Abstract
This chapter explores ancient Maya understandings of identity, belonging, how they defined themselves, and how they contrasted that against people who they perceived as foreign or “other.” The essay begins with a brief overview of concepts of otherness evident in the ethnographic literature. It then juxtaposes modern concepts of the foreign with those at the time of the conquest in order to consider what understandings of otherness have deep roots in Maya worldview. This essay then turns to discourses on otherness and foreigners as apparent in the iconography of the Classic period (AD 250–900). This discussion is further complemented by consideration of evidence for shared group practices as materialized in ceramic styles, mortuary patterns, cranial modification, and art and architectural styles. The chapter concludes with a discussion of depiction of foreigners in Classic period art.