Dance Performances at Quiriguá

Research at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Quiriguá, Guatemala, reveals that dance performances were likely a central ritual activity during the Classic Maya period. Spatial analysis and iconographic studies of Platform 1A-1 suggest it served as a stage for circular counterclockwise dances, symbolizing the renewal of cyclical time periods—a concept shared across Mesoamerican cultures, including the Aztecs' Lordly Dance. These findings highlight the significance of circular space-time in Maya ritual aesthetics and public sculpture programming.

Looper, M. G. (2018). Dance Performances at Quiriguá. Landscape and Power in Ancient Mesoamerica, 113–135. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429499418-5