Archeology of Mesoamerica, Middle America and Caribbean 4206-FC122z
1. The scope of the course and the basic notions. History of human settlement in the New World. The most important theories regarding the chronology of the settlement and its craddle. The meaning of the notion "Mesoamerica" and its geographical and chronological range. Mesoamerican geography (terrain, climate, drainage, natural resources). Chronology of Mesoamerica. The general characteristics of Mesoamerican civilization - the traits which make it unique among other cultures.
2. Mesoamerican languages and their geography. History of research: main discoveries, eminent travelers, archeologists, epigraphers (J. Lloyd Stephens, Ch. E. Brasseur de Bourbourg, Eric Thompson, Alberto Ruz, Yuri Knorozov etc.). The discovery of literary works on Mesoamerica. Written sources in the research of Mesoamerica. Mesoamerica in Native American (Alvarado Tezozomoc, F. Alva de Ixtlilxochitl, Popol Vuh, Chilam Balam Books, Annals of the Cakchiquels etc.) and Spanish (B. Diaz del Castillo, B. de Sahagun, D. de Landa, F. Lopez de Gomara etc.) eyes.
3. Characteristics and achievements of Mesoamerican civilization : religious systems, mathematics, calendar, scripture.Religions of Mesoamerica: cosmology, theology of time - worlds appearing in sequence, pantheon (gods of the Aztecs, Maya, Zapotecs etc.), man and divinity, significance of human sacrifice, ritual ball play.
4. Mathematics. Calendars of the Maya and the Aztecs. Tonalpohualli/tzolkin - xihuitl/haab - two intertwined calendars. Leap years, the festival of new fire, Maya's long count. Post-classic short count. Converting dates.Systems of Mesoamerican scripture. History of the research on Maya scripture.
5. General characteristics of Maya languages and scripture. Presenting the regions of Mesoamerica: the Central Highland : the pre-classic cultures, Cuicuilco, Teotihuacan, post-classic periods - the Toltecs.
6. The late post-Classical period in the Central Highland until the year 1325. The regions of Oaxaca Valley and Tehuantepec Isthmus : Zapotecs, Mixtecs, Western cultures - metalurgy. Contacts with the coast of Ecuador and Peru.
7. Michoacan - the empire of Tarascans; problem of the language, organization of the state. Rivalry with the Aztecs. Mexican Bay region; Olmecs - their role in the shaping of Mesoamerican civilization. The classical period - Tajin, post-Classic era: Totonacs and Huaxtecs.
8. Maya cultrual area (general outline: economy, political systems, architecture etc.) History: main centers of the pre-Classical period - the Mirador Valley, Guatemala Highland. Crisis in the 2nd Century AD - hipotheses. Early classical Maya centers. The invasion of Teotihuacan. The empire of Tikal and Teotihuacan. New dynasty in Copan. Foundation of Palenque.
9. The conflict of Tikal with the Kingdom of the Snake. Foundation of Dos Pilas. Local conflicts: Yaxchilan - Piedras Negras, Palenque - Tonina, Copan - Quirigua. The great crisis of the 9th Century - explanatory theories. New styles in architecture: Rio Bec, Chenes, Puuc. Yukatan in post-Classical period. The Mayapan league - hegemony of Chichen Itza. The fall of Chichen Itza, The hegemony of Mayapanu and its end. Decentralization and decline of Maya culture in Yucatan. The Quiche and Caqchikel states in the Guatemalan Highland.
10. The universal empire of Mesoamerica - the Aztec Triple Alliance (political system, economy, architecture, arts etc.)
11. Mesoamerica outside its borders. Northern Mexico, the Mississipi Valley, Caribbean islands, the small states of Central America, Columbia. Geographical environment of small countries of Central America, archaeological excavations. Peoples and languages of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
12. Significant archaeological cultures (such as Cocle). Metalurgy. Beliefs. Early state in Central America.
13. Chronology of the settlement of Caribbean islands. Tainos and Caribs in the Spanish chronicles (letters of Columbus, Diego Colón, Bartolome de las Casas and others). Archeological research and primary sites. Economy.
14. Beliefs, early state formation, regional variation (Hispaniola, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles, Bahama Islands. Arrival of the Spaniards, the end of indigenous cultures.
Type of course
Learning outcomes
The student acquires basic knowledge of the archaeology of the region He/she can discern cultural areas and place them on the map. The student understands the differences between Mesoamerican culture and the civilization of Caribbean islands and knows the origins of formation of particular cultural traits on a given area. He/she has orientation in Mesoamerican religious systems and understands the origin of characteristic phenomena of this region such as ritual ball play or human sacrifice. The student understands Mesoamerican counting system and calendar and is aware of atrocities committed by the Spaniards in Mesoamerica. He/she gets to know the bibliography of the subject as well as sources of archaeological data. The knowledge acquired during the course gives a sound basis for further scientific development and encourages the interest in the outside world.
Bibliography
1. Arte y arqueologia precolombina de Panama. 1972.
2. Barrioso Prado Diana, Solarzanao Vega Abraham: Libro de texto universitario sobre la
Historia de Guatemala. Epoca de sociedades autoctonas. Guatemala 2005
3. Costa Rica Precolombina. Arqueologia. Etnologia. Technologia, Arte. 1977
4. Fagan Brian M.: Kingdoms of gold kingdoms of jade, London 1991
5. Mayas, una civilzacion milenaria, ed. Nicolai Grube, printed in China 2006
6. Miller Mary E., Schele L. : The blood of kings. Dinasty and ritual in Maya art, New
York 1986
7. Pasztory Esther: Pre-colombian art, London 1998
8. Pueblos mesoamericanos /podręcznik dostępny w internecie; słowo klucz – pueblos
Mesoamericanos/
9. Tabio E.: Introduccion a la arqueologia de las Antillas, Habana 1988
Additional information
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