Speaker: Dr. Brian Hayden, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University
The lecture presented by the Pre-Columbian Society at the Penn Museum will be held only on Zoom on Saturday, October 11th at 1:30pm. Register for the Zoom Link Here
Abstract:
“One of the perduring mysteries in archaeology is the question of why the first non-domestic and monumental architecture took the form of ritual constructions, often requiring unbelievable amounts of labor and materials and often associated with complex astronomical systems. This is a cultural developmental pattern repeatedly observed on five continents, including the Americas. Over the past 30 years, Dr. Hayden has been piecing together parts of this puzzle, coming to the realization that secret societies in traditional cultures are probably the key to understanding this development. Traditional secret societies range in complexity from simple to complex, ultimately probably developing into what Dr. Hayden calls Centripetal Ritual Centers. These have different characteristics and dynamics from chiefdoms or states but are on the same classificatory level as chiefdoms and states–they are just different. Mesoamerica and South America have many particularly good candidates for Centripetal Ritual Centers such as Chavín de Huántar and La Venta. The emphasis on astronomy is just one of their key characteristics as well as of traditional secret societies.”