Chamorro Latte Stones and Ancestral House Traditions

Record summary

Latte stone structures were associated with Chamorro houses, chiefly status, and ancestral landscapes before and during Spanish colonization. European observers did not always understand their social or ritual significance, while later archaeology has clarified their chronology and regional diversity. The lead is relevant to comparisons of monumental domestic space, ancestor veneration, and the boundary between household and sacred architecture. It should not be presented as a single occult monument type: latte forms served varied purposes, and their meanings changed through displacement, missionization, and colonial settlement.