Ancient Civilizations of the Americas Lecture 11

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Ancient Civilizations of the AmericasLecture 11

• The Emergence of the Complex Mayan Polities of
  the Formative

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• Who are the Maya?
• Speakers of languages
• of the Mayan family

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Mayan languages are thought to have
differentiated 2000 years ago. The original
Mayan homeland is thought to have been in the
highlands (land above 1000 m) to the south.
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Mayan Cosmology
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• Mayan Beginnings
• The Pacific Coast the coastal piedmont zone
• Southern Mexico through Guatemala
• Izapa
• Founded about 1500 BC, lasted until the Spanish
  conquest.
• Achieved fluorescence during the Late Formative
  and Early Classic period

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• Abaj Takalik
• Occupied from early Formative to Late Classic
  times.
• Has produced some of the earliest dated monuments
  from the terminal Formative, including some in
  the Mayan style.

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El Baúl Late Preclassic Stela 1 has produced
a date of AD 36
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• The Guatemala Highlands Kaminaljuyú
• Established 1000 BC in the largest valley in
  Guatemala
• Platforms built during Las Charcas phase
  (1000-750 BC), attesting to importance in jade
  trade.
• Population doubles during Majadas and Provedencia
  phases (750-400 BC)
• Verbena Phase (400-300 BC) Kaminaljuyú exerts
  influence over the coast through control of El
  Chayal obsidian source. Conical burial mounds are
  erected.

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• Kaminaljuyú
• Arenal Phase (300BC-100AD)
• Site reaches its greatest
• population density.
• First true stela appear
• Irrigation system created

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Santa Clara Phase (AD 100-200) Decline in
population and partial abandonment. Aurora
Phase (AD 200-400) and Esperanza Phase (AD
400- 550) Teotihuacano incursion
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The Southern Lowlands
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Uaxactún Carnegie Institution excavated at
Uaxactún 1926-1937 as part of a program that
included Tikal, Kaminaljuyú, and Mayapán.
Excavators Sylvanus Morley, Edwin Shook, Oliver
and Edith Ricketson The publication of this site
established a chronological scheme that was
extended to all of Mesoamerica. The earlier
ceremonial core dates to the Late Formative. At
Uaxactún a temple complex was discovered that was
designated the E group. The pyramids were
arranged in the East-North-West cardinal
directions.
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Under one pyramid, E VII a beautifully preserved
pyramid was found, only 8 m tall with 16 stucco
masks. The temple was surmounted by a pole and
thatch structure.
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E-VII Sub after 70 years of
exposure to rain
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• Nakbé
• Occupation began in the Early Formative (1400 BC)
• By 800 BC Nakbé covered 50 Hectares (124 acres)
• Sherd with the earliest known Mayan hieroglyph
  was found here.
• 500 BC (Middle Formative) the first stela are
  erected before pyramids.
• Activity ends 300 BC as the site is superceded by
  El Mirador.

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• El Mirador
• Site is one of the last major settlements to be
  investigated due to location. Excavations began
  in 1978 under Ray Matheny and Bruce Dahlin of
  BYU, superceded by Arthur Dermarest and Robert
  Sharer. Site is currently being investigated by
  Richard Hansen.
• Occupation begins 300 BC
• It was a fortified center protected by an
  escarpment and a wall.
• Structures cover 16 sq. km., the core 2 sq. km
• Pyramid complexes are separated by empty space.
• Causeways (sacbe) lead from the core.

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Cerros, Belize Excavated by David
Freidel 1977-82 Late Formative
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Sacred Precinct Created 50 BC
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Kaxob, Belize Excavated by Patricia McAnany in
1990-1993
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Middle Formative to Early Classic