Susan Gillespie
Professor | University of Florida
Gainesville, FL, UNITED STATES
Susan Gillespie is an anthropological archaeologist specializing in the pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica (Mexico and Guatemala).
Biography
Susan Gillespie is an anthropological archaeologist and professor in the Department of Anthropology of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She specializes in the pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica (Mexico and Guatemala), specifically the Aztecs, Olmecs and Maya. Her research focuses on artworks, writing, religion, and socio-political organization. Susan's books include The Aztec Kings and co-edited volumes Beyond Kinship and Things in Motion.
Areas of Expertise (3)
Pre-Columbian Civilizations
Indigenous Peoples of Mexico and Guatemala
Mesoamerican Archaeology
Media Appearances (4)
Mexican farmers find rare female statue in citrus grove
Times Leader online
2021-01-08
Susan Gillespie, an anthropology professor at the University of Florida, said there “there are quite a few pre-Hispanic depictions of elite women and female rulers elsewhere, best known among the Classic Maya but also in Classic Zapotec bas-reliefs and Postclassic Mixtec codices.”
Pre-Aztec temple to ‘Flayed Lord’ fertility god depicted as skinned human corpse discovered in Mexico
Independent online
2019-01-03
University of Florida archaeologist Susan Gillespie, who was not involved in the project, wrote that “finding the torso fragment of a human wearing the flayed skin of a sacrificial victim in situ is perhaps the most compelling evidence of the association of this practice and related deity to a particular temple, more so to me than the two sculpted skeletal crania”.
Aztec skull altar found in ruins under Mexico City
Nationwide News online
2015-08-23
University of Florida archeologist Susan Gillespie, who was not involved in the project, wrote that “I do not personally know of other instances of literal skulls becoming architectural material to be mortared together to make a structure.”
Aztec skull altar found in ruins under Mexico City
The Advertiser online
2015-08-23
University of Florida archeologist Susan Gillespie, who was not involved in the project, wrote that “I do not personally know of other instances of literal skulls becoming architectural material to be mortared together to make a structure.”
Articles (3)
Clay: The Entanglement of Earth in the Age of Clay
The Impact of Materials on SocietySusan D. Gillespie
2021-01-01
This chapter showcases human engagements with the most primal material of all—earth itself—beginning in the Neolithic period (which began ca. 9000 BCE in the Fertile Crescent), when people relied on domesticated plants and animals for their livelihood. The Neolithic has also been called the Age of Clay because clay and soils were critical materials for many aspects of daily life
Scrappers, Miners and Hunters
The Anthropology of Precious MineralsSusan D. Gillespie
2019-12-01
This focuses on the work of artisanal miners to extract precious minerals from their matrixes, exposing the brute physicality and social implications of miner-mineral entanglements.
The Murals of Cacaxtla: The Power of Painting in Ancient Central Mexico
The AmericasSusan D. Gillespie
2016-01-01
The 1975 discovery of vibrant murals at Cacaxtla generated fascination, adulation and astonishment. Further archaeological excavations revealed more exquisitely painted walls, many depicting humans and deities in recognizable Maya style, juxtaposed with central Mexican motifs. The most impressive is a 20-meter long battle scene depicting horrific hand-to-hand combat among 49 near life-size warriors. The murals flummoxed scholars. How could one explain this blend of two separate artistic traditions?
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