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Live in the heart of a cultural hub. From newly constructed townhomes to charming single-family homes to luxury hotels, living in University Circle has never been more appealing.
With strong anchor institutions and an abundance of arts & cultural as well as private sector businesses, University Circle is one of the largest employment drivers in the state of Ohio.
There is nowhere else in Cleveland with the density of world-class educational resources as University Circle. Preschools, grade schools, high schools, and prestigious universities call this neighborhood home.
Snake Queens of Waka` and Beyond: Royal Women of Kaanul and their Imprint on Classic Maya Politics
Presented by Cleveland Archaeological Society
- Date Wednesday, March 08, 2023
- Time 7:00PM
- Learn More
Discover the cultural gem of University Circle at the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA). Immerse yourself in a rich tapestry of artistic history and innovation. Established in 1913, the museum has been a cornerstone of our vibrant community for over... more
This talk focuses on the symbolic significance of Classic Maya royal queens of the snake realm (Kaanul) and their political power, which rose prominently during the Late Classic period (~AD 550-900). Their hypogamous marriages to subordinate vassal polities throughout the southern Maya lowlands created a network of alliances that elevated the snake realm’s hegemony. Utilizing the Indigenous ontology of gender complementarity as a foundational creation principle, I argue the power of these snake Queens was grounded not only in their association with that regime, but as women with the attendant implications of fecundity and reproductive power as central to their political cachet. These power domains, steeped in the potent magic of fertility, were also central to their rule as conjurers and diviners, acts of sorcery themselves metaphorically linked to birth and birth work. The substantial archaeological and epigraphic data surrounding two specific queens who ruled during the 6th and 7th centuries permits a keen understanding of their governing strategies and their wielding of sacred power, which cemented their legacy within Waka’s social and political landscape and beyond.
Presenter: Olivia C. Navarro-Farr (The College of Wooster)
