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Early Mesoamerican Civilizations

Early Mesoamerican Civilizations. The Olmec and the Chavin. The Isolated Americas. Total and complete—all the ideas, technology, agriculture, writing, etc. flying around Eurasia was absent from here

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Early Mesoamerican Civilizations

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  1. Early Mesoamerican Civilizations The Olmec and the Chavin

  2. The Isolated Americas • Total and complete—all the ideas, technology, agriculture, writing, etc. flying around Eurasia was absent from here • Environmental challenges: north-south axis, lots of mountains, changing terrain kept people separated and not alike • Around 1000 BC the development of some trade, some domestication of plants led to urbanization and social stratification

  3. The Olmecs • A cultural force —considered the mother of Mexican culture • Flourished between 1200-400 BC • Coincides with the Greeks, the Zhou, the Assyrians (western Asia), the Israelites in the Promised Land (Canaan); after the Hittites

  4. The Olmecs • Famous for their 16 giant head sculptures probably “portraits” of important leaders • Agriculture led to development of urban areas—corn, beans, and squash, maybe manioc • As leaders emerged, they organized irrigation and public works projects • Large-scale religious and civic buildings became the cultural draw

  5. The Olmecs • Special buildings and large artificial platforms were sites of gatherings—people would visit from surrounding areas for these • Cities laid out according to astronomical patterns like stars • Produced high quality crafts like jade figurines, necklaces, etc. that distinguished their culture • Ball game—rubber ball through a small stone hole in the wall, went on for days, players often died

  6. The Olmecs • Rulers controlled People with awe- Inspiring religious Rituals; rulers were Associated with the gods through sacrifices and bloodletting • Polytheistic, most gods dual natures (gender), the jaguar was important symbol/god • Political center at San Lorenzo, then moved to La Venta

  7. The Chavin • Located in Peru, in the Andes Mountains • The coast of Peru had a dependable food supply (maize), which lends itself to urbanization • Coastal populations traded textiles, food, ideas with those in the mountains and each other; Chavin de Huantar(capital) located at crossroads of trade • Chavin is simply one group that dominated a long time and seems to have inherited culture from this area

  8. The Chavin • Large labor projects indicate developed elite & maybe military control of neighbors to help construct buildings with very elaborate drainage system beneath them to resist floods • Like Olmec, used religious rituals to attract “followers”/gain influence—jaguar again a major religious symbol • Chavin de Huantar seems like a pilgrimage site

  9. The Chavin • Social Classes: class of priests, main king and more local leaders existed, highly skilled artisans, must have been a large lower (slave?) class to build • No evidence of destruction of society—increased warfare did occur at certain times, but when this group lost power is unknown

  10. Compare the Contemporaries • Use of religion by elites to control some aspect of society • Role of lowest class of people • Geographical advantages/disadvantages • Do this for: • Chavin • Olmec • Egypt • China • Mesopotamia

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