Abstract

FAHMEL BEYER, Bernd Walter. Monte Alban Danzantes and and their relationship with the jaguar. An. antropol. [online]. 2019, vol.53, n.1, pp.67-74.  Epub Nov 30, 2019. ISSN 2448-6221.  https://doi.org/10.22201/iia.24486221e.0.1.64002.

The Danzantes are a group of human figures carved in stone during the first period of Monte Alban. Because of their shape and nude representation they have been interpreted as shamans or prisoners of war, although their meaning for the city’s inhabitants is still a mystery. In order to understand why their posture resembles many feline attitudes, the relationship between Zapotec rulers and the jaguar will be analyzed in the light of Guthrie’s cognitive theory of religion.

Keywords : zapotec sculpture; ruler iconography; Monte Alban I; anthropomorphization.