Classic Maya Politicking: Perspectives from Three Monuments

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The Classic Maya royal court developed as a full-fledged institution within the context of the often tumultuous years of the Late Classic period (ca. 600–900 CE). Research on its members and their roles reveals a strategically dynamic institution that was a productive locus of influence and power. Iconographic and hieroglyphic data shed light on the court as a political community, highlight the ways that this institution was variable and adaptable, and aid in identifying cultural metaphors that framed Maya understandings of the court.

Sarah Jackson is an anthropological archaeologist, specializing in the study of ancient Maya culture. She received her Ph.D. from Harvard University and is currently Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Cincinnati. Her first book is titled Politics of the Maya Court: Hierarchy and Change in the Late Classic Period.