HIST415-Ancient Mexico and Peru lecture slides

1. Pre-Contact and
Colonial
Latin America
Ancient Mexico & Peru

2. “Latin America” in the World

3. What’s in a Name?
 Latin America makes reference to
Language
Romance—Latin—languages spoken
Culture
Portuguese, Spanish, French
Colonial History
Portuguese and Spanish Empires
Location
South of Anglo—English—Canada
and United States

5. Location in the World

6. Topography

7. Current
Political
Boundaries

8. Colonial
Latin America

9. Ancient Mexico and
Peru

10. The New World

11. First Migrations
 Out of Africa
 Homo sapiens emerged 250,000 years ago
 Began migrating 60,000-100,000 years ago
 Into Eurasia
 Middle East: 51,000 years ago
 S. Europe: 20,000 years ago
 Into Australia
 60,000 years ago
 Into the Americas
 15,000-30,000 years ago
 Into the Pacific
 3500 years ago

12. Ancient Mexico
 By 10000 BC, and perhaps even earlier, people
had begun to settle in what is now Mexico
 The first migrants were predominantly
hunters and gathers
 They developed spears and darts as well as
the atl-atl, or spear thrower
 Prior to 7500 BC, they hunted large game
(mammoths, mastodons, armadillos, bison,
camels and horses)

13. Dietary Changes
Between 7500 BC and 5000 BC, as the
large game died off, they hunted reptiles
and rodents to supplement their diet of
insects, seeds, roots, nuts, berries, eggs
and shellfish.
Between 5000 BC and 2000 BC,
agricultural advances were made in the
Valley of Mexico and began spreading
throughout the Americas

15. The Three Sisters
The first plant domesticated by the
ancient Mexicans was squash,
followed by beans and maize
By 2000 BC, these three “sisters”
were cultivated throughout Mexico
and other American regions

18. Social Changes
 Agriculture changed the culture of Mexico
Those tribes that engaged in agriculture
became more sedentary, establishing
permanent villages
Leisure time allowed for artistic
expression in weaving and pottery
Complex political systems emerged
Societies became more stratified and
complex

19. The Olmec
 The Olmec have long been considered the
“mother culture” of Mexico
 The Olmec civilization flourished from about
1500 BC to AD 400 in the Gulf coast lowlands
La Venta, Tabasco and San Lorenzo, Veracruz
are two of the most important sites
 There is evidence that the Olmec were the first
Mesoamerican society to invent writing and the
concept of zero
 The Olmec constructed monumental temples and
building projects

20. Olmec Monoliths: Giant Stone Heads
The negroid facial features of these giant stone heads have led some scholars to
assert that Africans had contact with the Olmec. Other scholars contend that since
many Native American people share similar features, it is only a coincidence.

21. Olmec Centers
The Olmec civilization
emerged in the Gulf Coast
lowlands, but its influence
spread throughout greater
Mexico by 600 BC (Left)
The largest centers of
Olmec civilization were
La Venta, San Lorenzo,
Laguna de los Cerros
and Tres Zapotes (right)

22. 23
Olmec Images of Were-Jaguars
The Olmec worshiped many deities based on animals, such as the alligator and shark.
Two supernatural deities included the feathered serpent, aka Quetzalcoatl, and the were-
jaguar, often depicted as babies. It has been suggested that perhaps in-breeding among
elites resulted in babies born with spinal bifida or other birth defects, resulting in the
cleft heads and facial features depicted in the were-jaguar sculptures. These babies may
have been considered supernatural and/or offered as sacrifices.

23. Decorative Pottery
Each of these pottery pieces functions as both a vessel and as
decorative art, indicating that the Olmec incorporated aesthetics into
their everyday life.

24. Jade Work
In addition to pottery and sculpting stone, the Olmec also carved jade.
Jade pieces seem to have ceremonial purposes (l-r: axe, celts, mask)

25. Ancient Peru
 Like Mexico, the earliest inhabitants of South
America were hunter-gathers, arriving about
12500 BC
 By 7000 BC some peoples had begun
cultivating gourds and cotton
Used for fishing nets and floats
 Norte Chico (3500BC-1800BC) considered
the first civilization
 25 urban centers in coastal valleys of northern
Peru

27. Norte Chica-era Pyramid Remains

31. Chavín
 Ceremonial centers date to 2000–1000 B.C.E.
 ca. 900 B.C.E., Chavín de Huántar became
focus of religious movement
 located along trade routes
 elaborate temple complex
 beliefs drew on desert region and rain forests
 used hallucinogenic San Pedro cactus
 Widespread imitation across Peru and beyond
 Did not become an empire
 Faded by 200 B.C.E.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnIoffCCyBI

32. Gold crown c.
1200 BCE (L);
stone pendants
(lower L); stone
head (below)

34. Next Week: The Classic
Era
TO DO:
Blackboard Assignment:
Complete Map Assignment
Enjoy your Labor Day weekend 