COMPLEX SOCIETIES IN SOUTH AMERICA
Time required: 4-6 hours
A. Overview: This module introduces the students to past cultures in South America. At the beginning of class, a current events article is discussed. If a student has brought in the article, they introduce it to the class; the instructor then encourages discussion of what has been learned by this article and what information is lacking. The instructor will introduce the topics through lecture, providing time for students to work on an in-class activity, as well as ask questions and promote discussion. Topics include the development and characteristics of the cultures of South America, including ideology, economics, technology, political organization, settlement patterns, architecture, trade, conquest, stratification, and power.
B. Lesson Objectives:
1. Describe coastal adaptations and the development of states.
2. Identify evidence for spirituality through architecture, art, and ritual.
3. Define the role of religion in Andean societies.
4. Describe the development and characteristics of cultures: religion, economics, technology, political organization, settlement patterns, architecture, trade, conquest, stratification, and power.
5. Describe time periods of indigenous occupation.
6. Identify principles of social relevance, communication, and stewardship.
C. Matrix Principles:
1. Social relevance: use of environment; religion and society; system of inequality; conflict; how these are reflected in the past and similarities to the present.
2. Communication: Internet, current events, reflections, activities.
3. Stewardship: Sipan looting, looting at Chan Chan; what is lost.
D. Instructional Procedures: This module is primarily lecture and student activity. The current events portion is introduced to tie in archaeology to today's world. Ideally, an article relating to South American archaeology will be used. Throughout the lecture, students are asked questions to ensure they are grasping the concepts introduced. It is important to tie in real-world experiences to the content, so the questions ask the students to think of some of the concepts in the context of today's world. PowerPoint is useful to help identify concepts, but the lecture can be taught with traditional technology (e.g., whiteboard). During the Incan portion of the lecture, students are given time to research additional information on the Inca.
E. Assessment: Students are assessed on this topic in two ways. They complete the reflections addressing some of the objectives of this topic, and they complete the in-class activities.
F. Lecture Outline:
1. Current events: discuss recent news article on anthropology or archaeology; what did you learn from this article? What information do you still want to know? Are there any biases in the reporting?
2. Define time periods for various culture areas and describe geographic setting for sites (map).
3. El Paraiso: remind students of this early sedentary village discussed earlier in class; coastal adaptation.
4. Chinchorro: discuss early society and importance of spiritual belief (based on burials and mummification); Chile 's Ancient Mummies (Allison 1985).
5. Chavín de Huántar: complex political system; large site with monumental architecture; centralized polity; importance of religion; environmental adaptation.
6. Activity: Exploring Chavín de Huántar (Rick 1997): Answer the questions at the end of this Web area.
7. Moche: empire-building, valley-wide political systems, pyramids, ceremonial centers, coastal state, stratification, warfare, ritual, art, mortuary data (Sipan), collapse. The Moche (Raine et al. 1997); Introduction to MCC Anthropology Moche Information Pages (Effland and MCC 2004).
8. Tiwanaku: city-state/empire, ceremonial center, architecture, economy, agriculture, art style, ideology, collapse.
9. Wari empire: urban center, architecture, craft specialists, ideology.
10. Chan Chan: Chimu empire; architecture, ruling class, economy, irrigation networks, conflict and competition with Inca.
11. Cuzco and Machu Picchu: Inca; empire ( The Realm of the Tawantinsuyu: Land of Four Quarters [see link below]), history, administrative organization, architecture, expansion, belief system (ancestor worship); Aymara Creation and Celestial World View (Kolata 1996).
12. Activity: As you explore the Inca world, look at how the Inca state structured their society. What are some of the characteristics? What is your opinion on how well the system functioned? Consider the following: economics (forms of taxation, mit'a service), sacred center of the universe (Tahuantinsuyu).
Ancient Agriculture at Tiwanaku (Fagan 2004)
The Inca Model of Statecraft (Mosley 1992a)
Ancestors and Supernaturals (Mosley 1992b)
The Realm of the Tahuantinsuyu: Land of the Four Quarters (Effland and MCC 2004)
The World of the Kogi: Divination (Ereira 1992a)
The World of the Kogi: The First People (Ereira 1992b)
G. Readings: Price and Feinman, Chapter 9;
The
Elder Brothers (Effland and MCC 2004)
H. Activity: Class discussion on role of religion in organization of society (bring in examples from North, Central, and South America); have students discuss examples from the past and compare with those in the present; how does religion affect political decisions, conflict, and social structure?
I. Videos/Slides: Archaeology: Chinchorro (22 minutes);
Moche); History Channel: Inca Death Cults; Tiwanaku video (Archaeology
channel: 22 minutes).
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