civil‐religious hierarchies in central Chiapas: a critical perspective

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Abstract
Civil‐religious hierarchies (cargo systems) have often formed the subject of anthropological research in Mesoamerica; indeed, it has been said that they play an essential role in structuring and organizing native communities. Using ethnohistorical evidence from highland Chiapas, however, we argue that such hierarchies emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in response to changes in the regional economy that placed new demands upon Indian laborers. [civil‐religious hierarchies, cargo systems, Mesoamerica, economic development]