Francis Howe

• BA Hons Ancient History and Archaeology
• The functionality of weaponry: a comparison between Tongva Indians from the west coast of North America and the Mayan peoples of the Yucatan Peninsula, Southern Mexico.

The primary aim of this research is to establish that the functionality of weapons does not solely lay in warring and conflict, but rather takes on multipurpose functions such as for rituals; as tools; and as symbols of status. The Tongva Indians from present day Los Angeles and the Mayan peoples of the Yucatan Peninsula have been chosen for this study due to their unique positioning in North and Central America, and the diversities in the way they lived within complex civilisations. Both indigenous communities displayed high complexity towards the way in which they approached what we would now consider a weapon. The research will be carried out both on site and through literary sources. The use of archaeological scientific analysis, combined with photographic evidence and museum visits, will form the basis of the project. What this research would come to understand is that our modern interpretations of weapons do not necessarily align with this ancient narrative.

Funding source: Newcastle University

Project Supervisor: Dr Andrea Dolfini