BLOOD, FLOWERS, AND POWER: A NEW INTERPRETATION OF PLATE 44 OF THE CODEX BORGIA, A MEXICAN PRE-HISPANIC MANUSCRIPT
Por:
Olivier, Guilhem
Publicada:
1 ene 2020
Resumen:
In this paper, I propose a new interpretation of Plate 44 of the Codex
Borgia in the context of his central part, the most difficult to
understand. The challenge is to demonstrate that Nowotny's
(2005[1961]) reading of this plate as a representation of a ritual of
access to power can be combined with Boone's (2007) interpretation of
the plate as a representation of a myth of the origin of flowers. In
Mesoamerica, the nose-piercing ritual is part of a rite of passage in
which the candidate appeared symbolically as a sacrificial victim, dying
before his rebirth as a king. The myth of the origin of flowers is also
a myth of the origin of menstruation and access to womanhood, thereby
constituting a feminine equivalent of the nose-piercing rite of passage.
Therefore, plate 44 of the Codex Borgia would illustrate the parallelism
between women's fertility and men's access to power. This proposal will
contribute to elucidate Frazer's (1981-1984[1913-1924]) study, who,
years ago, was wondering about the coincidence of menstruation taboos
related to menarche and taboos that affected sacred kings in many parts
of the world.
Filiaciones:
Olivier, Guilhem:
Olivier, G (Corresponding Author), Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Invest Hist, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Invest Hist, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
|