Building the sacred: A study of proper names of monuments and structures in Classic Maya inscriptions

The Classic Maya lords utilized many strategies to obtain and maintain control of their domains, but only a few left traces that can be studied by archaeologists. One such strategy was the erection of monuments and the construction of buildings within city centers. These monuments and structures were vital aspects of the Classic Maya landscape and in a sense were "living" entities. They were given proper names by their creators, which were intended to reflect the nature of the monument or structure. For monuments this often meant that their names described whom they embodied or what ritual function they fulfilled. For structures the names provide insight into their intended political, social, or religious function.;The dissertation provides a systematic study of proper names of monuments and structures constructed by the Classic Maya. Using the known body of hieroglyphic texts and archaeological data, it examines the relationship between text and landscape for the Classic Maya. Based on this information, several patterns were identified: for example, the naming of monuments was a circumscribed phenomenon limited to the sites of Copan and Quirigua, and the choice of subject matter for these sculptures was driven by the political and religious atmosphere at the time of their carving. As an artistic convention and as a tool for political propaganda, the use of names on portrait stelae shows a clear development over time, culminating in the Late Classic.;In contrast to named monuments, named structures are found all over the Maya area. Although names from several sites are discussed in this dissertation, data from Palenque provides a "case study" for understanding the relationship between structure names, structure iconography, and history. In the course of the study, I have reevaluated previous interpretations of Palenque structure names and suggested several new or modified interpretations.;Proper names of monuments and structures provide important information about Maya history, politics, religion, and the landscape. This study provides a new look at this dynamic and productive phenomenon in order to better understand how and why the Maya constructed and modified their landscape.