Ancient American Societies: Olmec to Maya

1. Chapter 6 Early Societies in the Americas and Oceania

2. Early Mesoamerican societies, 1200 B.C.E.-1100 C.E.

3. Origins of Mesoamerican Societies • Migration across Bering land bridge? • Probably 13,000 BCE, perhaps earlier • By sea from Asia? • By 9500 BCE reached southernmost part of South America • Hunter/Gatherer societies • evolve into agricultural societies

4. Olmecs • 1200-100 BCE • The “Rubber People” • Ceremonial Centers • San Lorenzo, La Venta, Tres Zapotes • Olmec Heads • Up to 10 ft tall, 20 tons • Transported by dragging, rolling on logs • 1000/workers per head

5. Agriculture and Herding • Staple: maize • Herding: turkeys, barkless dogs • Both food • No draft animals • No development of wheeled vehicles

6. Olmec Society • Probably authoritarian in nature • Large class of conscripted laborers to construct ceremonial sites • Also tombs for rulers, temples, pyramids, drainage systems

7. Mysterious Decline of Olmecs • Ceremonial centers destroyed • No evidence of warfare • Revolution? • Civil war?

8. Maya • huge cities discovered in 19th c. • 300 BCE-900 CE • Terrace Farming • Cacao beans • hot chocolate • Currency • Major ceremonial center at Tikal

9. Maya Warfare • Warfare for purposes of capturing enemy soldiers • Ritual sacrifice of enemies • Enslavement • Small kingdoms engage in constant conflict until Chichén Itzá begins to absorb captives • Some nevertheless choose death • Center of empire develops

10. Mayan Ritual Calendar • Complex math • Invention of “Zero” • Calendar of 365.242 days (17 seconds off) • Solar calendar of 365 days • Ritual calendar of 260 days • Management of calendar lends authority to priesthood • Timing of auspicious moments for agriculture

11. Mayan Language and Religion • Ideographs and a syllable-alphabet • Most writings destroyed by Spanish conquerors • Deciphering work begins in 1960s • Popol Vuh: Mayan creation myth • Importance of bloodletting rituals • Human sacrifices follow after removal of fingers, piercing to allow blood flow • Self-mutilation of penises, earlobes

12. The Maya Ball Game • Ritual form of ball game • High-ranking captives, prisoners of war contestants • Execution of losers immediately follows the match • Bloodletting ritual for the gods

13. City of Teotihuacan • Highlands of Mexico • Lakes in area of high elevation • Village of Teotihuacan, 500 BCE, expands to become massive city • Important ceremonial center • Extensive trade network, influenced surrounding areas • Begins to decline c. 650 CE, sacked in middle of 8th century, massive library destroyed

14. Andean Societies • Migration into South America c. 12000 BCE • Climate improves c. 8000 BCE • Largely independent from Mesoamerica • Highly individualized due to geography

15. Chavin Cult • New religion in central Andes, 900-300 BCE • South America, contemporary Peru • Little known about particulars of religion • Intricate stone carvings

16. The Mochica State • Valley of the Moche River • Dominated northern Peru, 300-700 CE • Painting survies • One of many states in region, none able to consolidate into empire

17. Early societies of Oceania, 1500 B.C.E.-700 C.E.

18. Oceania • Prehistoric land bridges, lower seas permit migration • Outrigger canoes for open-sea travel • Early hunter-gatherer societies in Australia • Early agriculture in New Guinea

19. Aborigine of the Naomi Tribe

20. Lapita Peoples • Found throughout Pacific Islands • Agriculture, animal herding • Political organization based on chiefdoms • Trade over open ocean declines 500 BCE • Greater independence of settlements