A comprehensive investigation of the 1,700-year-old remnants of a spider monkey discovered in the parched highlands of Mexico in 2018 reveals the animal was given as a gift to Teotihuacan by Maya elites and subsequently killed to establish connections among the two pre-Hispanic American economic powerhouses.
The research found that the two prominent pre-Hispanic American rulers cemented their ties by ruthlessly slaughtering a female spider monkey that had previously been delivered as a cherished gift. Linked China's panda diplomacy particularly corresponded with the normalization of Sino-US ties in the 1970s, to the Maya elites' presentation to Teotihuacan. The study was released in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on Monday.
For the main author Nawa Sugiyama of the University of California, Riverside, it is an exciting moment to be researching archaeology because of the technology present today.
Monkey Sacrifice Maintaining Diplomatic Relations
Researchers were able to recreate the primate's life and death using a range of techniques, including archaic DNA extraction, radiocarbon dating, as well as chemical food analyses. As reported by the Independent, the scientists determined that the primate was most likely between the ages of five and eight when she was crushed to death. Sugiyama's surprising discovery of the animal's skeletons at the Teotihuacan ruins in 2018, which have been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the dry Mexican dry Highlands, sparked the investigation.
Spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) don't seem to be endemic to the elevation terrain so Sugiyama is stumped. The placement of the remains provided crucial information. Teotihuacan (pronounced tay-uh-tee-waa-kaan), located 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Mexico City, has been a center of cultural interaction and innovation in Classic Mesoamerica.
It is possibly most known for the Moon, Sun, & Feathered Serpent pyramids. However, there is a great deal of interest in another landmark known as the Plaza of Columns, a structure where neighboring Maya kept a presence akin to modern-day embassies.
The skeleton remains of the monkey were discovered in the complex with a golden eagle - a Mexican symbol even today - and accompanied by a collection of expensive goods such as obsidian spear points, conch shells, as well as valuable stone artifacts.
The complete 1,700-year-old skeletal remains of a female spider monkey. Century-old spider monkey relics found in Mexico served as sacrifice, strengthening ties between ancient Maya and Teotihuacan people.
Teotihuacan Civilization
A Maya painting portraying the spider monkey, as well as approximately 14,000 pottery pieces from a magnificent feast, were also uncovered. This, according to Sugiyama, was more proof of a high-level interchange that occurred before the Teotihuacan state's eventual ascent and military engagement in Maya communities by 378 CE.
A chemical study of two canine teeth that sprouted at separate times in the monkey's lifetime indicates that she lived in high humidity and ate vegetation and roots before confinement. Her diet became more human-like once she was abducted and taken to Teotihuacan, eating grain and chili peppers.
Sugiyama and colleagues believe the spider monkey might have been an exotic novelty unfamiliar to the high heights of Teotihuacan, with the fact that she was a fellow monkey likely adding to her charm and attraction.
Hands chained behind its back plus connected feet imply en Vivo burial, which was frequent among both human and animal offerings at Teotihuacan, the investigators noted. Though these cultural traditions appear primitive to contemporary standards, people need to comprehend and contextualize them and what is required to be able to give up what is most valuable to oneself, as stated by Sugiyama.
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