Humanizing divine power: The role of caves in the historical development of Maya culture

This study is a critical review of literature revealing varied approaches regarding the historiography of Maya cave culture. The Maya developed a unique cultural identity based on their distinct use of a Mesoamerican cave tradition (caves). Efforts of several ancient groups to imitate this cosmological power led to the humanizing of divine powers in order to affect social and political control. The diverse scope of academic literature presents environmental, political, and religious motivations in isolation as catalysts for Maya cultural development. Continued Maya cave archeology will unfold spatial and environmental aspects of the historical process which will connect the socio-religious with the political composition of the society and provide a new framework with which to view ancient Maya cultural developments. It will more fully restore a native perspective to the impact and influence that cosmology and religion had on ancient Maya.