The Maya Area ANTH 221: Peoples and Cultures of Mexico Kimberly Martin, Ph.D.

Maya Area

Preclassic Period

Maya Area - Takalik Abaj Strong Olmec influence through middle Pre-Classic (to about 300BCE) Earliest public architecture of fire- hardened clay Early houses were built with cobble floors and reed-thatched roofs supported by timber poles.

Maya Area – Takalik Abaj

Excavation of Ball Court

Maya Area – Takalik Abaj

Takalik Abaj Olmec Style Head Takalik Abaj Pot Belly Style

Maya Area – Chiapa De Corzo Stela 2, showing the date of , or December 36 BCE, the earliest Mesoamerican Long Count calendar date yet foundMesoamerican Long Count calendar clay cylinder seals and flat stamps than any other Formative Mesoamerican site, save Tlatilco. [14] Hieroglyphs appear on examples made around 100 BCE. Tlatilco [14] In 2008, archaeologists discovered a massive Middle Formative Olmec axe depositOlmec Oldest pyramid tomb yet found in North America -

Maya Area – Chiapa De Corzo Large sample of clay cylinder seals and flat stamps with hieroglyphs made around 100 BCE. Large deposit of Olmec style axes Oldest pyramid tomb yet found in North America

Chiapa de Corzo Unexcavated Area

Chiapa de Corzo Excavation

Chiapa de Corzos 1500 BC – Near Tuxtla Gutierrez in Chiapas – Isthmian Script Controversial translation – First evidence of writing BCE – First MesoAmerican Long Count Calendar Date December 10, 36 BCE Sample of Isthmian Script from La Mojarra, Veracruz

Chiapa de Corzo Oldest Pyramid Tomb with Woman’s Remains and Grave Goods 2700 BCE

Classic Period

Yaxchilan Sits within a loop of the Usumacinta River that forms the boundary between Mexico and Guademala. Hunter/Farmer population in Pre-Classic Ceremonial Center/City 350 – 810 CE (Classic Period) Conquered Bonampak and Piedras Negras at various times Warred with Palenque as a rival Associated with Tikal (the most dominant site) We have the full dynastic sequence of leaders

Yaxchilan

Palenque Medium – sized site Finest examples of Maya architecture Pakal the Great (K'inich Janaab' Pakal) – Began his reign at 12 years of age in 615 CE – Reigned until 683 (68 years). – His tomb one of the richest found in the Americas – Temple of the Inscriptions

Palenque

Uxmal 700 – 1100 CE Dominant Yucatan Maya Site

Uxmal

Uxmal Grand Pyramid

Uxmal Puuc Architecture Style

Uxmal Governor’s Palace

Uxmal “Nunnery” Quadrangle

Quadrangle of the Birds

Uxmal Pyramid of the Magician

Chichen Itza “At the mouth of the well of the Itza” (cenote) 600 – 1000 CE Monumental Architecture organized into three main groups – Central Group (Caracol Observatory) – Great Northern Platform (El Castillo, Ball Court, Temple of Warriors – Ossario (Ossario Pyramid) Network of 100 paved roads (sacbeob) Classic site with mixed ethnic influences including Tula (Chac Mool) Current theory says outside influences are from diffusion, not invasion Chichen Itza is Late Classic, Tula is Early Post Classic, so Tula is later than CI

Cenote Sagrado Largest Cenote near Chichen Itza Human Sacrifice Evidence, probably to Chac, Rain God (wounds consistent with sacrifice)

Chichen Itza

Yucatan (Puuc) Maya Uxmal (A) and Chichen Itza (I)

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza’s Temple of Kulkulcan (Questlcoatl) (El Castillo) (Unreconstructed)

Chichen Itza’s Templo de Guerreros

Chichen Itza Templo de Guerreros Chacmool

Chichen Itza’s Ball Court Largest in Mesoamerica

Chichen Itza’s El Caracol Observatory