Little is known about Middle Preclassic/Formative lowland Maya belief systems or ideologies, compared to later periods, but with increasing research at Middle Preclassic sites and recognition of their nascent complexity, this topic merits investigation. Belief systems are investigated through perspectives on materialization (of ideological concepts); on order, legitimacy, and wealth; and on cooperation drawn from collective/corporate action theory and costly signaling (selectionist) theory. Early lowland belief systems are partially outgrowths of Archaic period hunter-gatherer, “tribal” lifeways, and some concepts about cosmology and supernatural forces may be pan-Mesoamerican and pan-New World (e.g., quadripartition; animacy of objects). The best-known early Mesoamerican belief system is that of the Early and Middle Formative Gulf Coast Olmecs and related peoples (especially in Oaxaca) beginning around 1700 BC or so. Middle Preclassic lowland Maya ideologies (considered primarily in terms of power relations) are examined and compared with those of the Olmecs in four material domains: site plans, landscapes, and architecture; sculpture; portable material culture; and iconography. Comparisons reveal significant differences between Maya and Olmec, visible in Olmec materializations of leaders’ power: massive sculptures and exotic goods (costly signaling). Early Maya ideology and concepts of order (including cooperation) and legitimacy (including corporate political strategies) were rooted in beliefs and myths about the creation of the world and its creatures (including humans), about cosmic renewal (especially solar movements), and about time.

与后来的时期相比，人们对中前古典/形成期低地玛雅信仰体系或意识形态知之甚少，但随着对中前古典遗址的研究不断增加以及对其新生复杂性的认识，这个主题值得研究。通过物化（意识形态概念）的角度来研究信仰系统；关于秩序、合法性和财富；以及从集体/公司行动理论和昂贵的信号（选择主义）理论中得出的合作。早期的低地信仰体系部分是古代狩猎采集者、“部落”生活方式的产物，一些关于宇宙学和超自然力量的概念可能是泛中美洲和泛新世界的（例如，四分法；物体的生命力）。最著名的早期中美洲信仰体系是早期和中期墨西哥湾沿岸奥尔梅克人和相关民族（尤其是瓦哈卡人）的信仰体系，始于公元前 1700 年左右。中古前古典低地玛雅意识形态（主要从权力关系角度考虑）在四个物质领域进行了检验并与奥尔梅克人的意识形态进行了比较：场地规划、景观和建筑；雕塑;可携带的物质文化；和图像学。比较揭示了玛雅和奥尔梅克之间的显着差异，这在奥尔梅克领导人权力的具体化中可见一斑：巨大的雕塑和异国情调的商品（昂贵的信号）。早期玛雅意识形态和秩序（包括合作）和合法性（包括企业政治战略）的概念植根于关于世界及其生物（包括人类）的创造、宇宙更新（特别是太阳运动）以及关于世界的信仰和神话。时间。