Mesoamerican Archaeology; Origins of Civilization
Lesson Objectives: Characterize the anthropological understanding of the concept of civilization, compare models for its origins, see evidence in Mesoamerica and political interpretations and uses of the past there.
Before we examine prehistoric cultural evolution of Mesoamerican civilizations, we must ask the question, what is civilization? Defined anthropologically, it includes several specific criteria first noted by V. Gordon Childe (p. 466), such as cities, full-time labor specialists, state bureaucracy and organization that goes beyond kinship systems, class stratification and economic surplus, monumental public works, long-distance economic exchange, engineering and mathematical systems, writing systems, and perhaps organized state religions. We have already seen some of these things in earlier prehistoric developments, but they all come together into the most highly stratified sociopolitical system humans have developed, the state. Caution: do not confuse the emergence of food production and settled society in the Neolithic with the earliest state formation, which happened thousands of years later!
Where were the very earliest civilizations? At present
we recognize six places in the world where the earliest or pristine
states emerged independently: four in the Old World—Egypt, Mesopotamia,
Indus Valley, and China; and two in the New World—the South American
Andes and Mesoamerica.
What is meant by Mesoamerica? Central and southern Mexico, Guatemala and other parts of Central America, where several early states emerged, following long periods of establishment of farming villages. Notable achievements were the establishment of a calendar system and complex math, construction of pyramidal temples and sculpted stone monuments, ritual sacrifice of blood, hieroglyphic writing systems, and the earliest team sports, the ball game played with a ball made of sap from the rubber tree (show books on Mesoamerican ball game, Scarborough and Wilcox 1991 and Whittington 2001, and relate to team sports fanaticism in our society).
Who were the Olmec? Along the Gulf Coast of
Mexico, the term is used for the art style and associated early culture
that is sometimes seen as ancestral to all the later great Mesoamerican
states (the”mother culture”; certainly elements of later
cultures are first seen in the Olmec horizon). Major characteristics
are the huge carved basalt stone heads, stylistic attributes that emphasize
jaguar faces and jade carvings, and earthen pyramid complexes, as seen
at San Lorenzo. Olmec sites date to between 1500 B.C. and A.D.1, and
there is debate over whether they were complex chiefly societies or
the first true Mesoamerican civilization.
Who were the Maya? An early Mesoamerican civilization
that lasted from about A.D. 250-900 in the Yucatan area of Mexico and
the lowlands of Guatemala and Belize. In Guatemala, El Mirador is an
early site, and Tikal is a Classic period major center, with several
huge pyramid complexes. Palenque, in Chiapas state, Mexico, is the center,
with the tomb of the Lord Pacal. Chichén Itzá is a center
in northern Yucatan that lasted longer after the collapse of major centers
in the south. Advances in reading Mayan writing have allowed us to learn
the names of rulers and the history of the rise and fall of different
centers of political power. Agricultural production to support great
populations of large Maya centers was made possible through construction
of massive raised field complexes in the lowlands, which archaeologists
often could not see without sophisticated remote sensing methods (see
picture p. 339 of raised fields).
Where are the sites of San José Mogote and Monte
Alban, and what culture history do they relate to? In the Valley of
Oaxaca, in the southern highlands of Mexico, they relate to the development
of the Zapotec state, with major monuments and carved images of danzantes
(dancers) who probably really represent war captives.
What sites relate to culture history in the Valley of Mexico? In the center of Mexico the highland valley where Mexico City is located today was the home of an early great city-state called Teotihuacan. Reasons for its importance may have been irrigated farmland, abundant obsidian sources, religious prominence, and abundant temples. Neighborhoods of foreigners such as Zapotec and Maya have been identified within the huge city. Lasting for nearly 1,000 years, the city was abandoned after A.D. 750, to become a vacant sacred place by the time the Aztecs came along.
Who were the Aztecs? The last great civilization
in Mesoamerica. They came to the Valley of Mexico and established their
capital in A.D. 1325 at Tenochtitlán, under modern Mexico City,
on a swampy island. They constructed chinampas (raised farm plots),
causeways, and an impressive capital, and through conquest and alliance
created a large empire by the time the Spanish arrived in the early
sixteenth century. Then Cortez and his conquistadors from Europe defeated
the native rulers, mostly with their germs, and built their own city
on top of the site. But recently excavations downtown have uncovered
a great deal of this native history in Mexico, which can be compared
with both Indian and Spanish written documents to learn more of the
precolonial and colonial past. The photo on p. 358 showing downtown
Mexico City with the Aztec principal temple superimposed on its original
location is wonderful to show how one invading culture used sacredness
of place to defeat the other, and the Spanish built their cathedral
in the same spot.
Do not confuse the words Tehuacan (the valley where
early maize was found in dry caves), Teotihuacan (the ancient city in
the Valley of Mexico), and Tenochtitlán (the Aztec capital).
Are there any Maya, Zapotec, or other Mesoamerican native peoples left today? Yes, millions. Though some of these civilizations declined or disappeared before or at the time of Spanish conquest, the people are very much alive and speaking several native languages. They also have enormous pride in their native heritage. Mexico’s national archaeology program investigates, reconstructs, and interprets sites and monuments.
Discuss archaeo-tourism. In Mexico and elsewhere in
Central America, visiting archaeological sites is the principal component
of tourism. It is also economical travel for people from the U.S., who
are incredibly rich compared with the average citizen of these poorer
countries. If you plan your vacation with efficiency and also respect
for the values of other cultures, you can see a lot of archaeology.
You can also buy reproductions of famous stone monuments or pottery
or other artifacts.
Finally, you can see the use of ancient art styles and motifs as
part of everyday life in many commercial and public areas, demonstrating
the
pride in the people’s own heritage. Compare this with our public art
and architecture, which usually has absolutely no connection with the cultural
past
of our own land.
