Difformités naturelles et acquises en Amérique précolombienne et coloniale : représentations et interprétations plurielles

Abstract

Mexican and Peruvian art of the Pre-Columbian and colonial period is full of information on the way in which handicaps were perceived in the Aztec and Inca cultures. Primary sources are so rare and complex that it is recommended to enquire into other cultures in Pre-Columbian Latin America (Olmec, Maya, Mochica) that leave us with representations of both natural deformities and acquired deformities. Indeed, written records are very rare as opposed to those representations etched in stone or in ceramic pottery. Furthermore, there hardly exist any studies of an anthropological or historical nature on this topic. This calls for even further exploration of this subject matter so as to enquire into the many representations which remain unresolved. What natural or acquired deformities were represented? How may one interpret what constituted a handicap in Aztec and Inca cultures? What were the roles of handicapped persons in these societies?

Keywords

• cleft lip
• dwarfism
• hunchback
• Incas
• Aztecs
• disability