles is found in the Maya
term mak, which has considerable symbolic importance and has been defined as
meaning “sea turtle” or “turtle shell” (Hull and Carrasco, in preparation).
A detailed analysis of the Paris Codex emphasized the importance of chelonians
to Maya culture, notably in the Maya constellation ak ek’, or turtle star (Orion in
western astrology) (Love, 1994: 90, 95–101). Often the turtle shell carries the “K’an
cross,” which has been interpreted as a sort of “X marks the spot” where rebirth and
creation took place (Freidel et al., 1993: 94, 281–283; see also Carrasco and Hull,
2002). It was concluded that ak ek’ represents a giant marine turtle (Love, 1994:
98), but this is open to interpretation.
In their compilation of animal figures in the Maya codices, Tozzer and Allen
(1910: 321–323, plate 14, no. 4) reported a dozen representations of turtles. No
less than three of these depictions were thought to represent marine turtles. One
of these was thought to be the shell of a marine turtle being used as a shield (p.
322, plate 14, 4), which seems to be consistent with historic accounts from the
time of the Spanish conquest (see below). Turtles, together with about a dozen
other animals, are key astronomical symbols; and turtles are thought to represent
the summer solstice (Tozzer and Allen, 1910: 287, 323; see also Freidel et al.,
1993; Love, 1994).
In lowland Maya symbolism, turtles, both marine and terrestrial forms, were
often identified with water (Tozzer and Allen, 1910: 291; Miller and Taube, 1993:
174; Stone, 1995: 28, 238), a critical commodity for survival and agricultural
success in that region. Turtles are central to the theme of rebirth, which was
symbolized by bloodletting. For example, there are two scenes in the Madrid codex
that associate turtles with ceremonial bloodletting: in one scene no less than five
gods standing around a central turtle altar are strung together by a rope that
perforates their penises (Lee, 1985: 94). Carrasco and Hull (2002) and Hull and
Carrasco (in preparation) determine that the central turtle in this scene also represents the roof of a celestial building with a corbelled vault. A cache of 25 ceramic
figures from Santa Rita Corozal, Belize, includes four late Postclassic figurines,
each depicting an aged man engaged in penis perforation, standing on a turtle
(Chase and Chase, 1986: p. 12, bottom figure, p. 17, right-hand figures; Taube,
1988: 193). The shapes and relative sizes of shell, head, and limbs of the turtles
are consistent with marine species.
In his detailed compilation of turtles in cultural artifacts of pre-Hispanic Maya,
Taube (1988) explained how these animals symbolize not just the round earth, but
also one of the major units of time for the Maya, the k’atun — the cycle of 7200
days, or nearly 20 years. There are several possible symbolic links: the k’atun wheel,
which often takes the shape of a turtle, is composed of a cycle of 13 k’atuns, the
same number of large scutes on the carapace of a turtle. In addition, 20 years
approximates the maturation period for many turtles.
The complexities of cultural interpretations are illustrated by a study at TancahTulum, on the southern coast of Quintana Roo. Remains of marine turtles from
1123_C01.fm Page 24 Friday, November 15, 2002 11:13 AM
Biology of Sea Turtles, Volume II
the sustaining sea” (Taube, 1988: 199; see also Miller and Taube, 1993: 69, 175).
With this in mind, it could be argued that many of the chelonians depicted by Maya,
from Preclassic to Colonial times, refer in one way or another to marine turtles.
Further evidence for the singular importance of marine turtles is found in the Maya
term mak, which has considerable symbolic importance and has been defined as
meaning “sea turtle” or “turtle shell” (Hull and Carrasco, in preparation).
A detailed analysis of the Paris Codex emphasized the importance of chelonians
to Maya culture, notably in the Maya constellation ak ek’, or turtle star (Orion in
western astrology) (Love, 1994: 90, 95–101). Often the turtle shell carries the “K’an
cross,” which has been interpreted as a sort of “X marks the spot” where rebirth and
creation took place (Freidel et al., 1993: 94, 281–283; see also Carrasco and Hull,
2002). It was concluded that ak ek’ represents a giant marine turtle (Love, 1994:
98), but this is open to interpretation.
In their compilation of animal figures in the Maya codices, Tozzer and Allen
(1910: 321–323, plate 14, no. 4) reported a dozen representations of turtles. No
less than three of these depictions were thought to represent marine turtles. One
of these was thought to be the shell of a marine turtle being used as a shield (p.
322, plate 14, 4), which seems to be consistent with historic accounts from the
time of the Spanish conquest (see below). Turtles, together with about a dozen
other animals, are key astronomical symbols; and turtles are thought to represent
the summer solstice (Tozzer and Allen, 1910: 287, 323; see also Freidel et al.,
1993; Love, 1994).
In lowland Maya symbolism, turtles, both marine and terrestrial forms, were
often identified with water (Tozzer and Allen, 1910: 291; Miller and Taube, 1993:
174; Stone, 1995: 28, 238), a critical commodity for survival and agricultural
success in that region. Turtles are central to the theme of rebirth, which was
symbolized by bloodletting. For example, there are two scenes in the Madrid codex
that associate turtles with ceremonial bloodletting: in one scene no less than five
gods standing around a central turtle altar are strung together by a rope that
perforates their penises (Lee, 1985: 94). Carrasco and Hull (2002) and Hull and
Carrasco (in preparation) determine that the central turtle in this scene also represents the roof of a celestial building with a corbelled vault. A cache of 25 ceramic
figures from Santa Rita Corozal, Belize, includes four late Postclassic figurines,
each depicting an aged man engaged in penis perforation, standing on a turtle
(Chase and Chase, 1986: p. 12, bottom figure, p. 17, right-hand figures; Taube,
1988: 193). The shapes and relative sizes of shell, head, and limbs of the turtles
are consistent with marine species.
In his detailed compilation of turtles in cultural artifacts of pre-Hispanic Maya,
Taube (1988) explained how these animals symbolize not just the round earth, but
also one of the major units of time for the Maya, the k’atun — the cycle of 7200
days, or nearly 20 years. There are several possible symbolic links: the k’atun wheel,
which often takes the shape of a turtle, is composed of a cycle of 13 k’atuns, the
same number of large scutes on the carapace of a turtle. In addition, 20 years
approximates the maturation period for many turtles.
The complexities of cultural interpretations are illustrated by a study at TancahTulum, on the southern coast of Quintana Roo. Remains of marine turtles from
1123_C01.fm Page 24 Friday, November 15, 2002 11:13 AM