1 / 20

Chapter 4

Chapter 4. Early Societies in the Americas and Oceania. Early Mesoamerican societies, 1200 B.C.E.-1100 C.E. Origins of Mesoamerican Societies. Migration across Bering land bridge? Probably 13,000 BCE, perhaps earlier By sea from Asia? By 9500 BCE reached southernmost part of South America

kylee-watson
Download Presentation

Chapter 4

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Chapter 4 Early Societies in the Americas and Oceania

  2. Early Mesoamerican societies, 1200 B.C.E.-1100 C.E.

  3. Origins of Mesoamerican Societies • Migration across Bering land bridge? • Probably 13,000 BCE, perhaps earlier • By sea from Asia? • By 9500 BCE reached southernmost part of South America • Hunter/Gatherer societies • evolve into agricultural societies

  4. Olmecs • 1200-100 BCE • The “Rubber People” • Ceremonial Centers • San Lorenzo, La Venta, Tres Zapotes • Olmec Heads • Up to 10 ft tall, 20 tons • Transported by dragging, rolling on logs • 1000/workers per head

  5. Agriculture and Herding • Staple: maize • Herding: turkeys, “barkless” dogs • Both food • No draft animals • No development of wheeled vehicles

  6. Olmec Society • Probably authoritarian in nature • Large class of conscripted laborers to construct ceremonial sites • Also tombs for rulers, temples, pyramids, drainage systems

  7. Mysterious Decline of Olmecs • Ceremonial centers destroyed • No evidence of warfare • Revolution? • Civil war?

  8. Maya • huge cities discovered in 19th c. • 300 BCE-900 CE • Terrace Farming • Cacao beans • hot chocolate • Currency • Major ceremonial center at Tikal

  9. Maya Warfare • Warfare for purposes of capturing enemy soldiers • Ritual sacrifice of enemies • Enslavement • Small kingdoms engage in constant conflict until Chichén Itzá begins to absorb captives • Some nevertheless choose death • Center of empire develops

  10. Mayan Ritual Calendar • Complex math • Invention of “Zero” • Calendar of 365.242 days (17 seconds off) • Solar calendar of 365 days • Ritual calendar of 260 days • Management of calendar lends authority to priesthood • Timing of auspicious moments for agriculture

  11. Mayan Language and Religion • Ideographs and a syllable-alphabet • Most writings destroyed by Spanish conquerors • Deciphering work begins in 1960s • Popol Vuh: Mayan creation myth • Importance of bloodletting rituals • Human sacrifices follow after removal of fingers, piercing to allow blood flow • Self-mutilation of penises, earlobes

  12. The Maya Ball Game • Ritual form of ball game • High-ranking captives, prisoners of war contestants • Execution of losers immediately follows the match • Bloodletting ritual for the gods

  13. City of Teotihuacan • Highlands of Mexico • Lakes in area of high elevation • Village of Teotihuacan, 500 BCE, expands to become massive city • Important ceremonial center • Extensive trade network, influenced surrounding areas • Begins to decline c. 650 CE, sacked in middle of 8th century, massive library destroyed

  14. Andean Societies • Migration into South America c. 12000 BCE • Climate improves c. 8000 BCE • Largely independent from Mesoamerica • Highly individualized due to geography

  15. Chavin Cult • New religion in central Andes, 900-300 BCE • South America, contemporary Peru • Little known about particulars of religion • Intricate stone carvings

  16. The Mochica State • Valley of the Moche River • Dominated northern Peru, 300-700 CE • Painting survives • One of many states in region, none able to consolidate into empire

  17. Early societies of Oceania, 1500 B.C.E.-700 C.E.

  18. Oceania • Prehistoric land bridges, lower seas permit migration • Outrigger canoes for open-sea travel • Early hunter-gatherer societies in Australia • Early agriculture in New Guinea

  19. Aborigine of the Naomi Tribe

  20. Lapita Peoples • Found throughout Pacific Islands • Agriculture, animal herding • Political organization based on chiefdoms • Trade over open ocean declines 500 BCE • Greater independence of settlements

More Related