Symbolism of the Nude Figures of Oxpemul

Abstract

In 2008, at the archaeological site of Oxpemul in Campeche, Mexico, researchers discovered two broken stone monuments. These two stelae, catalogued as 22 and 23, preserve hieroglyphic and iconographic records in which recent studies have identified three nude figures in front of the scene’s principal personae. Taking into account similar examples from other monuments in the Maya zone, this article analyzes the symbolic importance of the nudity of these figures in relation to the complex political-social context that may have developed in the region.

Keywords: Oxpemul, Mayas, stelae, iconography, nudity in archeology