Dale Drinnon
Once
again, while I was searching for something else, an Anthropological
site had posted this painting from a Mayan tomb and illustrating the
social order of the Mayans. I immediately realised it was the same as
the basic four-caste system of India, including the king (Rajah) on top
but not illustrating the Untouchable caste on the bottom (there
certainly were Mayans at the bottom of the scale, the tomb-builders saw
fit not to illustrate them) Below the king and by level are the Noble
caste of the Priesthood, the Military caste, the caste of Tradesmen,
Merchants and Craftsmen, and at the bottom the Peasants or Commoners.
This type of social organization is expanded from the original
Indo-European organization by being more "Civilised" into recognising
Upper, Middle and Lower classes.
I have
every reason the social structure was imported into Mesoamerica from
India probably along with the Tlatico pottery people, their pigs,
chickens and bananas, their games, philosophy, exercises, religion and
outlook, and with the Indus script: and that it is a relic of the older
Indus or Harappan civilisation carried over. At the time the Tlatilco
people came over, sacred earthen mounds (stupas) were being built in
both places, and the better ones faced with stone, but probably the idea
of Pyramids as such was out of a different cultural exchange at a
different time.
Best Wishes, Dale D.
http://frontiers-of-anthropology.blogspot.com/2011/04/caste-systems-of-ancient-india-and.html
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