Anthro: Unit 4

Mesoamerica

mexico, guatemala, belize, honduras, parts of el salvador

These countries make up mesoamerica

2000 BC-AD 1521

When did mesoamerica exist?

culture area

widely shared cultural practices

languages, agriculturists, ballgame

What are some cultural areas?

agriculture

What is the primary form of subsistence?

maize, beans, squash

What is the agricultural "triad" in mesoamerica?

ballgame

This was a sacred, ritualistic activity/sport that lead to an understanding of human origins

2000 BC

When is the earliest evidence of the ballgame?

6 million

how many speakers are there of the mayan language?

Nahuatl

What is the language of the aztecs?

archaeology, epigraphy, iconography, ethnohistory

What are the 4 sources of info about Mesoamerica?

iconography

ancient imagery and symbolism

ethnohistory

historical texts, in mesoamerica accounts by conquistadors

epigraphy

ancient texts

1519-21

when was the spanish conquest?

mexico city

capital of Aztec; since this is the capital researchers often look to the spanish conquest for evidence regarding aztec culture

letter to king charles v of spain

this is an example of an ethnohistoric source

1519

when was tenochtitlan?

tenochtitlan

this site is located on an island in a lake that has been drained since the conquest to make more use of the area for agriculture, mexica arrived in the Basin of Mexico and settled it in the 1300s

zocalo, mexico city

this is the present name and location of tenochtitlan

spanish conquistadors

these people had massive monuments but dismantled major bureaucratic structures

cannabalism, human sacrifice, heart extraction

These are forms of justification for violence and destruction by spanish conquistadors. Used to possibly rationalize conquest?

highlands

Western Mesoamerica, had important sources like volcanoes and lakes for salt

lowlands and maya zone

Eastern Mesoamerica (2 specifics)

civilizations

the isthmus of tehunantepc had first evidence of these

isthmus of tehuantepec

the location of this site is right in the middle of W&E, so it had a good combo of resources that contributed transition into an important trade center

volcanoes in volcano highlands

xixtle, popocatepetl, iztaccihuatl

popo

volcano in mexico city that is still active

yucutan peninsula

this site with cenotes and caves is located in the karstic lowlands

tierra caliente

belown 1000 masl, hot lands

tierra templada

1000-2000 masl, temperate lands

tierra fria

above 2000 masl, cold lands

highlands

these lands are considered tierra fria

oak and evergreens

vegetation in the highlands

triad and cacti fruit

first agriculture in the highlands

frost

this limits the growing season in the highlands and causes people to eat things that are hearty and can be stored

prickly pear

nopales with ripe tuna fruit is also known as...

cochineal

this insect became an important trade for its dye

maguey

this type of cacti food is used to wrap meats, in a celebrated drink called aguamiel, and is an important source of calories and fiber for clothes

pulque

fermented version of maguey

stone

highland resource, hard to find if you did not live in volcano zone

basalt

this type of stone was used in the highlands for manos and metates (grinding stones)

manos and metates

other names for grinding stones

obsidian

this type of rock was used for bales, spears, arrow points

pachua

green obsidian, only comes from this certain place

otumba

grey obsidian

chiles and avacados

these foods are found in the temperate lands because they require a longer growing season

grasshoppers

common food source in the temperate lands but uncommon to us americans

cotton

this resource only grows below 1500 m (NOT IN TIERRA FRIA), was worn mostly by elites, indicated high status, and was a tribute item in aztec empire

cacao

lowland crop (tierra caliente), made in a special drink including chocolate and traded as a luxury item

mahogany, cedar, ziricote

Name the 3 main tropical hardwoods

quetzal and macaw

these are the main tropical birds that are used for their feathers and one is on currency

rubber tree

castilla elastica

olmeca

"people of the rubber country"

formative period

What is the period from 2000 BC-AD 250? It starts to "look like" Mesoamerica, had social inequality, new technologies, and sedentary villages supported by ag.

ceramics

main technological development of formative period

masks and figurines

these kinds of ceramics were found around 2300 BC

tlatlilco

famous ceramic with 2 heads/faces, also had these types of burials because the figurines were found among graves

pottery

This was found in the Early Formative of Oaxaca, where early ceramic bowls imitated gourd containers

1900 BC

When was the early formative Oaxaca?

prismatic obsidian blades

this and technology developed in 1500 BC and persisted for 3000 years

horizon style

this kind of iconography in Olmec has motifs of jaguar (called were), fangs, supernatural creatures, feathered serpents

greenstone axes

This tool shows a long distance exchange of "prestige goods"

el manati

earliest olmec site, ritual offering site near springs with NO residences, used from 1600-1200 BC, had a waterlogged bog that was an excellent preservation of organics

colossal heads

there 17 total of these discovered, 10 in San Lorenzo buried in a row, and they each have distinctive faces

public works

mobilization of resources such as labor and materials by leaders ex: colossal stones from 50 km away over rough terrain

associated works

paths, bridges, ramps, rafts, and docks are associated with this kind of work

san lorenzo

central cultural area of the olmecs from 1200-900 BC

1200-900BC

When did san lorenzo exist?

olmec

this civilization developed in tierra caliente

sources of power

successful acquisition of exotic goods (trade), provision of public works, and religion are...

religion

through \_____, they were able to control ritual knowledge and access to key ceremonies, ancestors, spirits and deities

teotihuacan

"place where divinity came into being"- this is not an aztec site, was occupied much earlier than aztec but was reoccupied by Aztecs later on, considered by many to be mesoamericas first empire, widely influential, large city 125K people + supporting hinterland

central mexico

Where is teotihuacan located?

100 BC-AD 650

When did teotihuacan exist?

writing

with what did teotihuancan impact mesoamerica? Ex: monument like structure of "Stela 31" at site of Tikal gives reference to a date and name

tikal

this Mayan city is where the "arrival of strangers" was recorded in 378 AD when people dressed as teotihuacans

green obsidian

Teotihuacan controlled the only source of this, and when found in other places it represents a diplomatic relationship

avenue of the dead

in teotihuacan, this was the central ave. and had an orderly grid layout, called this for the burials alongside it

15

everything in teotihuacan is arranged in this style: how many degrees E orientation?

talud tablero

this is the name of the architectural style of bases of alters and temples

apartment complexes

these structures in teotihuacan were 2300 numerous across the city, in some cases beautifully painted, had 60-100 people in them, different sizes that showed socioeconomic status, had common stylist elements such as a "standard" orientation, open patios,

inequality

"vertical" complexity (hierarchy) in teotihuacan represents this in classes

diversity

"Horizontal" complexity represents this in teotihuacan; includes economic, religious, and economic specialization

population boom

this happened in teotihuacan in AD1-150

popo eruption

this was the reason of the depopulation of the Basin of Mexico that caused people to aggregate to teotihuacan (pop. boom)

subsistence

this was maintained in teotihuacan through rain fed and irrigated ag. fields, reliance on rural hinterland, corns/beans/squash/amaranth/tuna fruit/maguey, raised rabbits, dogs, turkeys, wild foods such as fish/deer/gees/quail/insects, imported limestone stone, wood from hinterland

dog

this was food and a companion in teotihuacan, was an important and frequent part of diet

government

there is not a lot of evidence of this in teotihuacan, but we know it differs from Maya and Olmec, they had powerful leadership, religion was an important aspect of it, and had military might

politico

religious structure

sun pyramid

this monument is slightly younger and larger than its counterpart monument, on East side of Avenue of the Dead

feathered serpent pyramid

monument that had this reptile carved on the side, held 100,000 people in capacity, meeting center

Moon pyramid

this monument in Teotihuacan has had recent excavations, has 7 different layers, periodically added to and each time it was added to it had a burial offering

burial 4

this burial in the moon pyramid had 10 males associated with Building Level 6, all decapitated

burial 2

this burial in the moon pyramid consisted of one man, 2 pumas, several eagles, an owl, falcon, wolf, 3 snakes

post classic

aztecs existed during this time period from 1200-1519

nahua and mexica

these are the traditional and ethically correct names of the "aztecs"

mexica

this culture ultimately ruled the aztec, had a "rags to riches" story

altapetl

in 1200, there were many autonomous city states in Aztec who fought with each other and traded

1430-1520

When did the Aztec Empire reign?