Meso-America Flashcards
what does evidence suggest about communities across Turtle Island
they were there as early as 15 000 to 20 000 years ago
cultural and archaeological evidence of maize suggests what
settled agriculture in southern US and Mesoamerica from 5000 BCE
many communities used a combination of
settled agriculture and normadic
Caral Civilization
3200 BCE to 1800 BCE
oldest know large urban centers in North America
Caral Civilziation
Caral Civilization was centered around
3 rivers in Northern peru
was the reason for decline in Caral Civilization known
NO
what is associated with the Caral Civilization
little visual art but monumental architecture
what is similar between Caral Civilization and Souther American cultures
gods worshipped
the Caral Civilization had trade networks______ other American sites
1500 years earlier
what culture does central round amphitheaters associate with
Caral
Caral central amphitheatres were
sunken and facing toward solstice
when was the Site of Caral built
2600 BCE
what is one of the oldest urban centers in the Americas
Site of Caral
what does the site of Caral contain
six ceremonial mound-shaped platforms surrounded by a large central plaza
what is thought as one of the building blocks of civilziation
ceramics
did Caral culture have ceramics
NO
were there differentiated buildings for public/ceremonial and private in Caral
YES
Mesoamerica
present-day central America
how does a culture become an empire
expand beyond the local town or city to exert power over their neighbours
What do most Mesoamerican cultures share
some interests and traditions
what are some shared interests/traditions in Mesoamerica
- ball game
- trade between distant areas
- city-states with polytheistic beliefs
4 major cultural groups of Mesoamerica
- Olmec
- Teotihuacan
- Classic Maua
- Aztec
Olmec
1500 BCE to 200 CE
Teotihuacan
200 CE to 650 CE
Classical Maya
250 to 900 CE
Aztec
1300 CE to 1600 CE
What axis are both Olmec and Teotihuacan arranged
north/south
shared features between the four main cultures of Mesoamerica
- deities
- ballgame
- 260-day calendar
- trade networks
what is an important symbol of kings in Olmec and Maya cultures
jaguars
Storm/rain god in Mexica culture is
Tlaloc
Storm/rain god in Maya is
Chaac
when does Maya culture emerge as early as
1800 BCE
when does Classical Maya culture start to decline
1300 CE
the first major culture in the Americas for leaving significant architectural ruins
Olmec
what were the Olmec architectural ruins indicative of
a large, settled population (development of cities)
when did Olmec culture start to decline
200 CE
what was very influential on later Mesoamerican cultures
Olmec
Olmec means
rubber
who gave the Olmec’s their name
Aztecs
what did the Olmec cities have
large pyramidal earth mounds oriented towards North
the pyramidal earth mound in Olmec functioned as
burial offering sites
what is called the mother culture of Mesoamerican
Olmec
what does it mean when Olmec is called the mother culture of Mesoamerican
it shares a lot
what culture has many jade artifacts
Olmec
what do all the Colossal heads of Olmec share
- flared lip
- almond eyes
- head cleft
- similar headdress
the Colossal heads of Olmec were thought to be
rulers (don’t know for sure)
what culture carved “baby figures”
Olmec
what did the Olmec people highly value
jade
what have the jade figures been associated with in Olmec
death rituals
what do the Olmec votive axes combine
human features and other animals
what is the jaguar seen as in Maya mythology
ruler of the Underworld
the jaguar in Maya mythology is a symbol of
power, ferocity and valor
what Olmec symbol relates to rulers
Harpy eagle = Bird Monster
what was the first large URBAN culture in the Americas
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan has more tribute to ____ rather than _____
gods AND rulers
Teotihuacan means
city of the gods
Teotihuacan buildings were all
- even a multiple of 83 cm
- highly organized, planned and controlled
Teotihuacan buildings are enlarged by
encasing earlier versions
Teotihuacan is in the Talud tablero style which means
lots of entablature (vertical surfaces covered in sculpture)
The Temple of the Sun has many
buried objects/offerisng
Teotihuacan decor is more _______ than Olmec
linear
what identifies Teotihuacan art
flatter, more linear style
more abstracted
more animal/human hybrids
Teotihuacan Temple of the Feathered Serpent has
murals of the feathered serpent
the temple of the feathered serpent is mostly likely associated with
warfare and human sacrifice
the feathered serpents _____ Teotihuacan
pre-dates
much of the wall surfaces in Teotihuacan were
painted in fresco
the feathered serpent in Teotihuacan becomes a symbol of
war and power
what are the dominant painting colour schemes in Teotihuacan
red predominant with green, yellow and blue
Maya is used for the
people and culture
Mayan is used for the
language
Are Mayas still extent
YES
Maya culture was originally organized into
separate city-states ruled by leaders who were closely linked to gods
Maya culture was
polytheistic
The ball game fields in Maya was linked to the
Ancient Olympics
the cities in Maya (like other Mesoamerican)
were oriented along compass axis
what contrasts the Mayans from Teotihuacan
Maya was very decentralized while Teotihuacan was very centralized
Why did the Mayans decline
possibly due to crop failure
The site Tikal in Maya was a
major center
larger Maya centers had
wealthy rulers who commisoned art to glorify their court
Maya society was
highly stratified (class structure)
The Mayans had many traditions and beliefs from
Olmec
the Mayans had regular trade and battle with
Teotihuacan and Aztecs
do Maya ceramic vessels survive
YES
Mayan ceramic vessels were a symbol of
wealth but were found in tombs from wealthy to lower ranks
Mayan rain GOd
Chauhk
The Mayan Cup shows the
circle of life
glyphs are common in
Maya
glyphs
writing in abstract symbol
glyphs can make the imagery hard to pull out in Mayan
TRUE
painted vessels in Maya give an idea to the
court diplomacy and court life
Maya sculpture material ranges from
wood, jade to stone
Mayan sculpture has worked in both
round and bas-reliefs
what is very typical of Mayan sculpture
hands curled
what is a mesoamerican identifer
flared ears
Codex
word for book and sometimes refers to non-paper, sewn manuscript
Codex is used for _______ manuscripts
all Mesoamerican
what was an important culture form for Maya
codex
Pre-Hispanic codices
frame line with symbolic
the Dresden Codex contains
astronomical tables describing planets, solstices..
Mayan had _____ calendars
- 365 solar calendar
- 260 day calendar
what did Mayan used to calculate the leap year
Venus
What two planets were the most important to Maya
Mars and Venus
Spanish colonized Maya and tried to do what
forcibly convert the local population to Catholicism
how many pre-Hispanic codices survive
only FOUR
