Ubèel pixan : the path of souls. Family and collective ancestors among the yucatec maya

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the funerary customs and contemporary rituals relative to the souls of the Yucatec Maya in order to better understand their relationship to pre-Hispanic burial patterns. It has been suggested that the souls of the dead are considered ancestors, which in turn can be classified as family and collective ancestors when considering several criteria: the place of burial, the place of ritual performance, and the ritual treatment. In this article I will consider funerary practices as well as ritual categories of ancestors (family or collective), as reminiscences of ancient practices whose traces can be found in historical sources. Through an analysis of the current funerary practices and their variations, I aim to demonstrate that over the time —and despite socioeconomical changes— ancient funerary practices from the Post-classic period maintained some homogeneity, preserving a number of essential characteristics that can still be observed today.