Pre-classic Maya El Mirador: 400 BCE to 400 CE Peak population: 100,000 to 250,000 Massive stone buildings: La Danta 230 Ft. tall Large Urban Center supported by suburban areas outside of the city The pilots who first flew over the Mirador basin in the 1930s, among them Charles Lindbergh, were startled to see what they thought were volcanoes rising out of the limestone lowlands. In fact, they were pyramids built more than two millennia ago, and what we were circling was the largest of them all, the crown of the La Danta complex. Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/el-mirador-the-lost-city-of-the-maya-1741461/#4XCCvwX8PdbqIwL5.99

Classic Maya Tikal 200 to 900 CE 300 people per square mile Stories of alliances and wars with surrounding city-states Ruled by Teotihuacan leaders around 400 CE Tikal Temple: 154 Ft High

Maya Commonalities Separate city states shared a common culture, political system, writing system, and similar languages. Political: Monarchy lived in the city center Used elites as administrators: collecting agriculture from outer areas, collecting taxes, facilitating trade and tribute Class of Scribe-priests who were in charge of calendar calculations and history Self mutilation rituals Human sacrifice rituals

Maya Commonalities Separate city states shared a common culture, political system, writing system, and similar languages. Cultural Popul Vuh: Origin story of earth Many deities controlled everything on earth Dualistic views: Male/Female, good/evil, day/night Worship through sport: The Ball Game

Calendar The Maya developed a sophisticated calendar. The ritual calendar that developed in Mesoamerica used a count of 260 days. There were 20 day names, each represented by a unique symbol. The 260-day or sacred count calendar was in use throughout Mesoamerica for centuries, probably before the beginning of writing.

Mayan Numbers:

Maya Writing Over 800 different images were used to record their history Some are logographs Some are syllabic Multiple spellings were acceptable king sky house child

Teotihuancan ‘ Peak population: 200,000 600 CE ‘ 200 BCE Peak population: 200,000 Pyramid of the Sun: 216 Ft. tall One of the largest cities in the world at this time Diverse city with foreign centers System of Alliances and war

Norte Chico Developed 3000 BCE Some signs of specialization Established trade networks to survive along coast Influenced: Chavin, Moche, Wari, and Incan

Chavin de Huantar ‘ Cultivated Maize and potatoes 400 BCE 1200 BCE Cultivated Maize and potatoes (High and Low altitude crops) Domesticated Llamas in high altitude areas to carry heavy loads Religious/Cultural Spread: Art, temples, ceremonial centers, language

Moche 700 BCE 200 CE

Moche

Bantu Migrations Climate changes in the Sahara started the migration 6000 BCE 100 CE Climate changes in the Sahara started the migration The development of agriculture and iron gave the Bantu the advantage over hunter-gatherers living in the region Exceptions: Batwa Agriculture and Population growth

Bantu Migrations Alternatives to Empire: Rarely built large cities Exception: Zimbabwe Mostly practiced ancestor worship Established trade and marriage within Bantu culture Left no written records

Bantu Migrations So how do we know? Diffusion Archaeology: artifacts show a shared culture Language study: Glottochronology

Overall Effects of Bantu Migrations “Bantu migrations had an enormous impact on Africa’s economic, cultural, and political practices.” Influenced skills: growing crops (adapting and spreading crops), metallurgy for tools and weapons Influenced culture: ancestor worship, ideas of states, and language Influenced environment: land cultivation, domestication