Slide ID #1 Mesoamerica

lets get this 100%

Monument 34

Early Preclassic

c. 1200 bce-900 bce

Olmec

San Lorenzo

Subject: stone carved, deliberatly beheaded, covered with limestone fill, deliberatly buried.

• perishable, movable arms, costume detail, knots carefully worked, relief that is tactile.

Colossal Head #8 (monument 61)

Early Preclassic

c. 1200 bce - 900 bce

Olmec

San Lorenzo

subject:

• Monolithic, stone carved, stone coming from 60 miles away

• individual characteristics, formed of Basalt

• understanding of muscular/skeletal features

• dramatic beacons atop multicolored mound

• believed that heat restored in the head or lied in the head.

Pyramic C (Great Pyramid)

Middle Preclassic

c. 900-300 bce

Olmec

La Venta

Subject: 100 ft pyramid 

• originally faced w/ stone

• stable form of building

• functions as fundamental structure

• designed for a shrine on top

Colossal Head #1

Middle Preclassic

c. 900 bce-300 bce

Olmec

La Venta

subject: 

• facing outward

• power/protective function

• abandoned by 900, evidence of deliberate devistation

• rawstone came from Tuxla Mountains

  • “move mountains”

  • Guarding, royal power

  • broader, squatter than in San Lorenzo

Tomb of Monoliths

Middle Preclassic

c. 900 bce- 300 bce

Olmec

La Venta

subject: stone monoliths, hold 2 bodies, in offering covered floor with limestone slabs

• sand colored w/ cinnabar

• found ceramic offerince

  • Elite burials- cinnabar coloring

Jade Figure from Tomb of Monoliths

Middle Preclassic

c. 900 bce-300 bce

Olmec

La Venta

subject: Jade occurs naturally in mesoamerica

• covered w/ cinnabar, royal burials

• fire heat, life source

• so polished create mirror reflectivity stone in middle

• used in divination

• suggest across realms?

Buried Mosaic Pavement

Middle Preclassic

c. 900 bce- 300 bce

Olmec

La Venta

subject: Mosaic slabs buried, forming giant mask with tassels

• divine garment

• buried after created

• process over product

• activated both memory and mystery

Offering 4

middle Preclassic

c. 900 bce- 300bce

Olmec 

La Venta

subject: excavated at the corner of Basalt courtyard

• Jade & Serpentine

• carved sinewy figurines

• Olmec master of material

• 15 jade and serpentine figures face 1 granite figure

• 6 celts behind granite fig, architectural setting

• recounting La Venta sunken court

• reconfirmation of event, buried/unburied/reburied

• transformation in words & memories

Altar 4

Middle Pre-Classic

c. 900 bce- 300 bce

Olmec

La Venta

subject: throne, for ruler to be seated

• manifestation/representation of jaguar pelt

• symbol of elite authority

• wearing a pectoral, holding rope in hands, goes around

• emerging out of cave; underworld

• vegetal motif/fangs

Monument 1 (aka Petroglyph) “El Rey”

Middle Preclassic

c. 900 bce - 500 bce

Olmec 

Chalcatzingo

subject: unkown gender, prob female

• sits at niche

• headress= 2 full body quetzals

• raindrops fall on maize plants

• vegetal motifs, swirl scrolls= water/clouds/speech

• caves r associated w/ sacred rain entities

• political authority

Monument #9

Middle Preclassic

c. 900 bce-500 bce

Olmec

Chalcatzingo

subject: found laying down

• opening for people to go inside, 6ft tall

• inconographic features “earth monster”

• passageway

• 4 vegetal motifs protruding out of mouth

• simulate bromeliad branches, typical in Chalcatzingo 

Teotihuacan (aerial view & site plan)

Classic

culture: unknown

c. 100 bce- 700 ce

Teotihuacan, Mexico

subject: high dessert, eastxwest axis, “valley of dead” northx south axis,

• 1 of the largest cities of the world

• surrounded by active volcanos - obsidian

• 100,050-200,000 people lvingg in Teotihuacan

• urban, metropolitian, multiethnic, different barrios

• always known, always important, seen as a foundational place 

• birthplace/place of the gods according to the Aztecs, given name by the Mexica/ Aztecs

• 3 pyramids

Pyramid of the Moon

Classic

culture: unknown

c. 100 bce- 700 ce

Teotihuacan, Mexico

subject: dont really know if its for the moon

• has a grand courtyard

• talud-tablero

• framed by cleft mountain

• tenan- “mother of stone”

• important source for water

• cave underneath pyramid

• situated so it connects underworld

  • most likely have temple on top with sacred mountains

  • provide offering in form of burials

  • build on top of pre-existing building

  • building becomes more & more sacred

Jadeite Offerings (Burial 5), Pyramid of the Moon

Classic

Culture: unknown

c. 100 bce- 700 ce

Teotihuacan Mexico

subject: prismic/block-like forms, geometric orders

• richest burial to come to light in Teotihuacan

• 3 crossed legged individuals

• maybe represented by figure

• may have been made by the Maya

• unlike any previously known work

• Jade beads= echoed water droplets 

• emphasis on importance of water in relation to offering, community, and ceremonial practice

Pyramid of the Sun

Classic

culture: Unknown

c. 100 bce- 700 ce

Teotihuacan Mexico

subject: water is key concern

• large stairase, highly restricted place

• cave below

• man made, could have been lava tunnel

• emergence of human kind, place of origin- caves

• framed by the ridgeline of the Sierra de Puebla 

• geometry of the pyramid juxtapose the vast space

• as attendants progress upstairs, vanish and re-appear

• formed specific backdrops for ceremonial/public events

Great Goddess (Pyramid of the Moon and Palace of Quetzalpapalotl)

Classic

culture: unknown

c. 100 bce - 700 ce

Teotihuacan Mexico

subject: stable base meant to keep her in position for ever

• monumental sculpture

• believed female because of garments , nonbinary maybe

• volcanic stone, “heart of the earth”

• sacred power

• in front of or on top of pyramid of moon

• miniaturization of mountain; effigy of effigy

• skirt has motifs referring to water

• force to channel water

• cavity in chest

• jade beads, hold garment/squeezing

Talud-Tablero

Classic

culture: unknown

c. 100 bce - 700 ce

Teotihuacan, Mexico

subject: distinctive, delineates sacred architecture 

• sloping= talud, verticle= tablero

• surface for architectural ornament or stucco painting

• marks presence of Teotihuacan abroad; Kaminaljuyu

Temple (or Pyramid) of the Feathered Serpent, Quetzalcoatl

Classic

culture: unknown

c. 100 bce- 700 ce

Teotihuacan, Mexico

subject: western margin of a large enclosure

• palace of ruler

• talud-tablero facade

• huge feathered serpent heads, weigh over 4 tons

• earliest programmatic painting to survive at Teotihuacan

• blue, red, white & yellow can still be seen

• hematite as central pigment

• man made tunnel that leads to heart of feathered serpent

• ends in pools of mercury, four figures stood at edge.

Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica: cultural term, Pual Kirchoff, 1940

• grouped together by shared cultural traits

• ex: maize cultivation, ballgame, pyramids

• calendar system- 260-365 days system

Calendar System

calendar system: 260-365 day system

North America

continent ecnompessing central america and mesoamerica

• mesoamerica does not equal central america

Central America

Geopolitical term

• large geographic region that includes some of mesoamerica but also costa rice, el salvador, panama

mesoamerica distinction

cultural term

• central mex, south mex, west mex, yucatan pen, guatemala, honduras, belize

Teotl

(mexica/aztec) sacred, divine, numinous, powerful

Ear Flares

guages within mesoamerica ec (colossal head 4 olmec)

Elite Burials

when bodies are coated with cinnabar (ex. Tomb of Monoliths Olmec)

Altar

problematic, sacrific which didnt take place in certain areas, euronyous

• ex (aftar 4, olmecs)

Teotihuacan

given by the mexica/aztecs

Olmec

clay people

Tenan

“our mother of stone” ex. pyramid of the moon

Altepetl

nauahtl- “water mountain”

• alt- water

• petl- mountain 

  • metaphor for community, all communities

  • “altepetl of Teotihuacan

Chicomoztoc

place of seven caves, mythology aztecs

quetzalcoatl

feathered serpent

Talud-Tablero

architectural profile of Teotihuacan

ex. pyramid of the feathered serpent

Preclassic (aka formative)

1200 bce- 100/250 ce

early, middle, late

Classic

100/250 ce - 900 ce

• early, late classic

post classic

900 ce - 1521 ce

• early , late postclassic