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ANTH 3313 > EXAM 1 > Flashcards

EXAM 1 Flashcards

Texas State University- Aztecs

1
Q

What was the population of Tenochtitlan in 1500?

A

250,000

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2
Q

What is the length of the Street of the Dead at Teotihuacan?

A

2.5 miles long and 148 ft wide

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3
Q

Which Aztec Emperor’s Tomb was recently found?

A

Ahuitzotl

  • In the entrance of the tomb, a sculpture of the goddess Tlaltecuhtli, the “earth lady “.
  • Ahuitzotl died in 1502 A.D
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4
Q

What are the characteristics of chiefdoms?

A
  1. Large and specialized populations
  2. Sophisticated Technology
  3. Formal political structures
  4. Local members differ in rank and status
  5. Centralized and permanent officials
  6. Chief controls a redistributed economic system
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5
Q

How does the economic system of redistribution function in a chiefdom?

A

Goods and resources flow into the political center (the chief and his immediate followers) and are then redistributed to the people

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6
Q

What is the conflict theory of state formation?

A

Believe that people do not create a state to maximize benefits, states form due to some form of oppression by one group over others.
- Force, not self interests, lead to state formation

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7
Q

What is the relationship between the Post-classic cities of Tula Hidalgo and Chichen Itza?

A

They are many architectural similarities between them.

  • Temple of the warriors in chichen itza, and pyramid B in tula, are very similar.
  • Feathered serpent columns, chacmool sculptures and standard-bearers are found in both places
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8
Q

What are the characteristics of Mesoamerican Civilization?

A
  • Pictographic Writing (Maya had words system)
  • 260 day ritual calendars and 365 day calendars
  • Religion made of any gods
  • Systems of astronomy
  • Ball games
  • Sacrifice
  • Market economy
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9
Q

What is the Aztec Foundation Myth and who were the supernaturals involved?

A

Ancestors originated from Aztlan, and they were visited by Huitzilopochtli and were told to leave the island and find an eagle sitting on a cactus eating a snake, and start the building of Tenochtitlan there.

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10
Q

What civilization rose to prominence during the formative period?

A

The Olmecs

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11
Q

How is the term Aztec defined?

A

Powerful civilization that existed in mesoamerica between 1325 and 1521.
The word Aztec comes from the nahua word “aztlan”, the place they say to have come from.
They also called themselves Mexica.

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12
Q

How did an Aztec emperor ascend to his throne?

A

Elected from an imperial clan

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13
Q

What language was spoken by the Aztecs?

A

Nahuatl

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14
Q

In the proposed relationship of the function of the iconography and physical layout of Teotihuacan was the relationship of the temple of the moon to local geography and which ancient supernatural was represented in this relationship?

A

Write the myth of the death of the moon goddess

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15
Q

Characteristics of Aztec Art?

A
  • major role in communication
  • Visualization of religion and social order
  • Communication of ideas about mans place in the cosmos and human society
  • Symbolic value
  • Monumental even when small
  • Naturalistic
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16
Q

What do we mean when we call an object “Sociotechnic” ?

A

Appears to have real usage but its ornamental

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17
Q

What does the term Pars-Pro-Toto mean and why is it important for the study of mesoamerican art?

A

Pars pro toto means the partial standing for the whole (part of a whole); it means using part of a sign to signify the whole.
For example, in Aztec art they would draw a earlobe to signify the cutting of ear for sacrifices.

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18
Q

What does the term Pars-Pro-Toto mean and why is it important for the study of mesoamerican art?

A

Pars pro toto means the partial standing for the whole (part of a whole); it means using part of a sign to signify the whole.
For example, in Aztec art they would draw a earlobe to signify the cutting of ear for sacrifices.

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19
Q

Before tenochtitlan, which site was the largest in the valley of mexico?

A

Teotihuacan

20
Q

At teotihuacan, where would the Royal Family live?

A

At the ciudadela (citadel), a royal residential complex dominated by the Temple of Quetzacoatl

21
Q

Who was the greatest emperor?

A

Ahuitzotl

22
Q

What was the date of death of ahuitszotl and how do we know?

A

Ahuitzotl died in the year 10 rabbit, meaning 1502 A.D

- Date found in the cover of the tomb under the temple mayor.

23
Q

What did the aztecs believe had happened at teotihuacan?

A

They believed that this is where the gods sacrificed themselves so that the world could be recreated; “birthplace of the gods”

24
Q

What was the domain of Xochipilli?

A

The Aztec god Xochipilli, was the god associated with fertility; he was linked with agriculture and the cultivation of crops.
He is also associated with Hallucinogenic plants (plants used in sacred rituals)

25
Q

Who were the chichimecs and to that language family did they belong?

A
  • Nomadic hunter-gatherers who periodically moved down from the desert regions of north Mexico into the fertile central valleys in search of game and settlements to pillage.
  • Belonged to the Athebascans family
26
Q

Cities of the Triple Alliance?

A
  1. Tenochtitlan: Mexica/Aztec; largest, dominant
  2. Tlacopan: Acolhua; home of learning and culture
  3. Texcoco: Tepaneca; primary logistical role in campaigns of conquest
27
Q

Ahuitzotl’s name as a 3D statue

A
  • Water Beast

- Statue shoes water lilies and shells, and a water dog

28
Q

Ahuitzotls Glyph on a feathered shield

A
  • Feather art, used as a shield

- Made with feathers and other things given as tribute

29
Q

Temple Mayor

A
  • Called Snake Mountain: serpent heads and designs on the base of the pyramid
  • Two big temples of the top
  • Built in levels: reconstructed 7 times
30
Q

Temple on the right of temple mayor

A

Temple of Huitzilopochtli: war and sun god

  • sacrificial stone in center of temple
  • standard bearers and serpent figures
  • coyolxauhqui stone found on base of stairs
31
Q

Temple on the left of the temple mayor

A

Temple of Tlatoc: rain god

  • chacmool and altar of the frogs found here
  • intended to symbolize the mountain of sustenance, Tonacatepetl
32
Q

Cover of the entrance to Ahuitzotl’s tomb

A
  • 14 feet
  • Shows the goddess Tlaltecuhtli; “earth lady
  • Goddess is wearing a skull skirt, and has ear spools
  • The date glyph found shows the year 10 rabbit (Rabbit and two bars that stand for the number 5 shown), which means 1502.
33
Q

Dedication Stone

A
  • marks the completion of temple mayor: dec 18, 1487
  • Shows two emperors: tizoc and ahuitzotl
  • Tizoc confronts Ahuitzotl.
  • They are dressed as priests and they are drawing blood from their earlobes and the blood running down their faces fall into the mouth of Tlaltecuhtli.
  • Also contains the date 8 Reed, meaning 1486, when Ahuitzotl took power.
34
Q

Pyramid B in Tula Hidalgo

A
  • It was the seat of the supreme authority at the city, - warrior columns that were used as a support for a chamber.
  • The surface of the pyramid depicting felines, eagles, wolves.
35
Q

Standing Bearer

A
  • Found in chichen itza and tenochtitlan

- Used to hold paper banner and feathers.

36
Q

War altar of Moctezuma I

A
  • Stone found in front of the Temple of Tezcatlipoca
  • used as a solar monument, as the Mexica made offerings to the sun in order to ensure the return of day.
  • Wounded warriors that were captured by Aztec armies were sacrificed on this stone in order to feed the sun.
  • The hearts were extracted and placed inside the hole on top of the face of Tonatiuh
  • If the person being sacrificed could beat 5 warriors, they had a choice of being released or die and rise into the sky to be with the sun god Tonatiuh.
37
Q

Coatlique

A
  • Height of 3.5 meters
  • Her name is “serpent skirt”
    ○ Snakes form her entire skirt, as well as her belt and even her head.
    ○ Wearing a necklace formed of hands and hearts
    ○ Snakes coming out of body parts was an Aztec convention for squirting blood; suggests that she has been decapitated and dismembered.
    ○ She is the goddess who gave birth to Huitzilopochtli
    ○ She was all painted
38
Q

Coyolxauhqui Stone

A
  • Sacrificial stone that shows Coyolxauhqui
  • Found at the base of the stairs of the Huizilopochtli (deity associated with warfare and the sun) side of the Temple Mayor (temple on the right, painted red)
  • It was once painted in bright colors.
39
Q

Discussion question: relate the cosmogenic foundation myth of the Aztecs (describe the story) and how that myth relates to architecture and sculpture.

A
  • Relates to the birth of the god, Huitzilopochtli.
  • Coatlique, was on top of the Snake Mountain, and a ball of feather falls into her hand and she gets pregnant.
  • Her daugher, Coyolxauhqui, becomes angry at Coatlique and rallies her 400 brothers (400 rabbits) to storm snake mountain and kill coatlique.
  • Before it happens, Huitzilopochtli, borns full grown and armed to defend his mother from her death.
  • Huitzilopochtli decapitates his sister and throws her body off the mountain where it breaks into pieces, and she lands at the base of the mountain.
  • Sacrifices were made at the temple, and bodies were rolled from the top of the temple, down on to the stone.
  • By placing this stone in the base of the temple, they transformed it into a representation of Coatepec
  • In the Aztec festival Panquetzaliztli; festival devoted to the reenactment of the myth (Celebrated Huizilopochtli’s victory over the Moon Goddess and his 400 brothers.
40
Q

Great Goddess Statue

A
  • In Teotihuacan, found in front of the temple of the moon
  • Hole in chest makes believe that she was animated
  • She also used a serpent skirts
41
Q

Creation Myth of the Aztecs

A
  • According to nahuatl legend, the were 7 tribes that once lived at Chicomoztoc, “the place of the seven caves”; these tribes represented the 7 Nahua groups.
  • The 7 groups left their caves and settled as one group near Aztlan. The seven groups’ arrival at Aztlan was preceded by the arrival of a group known as Chichimecas.
  • The mexica where the last group to travel to aztlan.
  • One big mistery surrounding Aztlan is how far north the area would have been located.
42
Q

Chinampas

A

○ “Floating gardens” - provided the food necessary to sustain the Aztec empire.
○ They were human-made islands where crops would be grown (maize, squase, and beans)
○ Can still be found around xochimilco
- Raised fields had drainage channels and piled up soil between them. As a result, the water could constantly fertilize the soil. Year-round plots could be used with this system. Also, the water channels could be used for fishing

43
Q

Wall paint of the Great goddess of Teotihuacan

A
  • She is standing and a tree with butterflies and spiders emerges from her head; her feet is attached to the underworld.
  • Priests shown on her side.
  • Has a the face of an owl.
  • Sacrifical hole: sacrifices brings her to life
44
Q

Mictlantecuhtli

A
  • Aztec god associated with death
  • In the codices, it tells us that hey would pour blood all over it during a sacrifice.
  • They found this state escavated from the temple mayor, they tested it and it was saturated in blood.
45
Q

Theory of how civilization arise?

A
  • “praxis or action theory” by Sherry Ortner
    ○ Believes that a single person can make a difference
    ○ Abled to pull together a system to conquer other islands - unification of hawaii in 1810
  • She describes social actors as free agents acting outside of social systems; they are persons bounded and enabled by their social orders who actively produce and reproduce social formations of power.

ANTH 3313 (1 decks)

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