Mesoamerican Culture Flashcards
origins of the Mesoamerican
the land bridge of Alaska originally from Asia, nomadic hunter gatherers
Early Formative Period
Sedentary civilizations, agriculture based on maize
Middle Formative Era
Teotihuacan built, First Calendar,
Teotihuacan
built in the middle formative era, well planned and divided into quadrangles, contains the pyramid of the Sun, Aztecs believed it was where time began and the gods were born, Orange pottery, Avenue of the Dead, Pyramid of the Sun
Olmec
First mesoamerican culture, distinctive art of Giant stone heads and Stellae and jade artwork, built pyramids, flourished during preclassical period, practiced bloodletting, played the ball game, Tres Zapotes, La Centa, San Lorenzo
Calendars of the Mayans
centered around Venus (584 days) and eclipses, ritual length 260 days, agricultural length 365 days, the long count from 3113 BC to 2012 AD, Calendar Round 52 years, Great Cycle 104 years
Astrological tools of the Mayans
crossed sicks used as calculators, complex math based on 20 (number 0 and decimal places), seen in architecture that emphasized astrology
Chichen Itza
One of the largest/ most central Mayan cities, blended mayan and new militaristic toltecs, biggest ball court, Caracol tower
Caracol Tower
aesthetically asymmetrical, astrological use, located in Chichen Itza
Mayan language
centered on written phonetic language no hieroglyphics,
Uxmal
Large site ancient Mayan city in the Northern Yucatan, Palace of the Governor, similar windows to Chichen Itza–> suggests astrological purpose
Order of Mesoamerican cultures
Tlatlico, Teotihuacan, Tolteca, Azteca
Quebracho
the breakax tree associated with the Chaco reason of northern argenine
Aztec prophecy
vision of an eagle, devouring a serpent on a cactus on an island in a lake :: led them to lake Texcoco
Ce Acatl
day of the reed, when queztalcoatl returns from the west
Meaning of the nahuatl word Olmec
rubber lineage
stelle
large commemorative slabs of stone
Olmec art characteristics/types
Giant stone heads: almond shaped eyes with extra skin
Jade work: Feline/human features
Sculpture: stone, baby faced often, examples of body piercing
Olmec society
agriculture based, hierarchy (noble, priest, military), cult of the jaguar
Tlatilco overview
based around central mexican valley, in the preclassical period, major cities: Tlatlico, Tlapacoya, Coapexco,
Tlatilco artwork
gymnast sculptures, life and death duality shown in agricultural statues, Super hourglass figures, obese men figures
Zapotec Culture
centered south of the Olmecs around Monte Alban, again we see feline and human features blended together, as well as life and death duality
Mayan Artwork
Ceramics, textiles, stone stela, Jaina figures, masks
Jaina Island
Jaina means “water temple”, pre columbian mayan site, graveyard for the mayan elite, lots of high quality ceramic figurines recovered
Jaina Figurines
naturalistic, delicately figured with lots of jewelry and headdresses to signify status, later ones hollow and fitted with whistles or rattles
Mayan blue
distinctive blue color that stays vibrant for centuries, almost impervious to rain, acid etc. chemical composition a mystery until 1960’s, major component is mineral founded in Chichen Itza, color of Cha’ac the rain god
Cenotes
waterholes in the limestone terrain, sacred purpose for the mayans, most famous is the cenote of Chichen Itza
Tikal
capital of a conquest state, grew to dominate much of the mayan territory in the middle classical period, possible destroyed by Teotihuacan in the late classical period
Palenque
had been abandoned by mayan when Spanish arrived, named it palenque from palenc meaning palisade. Center of the mayan state B’aak (bone)
Tulum
one of the last built/inhabited Mayan cities, eastern coast of the Yucatan, survived 70 years after the Spanish conquest, Puuc style buildings
Bonampak
Mayan settlement from the Early classical period, known for its vibrant frescoes
Chacmool
sculptures of seated figures legs drawn to butt, head turned, holding plate for parts from sacrificial victims
Mayan World View
worlds is flat with 4 corners each with a color, East-Red, White North, Black-West, Yellow-South: Each corner held up by Powahtuns (0ld deities), sky held up by 4 Bakabs (atlas like)
Mayan Creation Story
4 stages of creation: 1; nothing but sea and sky the creator makes the 4 corners with a cord, 2; creator makes animals, trees nothing can pray so tabula rasa start again,
3; Creator makes hero twins,
4; twins best the gods of death establish the world
Halach Uinic
ruler of every Mayan city was a living god, dynastic: dressed in large colorful wild costumes
Culture of the Mayan Priests
called Ahkin, believed to have sole knowledge of life and death, believed the world floated on the back of a crocodile in a pond
Mayan afterlife
13 heavens, 9 hells. They lived in the 5th creation of the world, the other 4 having been destroyed by floods, humans MADE OF CORN
Reason for Mayan sacrifice
believed that the God’s would give them gifts in return for their sacrifices, pierce their tongues, foreskins, or practice ritual bloodletting
Mayan Sacrifice specifics
Priests would ( 1 ) cut out the heart of a victim, or ( 2 ) tie the victim and throw spears/arrows at his heart, assisted by 4 old men called “chacs”, or ( 3 ) throw victim into a cenote: if they survived they were brought back because the gods had spared their life
Mayan Ancestral Worship
believed ancestors became 1 with the gods, rituals for their ancestors, pyramids of the remains of their rulers
Aztec Centers
Teotihuacan, Tula, Tenochtitlan
Teotihuacan
Aztecs believed it to be center of creation and the birthplace of the Gods, NE of Mexico City, largest city of Precolumbian americas, signs of internal revolution: burned buildings, lengthy droughts
Toltecs
pre aztec culture centered in Tula, W of Mexico City, came to mean artisans for the Aztecs
Aztec overview
spoke nahuatl, situated in Lake Texcoco, created political hegemony expanding throughout mesoamerica,
Aztec Culture
based around mesoamerican culture, importance of maize
Tenochtitlan
center of Aztec power, built in lake Texcoco, artificially created landmass with floating gardens, grid plan with causeways. had Tecpan, central plaza, where stone calendar was found
Chinampas of Xochimilco
Xochimilco known for its canals, tourist attraction of Chinampas (artificial islands)
Flower wars
unclear: Either institutionalized warfare to satisfy needs for POW on either side. OR institutionalized terror on part of the Aztecs to maintain control
Aztec triple alliance
3 city states joining together: Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, Tlacopan ruled from 1428 to 1521 (defeated by spanish)
