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Hispanic Civ > Mesoamerican Culture > Flashcards

Mesoamerican Culture Flashcards

1
Q

origins of the Mesoamerican

A

the land bridge of Alaska originally from Asia, nomadic hunter gatherers

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2
Q

Early Formative Period

A

Sedentary civilizations, agriculture based on maize

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3
Q

Middle Formative Era

A

Teotihuacan built, First Calendar,

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4
Q

Teotihuacan

A

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

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5
Q

Olmec

A

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

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6
Q

Calendars of the Mayans

A

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

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7
Q

Astrological tools of the Mayans

A

crossed sicks used as calculators, complex math based on 20 (number 0 and decimal places), seen in architecture that emphasized astrology

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8
Q

Chichen Itza

A

One of the largest/ most central Mayan cities, blended mayan and new militaristic toltecs, biggest ball court, Caracol tower

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9
Q

Caracol Tower

A

aesthetically asymmetrical, astrological use, located in Chichen Itza

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10
Q

Mayan language

A

centered on written phonetic language no hieroglyphics,

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11
Q

Uxmal

A

Large site ancient Mayan city in the Northern Yucatan, Palace of the Governor, similar windows to Chichen Itza–> suggests astrological purpose

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12
Q

Order of Mesoamerican cultures

A

Tlatlico, Teotihuacan, Tolteca, Azteca

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13
Q

Quebracho

A

the breakax tree associated with the Chaco reason of northern argenine

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14
Q

Aztec prophecy

A

vision of an eagle, devouring a serpent on a cactus on an island in a lake :: led them to lake Texcoco

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15
Q

Ce Acatl

A

day of the reed, when queztalcoatl returns from the west

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16
Q

Meaning of the nahuatl word Olmec

A

rubber lineage

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17
Q

stelle

A

large commemorative slabs of stone

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18
Q

Olmec art characteristics/types

A

Giant stone heads: almond shaped eyes with extra skin
Jade work: Feline/human features
Sculpture: stone, baby faced often, examples of body piercing

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19
Q

Olmec society

A

agriculture based, hierarchy (noble, priest, military), cult of the jaguar

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20
Q

Tlatilco overview

A

based around central mexican valley, in the preclassical period, major cities: Tlatlico, Tlapacoya, Coapexco,

21
Q

Tlatilco artwork

A

gymnast sculptures, life and death duality shown in agricultural statues, Super hourglass figures, obese men figures

22
Q

Zapotec Culture

A

centered south of the Olmecs around Monte Alban, again we see feline and human features blended together, as well as life and death duality

23
Q

Mayan Artwork

A

Ceramics, textiles, stone stela, Jaina figures, masks

24
Q

Jaina Island

A

Jaina means “water temple”, pre columbian mayan site, graveyard for the mayan elite, lots of high quality ceramic figurines recovered

25
Q

Jaina Figurines

A

naturalistic, delicately figured with lots of jewelry and headdresses to signify status, later ones hollow and fitted with whistles or rattles

26
Q

Mayan blue

A

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

27
Q

Cenotes

A

waterholes in the limestone terrain, sacred purpose for the mayans, most famous is the cenote of Chichen Itza

28
Q

Tikal

A

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

29
Q

Palenque

A

had been abandoned by mayan when Spanish arrived, named it palenque from palenc meaning palisade. Center of the mayan state B’aak (bone)

30
Q

Tulum

A

one of the last built/inhabited Mayan cities, eastern coast of the Yucatan, survived 70 years after the Spanish conquest, Puuc style buildings

31
Q

Bonampak

A

Mayan settlement from the Early classical period, known for its vibrant frescoes

32
Q

Chacmool

A

sculptures of seated figures legs drawn to butt, head turned, holding plate for parts from sacrificial victims

33
Q

Mayan World View

A

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)

34
Q

Mayan Creation Story

A

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

35
Q

Halach Uinic

A

ruler of every Mayan city was a living god, dynastic: dressed in large colorful wild costumes

36
Q

Culture of the Mayan Priests

A

called Ahkin, believed to have sole knowledge of life and death, believed the world floated on the back of a crocodile in a pond

37
Q

Mayan afterlife

A

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

38
Q

Reason for Mayan sacrifice

A

believed that the God’s would give them gifts in return for their sacrifices, pierce their tongues, foreskins, or practice ritual bloodletting

39
Q

Mayan Sacrifice specifics

A

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

40
Q

Mayan Ancestral Worship

A

believed ancestors became 1 with the gods, rituals for their ancestors, pyramids of the remains of their rulers

41
Q

Aztec Centers

A

Teotihuacan, Tula, Tenochtitlan

42
Q

Teotihuacan

A

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

43
Q

Toltecs

A

pre aztec culture centered in Tula, W of Mexico City, came to mean artisans for the Aztecs

44
Q

Aztec overview

A

spoke nahuatl, situated in Lake Texcoco, created political hegemony expanding throughout mesoamerica,

45
Q

Aztec Culture

A

based around mesoamerican culture, importance of maize

46
Q

Tenochtitlan

A

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

47
Q

Chinampas of Xochimilco

A

Xochimilco known for its canals, tourist attraction of Chinampas (artificial islands)

48
Q

Flower wars

A

unclear: Either institutionalized warfare to satisfy needs for POW on either side. OR institutionalized terror on part of the Aztecs to maintain control

49
Q

Aztec triple alliance

A

3 city states joining together: Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, Tlacopan ruled from 1428 to 1521 (defeated by spanish)

Hispanic Civ (9 decks)

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