Professor Caitlin Earley, PhD (University of Washington)
People in Flesh and Stone: Captive Imagery and Animacy in Classic Maya Art
Information from hieroglyphs and iconography suggests that Late Classic Maya (c. 600–900 CE) royal portraits in stone could be considered animate. Images of less exalted figures in the Maya world, however, are less clearly defined. In this seminar, I consider depictions of captured individuals in Classic Maya art. I argue that ancient Maya people interacted with sculpted captives in ways that mirror the treatment of human bodies, suggesting such sculptures also possessed agency. Beyond clarifying the role of captive imagery in Classic Maya centers, I examine the implications of this type of research: what would an art history that incorporates object persons look like in terms of theory and methodology? How does recognizing sculptures as community members change our approach to their study and care? Moving beyond a traditional art historical emphasis on people in power, this seminar expands our focus to consider historically overlooked actors in flesh and in stone.
Thursday, March 13th, 2025
6:30 pm, EST
in Schermerhorn 934
REGISTER FOR SEMINAR (REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED by 12pm on March 12)
DINNER RSVP (*Please note that dinner is not complimentary)
Columbia University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. The University Seminars participants with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations or who have questions about physical access may contact the Office of Disability Services at (212) 854-2388 or [email protected]. Disability accommodations, including sign- language interpreters, are available on request. Requests for accommodations must be made two weeks in advance. On-campus, seminar participants with disabilities should alert a Public Safety Officer if they need assistance accessing campus.
Privacy Policy
Seminars are intended to foster an open and unfettered intellectual exchange among peers, allowing attendees the freedom to try out ideas without the inherent limitations of a public discussion. Minutes are taken at all seminar meetings. After five years, minutes are included in The University Seminars Digital Archive as part of Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Each seminar has an individual privacy policy, which may be "open" or "closed." A seminar with a "closed" policy agrees to keep minutes private *prior* to their inclusion in the archive. With an "open" policy, the seminar decides when and how to circulate minutes. The University Seminars office encourages members to adhere to the privacy policy of their seminar, but cannot guarantee confidentiality, even with "closed" meetings. Copyright of meeting minutes belongs to the Trustees of Columbia University. Speakers maintain full publication and all other rights to their papers and presentations.
