1. Mesoamerican Civilizations Chronology Early Excavations Predominant Cultures

2. Early Excavations Matthew Williams Stirling (1896-1975) In 1938, Stirling made an expedition to southern Mexico to excavate Olmec artifacts. After discovering colossal heads and taking pictures of them he sent the photos to the National Geographic Society. Later he was advised to apply for grants from the NGS which he received and was supported by the NGS and the Smithsonian Institution between 1938 and 1946. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/pqrst/stirling_matthew.html

3. Early Excavations con’d Dr. Alfonso Caso, a Mexican archaeologist, led one of the first explorations and restorations of this archaeological zone. His project, completed in 18 stages, began in 1931 and finished in 1953. Based on studies of the architecture of the buildings, tombs, ceramics, and jewelry, he determined that the history of Monte Alban could be divided into distinct epochs based on social organization, population density, and exchange systems. In this manner he established 5 epochs designated as Monte Alban I, II, III, IV and V http://www.mexonline.com/oaxaca/oxarc101.htm

4. Marshall Saville Marshall Saville, the first Curator of Mexican and Central American Archaeology at the AMNH (1894-1907). He used the relatively new technology of the camera to great effect in documenting his excavations. http://archaeology.about.com/gi/dynamic/of fsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=archaeology&zu=h ttp%3A%2F%2Fanthro.amnh.org%2Fanth ropology%2Fresearch%2Farchaeo.htm

5. Sonora, Mexico The Sonora- Sinaloa Archaeological Survey Project directed by Gordon F. Ekholm (1937- 1940). http://archaeology.about.com/gi/dynamic/of fsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=archaeology&zu=h ttp%3A%2F%2Fanthro.amnh.org%2Fanth ropology%2Fresearch%2Farchaeo.htm

6. Linda Schele Linda Schele was a Mesoamerican scholar who died in 1998. She is best know for her work on translations of Maya hieroglyphs and has written several great books which include "Maya Glyphs: The Verbs" (Schele 1982), the "Palenque Bodega" book (Schele and Mathews 1979), "The Blood of Kings" (Schele and Miller 1986), "A Forest of Kings" (Schele and Freidel 1990), "Maya Cosmos" (Freidel, Schele, and Parker 1993), and "The Code of Kings" (Schele and Mathews 1998). http://www.famsi.org/research/schele/

7. Mesoamerican Chronology Contact ca. AD 1500 Late Post-Classic Period AD 1200-1500 Early Post-Classic Period AD 900-1200 ------- Late Classic Period AD 600-900 Early Classic Period (Mexico: AD 150-650/Maya: AD 250-600) ------- Late Formative (Pre-Classic) Period 300 BC - AD 300 Middle Formative (Pre-Classic) Period 900-300 BC Early Formative (Pre-Classic) Period 1500/1800-900 BC ------- Archaic (Incipient Farming) Period 7000± - 2000± BC ------- Early Hunters 11,000± - 7,000± BC

8. Early Hunters Hunter-Gatherers Mobile Small groups Pre-ceramic, pre-writing

9. Archaic Early hunter-gatherers transitioning to horticulture. Beginning sedentism Pottery begins late

10. Pre-Classic (Formative) Nation States Development of cities Olmec Also Zapotec and early Maya (Late Formative)

11. Olmec 1939 Matthew Stirling was sent by the Smithsonian and National Geographic to investigate giant stone carvings. Olmec lived in this area between 1500 B.C. and 100 A.D.

12. Olmec Area

13. Colossal Heads

14. Characteristic Traits Building of clay pyramids and temple mounds Particular sculptural style weeping or snarling jaguar/human infant were-jaguar colossal heads basalt monuments Fine jade carving Basic Mesoamerican civilization Artifacts with Olmec traits found in preclassic horizons throughout Mesoamerica. “Cult of the Jaguar” considered a basic Olmec trait.

15. Classic Teotihuacan grows to a metropolis and its empire dominates Mesoamerica. The greatest era of the cities of the Maya southern lowlands, such as Tikal, Palenque, and Copán. The Classic Era ended earlier in Central Mexico, with the fall of Teotihuacan around the 7th century, than it did in the Maya area, which continued for centuries more. The late period of continued Maya development is sometimes known as the Florescent Era.

16. Teotihuacan Size and Construction At its height, around 125,000 people and covering 22 sq kilometers. More ceremonial centers than any other prehispanic site. Planned and laid out along a rectilinear network of roads and paths. Avenue of the Dead-major north to south axis. East and West Avenues divided the city into quadrants. The “citadel” was at their center. In front of this was the great compound.

17. Temples and Pyramids Constructed with Talud-tablero architecture cut stone facing Framed panels (tablero) sloping basal elements (talud) 5000 known structures. Pyramid of the Sun 212 ft high, 700 ft wide, 35,000,000 cu ft of fill (equivalent to 10 modern oil tankers). cave located underneath with sacred objects in it. Pyramid of the Moon located at the north end of the avenue of the dead. Temple of the Feathered Serpent (at the Citadel) Residential structures apartment compounds

18. Pyramid of the Sun

19. Maya Slow, gradual change. Did not develop overnight. Due to several factors resource concentration, population growth, beginnings of cultural variability, development of ideologies, migration of ideas from other cultures Small Kingdoms, No centralized state. succession of regional centers not really dominant over neighbors Productive agriculture

20. Mayan Regions

21. Palenque

22. Uaxactun

23. Tikal

24. Floating Gardens-Chinampas

25. The Mesoamerican Ballgame Called tlachtli by the Aztecs, game played with hard rubber ball. Spanish document stone rings as goals, but those dating before 700 A.D. do not have them. Typically i-shaped courts, balls weighing up to 5 pounds. ball had to be kept in motion could not be hit with hands or feet associated with fertility, death, militarism and sacrifice. sacrifice of defeated team members documented in late accounts.

26. Ballcourt

27. Calendar System Calender Round basic unit was a day, not broken down further. two recurring cycles of time 260-day and 365-day ran simultaneously making up a period of 52 years. 260-day cycle (Maya:Tzokin, Aztec:Tonalpohualli) primarily religious and divinatory guidance of daily affairs 20 named days, combined with numbers 1-13, in which the exact combination of name and number would recur every 260 days. not based on natural phenomenon. 365-day cycle (Maya:Haab, Aztec:Xihuitl) 18 named months of 20 days each, plus 5 additional days of apprehension and bad luck at the end of the year. Days numbered from 0-19, and to return to any given date, 52 years would have to pass. Prophesy that “this world” will end in 2012.

28. Collapse of the Maya Circa A.D. 800-900 Monumental architecture ends Depopulation of large centers Theories: Drought Warfare

29. Post-Classic Collapse of many of the great nations and cities of the Classic Era, although some continue, such as in Oaxaca, Cholula, and the Maya of Yucatán, such as at Chichen Itza and Uxmal. This is sometimes seen as a period of increased chaos and warfare. The Toltec for a time dominate central Mexico in the 11th - 13th century, then collapse. The northern Maya are for a time united under Mayapan. The Aztec Empire rises in the 14th century and seems on the path to asserting a dominance over the whole region not seen since Teotihuacan, when Mesoamerica is discovered by Spain and conquered by the Conquistadors.

30. Toltec

31. Atlantids from Tula Grande

32. The Aztec From A.D. 1200 to A.D. 1370 the Basin of Mexico was occupied by various central Mexican peoples. Chichimec people settled in the area from the North and gradually overcame the people living there at that time. primarily due to Xolotl, who ruled a somewhat barbaric horde. Technically squatted in the area of Tenochtitlan and were know as the Mixeca but today Aztecs is more common.

33. Basin of Mexico

34. Tenochtitlan

35. Spanish Arrival: Cortes Spanish arrive in A.D. 1519 at Vera Cruz. March inland to Tenochtitlan Received by Moctezuma II, who was then held captive by Cortes and his men. Moctezuma II dies, replaced by nephew (dies almost immediately from small pox), replaced by another nephew: Cuahtemoc. Cuahtemoc is forced to surrender in AD 1521.