Dale Drinnon
Once again, while I was searching for something else, an Anthropological site had posted this painting from a Mayan tomb and illustrating the social order of the Mayans. I immediately realised it was the same as the basic four-caste system of India, including the king (Rajah) on top but not illustrating the Untouchable caste on the bottom (there certainly were Mayans at the bottom of the scale, the tomb-builders saw fit not to illustrate them) Below the king and by level are the Noble caste of the Priesthood, the Military caste, the caste of Tradesmen, Merchants and Craftsmen, and at the bottom the Peasants or Commoners. This type of social organization is expanded from the original Indo-European organization by being more "Civilised" into recognising Upper, Middle and Lower classes.
I have every reason the social structure was imported into Mesoamerica from India probably along with the Tlatico pottery people, their pigs, chickens and bananas, their games, philosophy, exercises, religion and outlook, and with the Indus script: and that it is a relic of the older Indus or Harappan civilisation carried over. At the time the Tlatilco people came over, sacred earthen mounds (stupas) were being built in both places, and the better ones faced with stone, but probably the idea of Pyramids as such was out of a different cultural exchange at a different time.
Best Wishes, Dale D.
http://frontiers-of-anthropology.blogspot.com/2011/04/caste-systems-of-ancient-india-and.html
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