Art of the Americas Before 1300Chapter 12

Historical background of Mesoamerica

• Divided between the United States, Central America, and South America

• Native and indigenous• All this is before the Europeans came.• Metallurgy is first recorded in South America (Andes)• Advanced city planning• Writing and advanced mathematics• More than 14 indigenous languages in Mesoamerica

Key Terms

• Chacmool• Ball game• Maize

Mesoamerican cultures

Olmec

• Many other cultures developed from their beliefs

• Religion is based on theirs

• Considered to be the “mother culture” of Mesoamerica

Colossal head, La Venta

Olmec

900-400 BCE

Basalt

9’4”

Weights 10 tons

Tought to depict rulers instead of gods because of individualized face.

What does this say about the culture?

Offering 4 at La Venta

• 900-400 BCE• Jade, greenstone, and

sandstone• 6.25”• Slouching bodies,

almond eyes, downturned mouths

• All conventions of Mayan art

Ceremonial ax, were-jaguar

La Venta

Olmec

900-400 BCE

Jadeite

11.5”

How would they carve this? Compared to the Chinese bi?

Seated Figure from Colima

200 BCE

Clay with orange and red slip

1’1”

In a burial chamber

Why do we know so little about these figures?

Teotihuacan

Originally an Olmec City

50-250 CE

Abandoned and adopted by the Aztecs

Teotihuacan

• 6th largest city in the world 600 CE

Teotihuacan Murals

Mayan

In Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and southern Mexico

Phonetic writing

Good at math and astronomy

Calendar at 12 months of 30 days with 5 days vacation

Stele D of Ruler 13

• Copan• 11’9”• 736 CE• Stone

• Found at Copan. Very intact site

Ball Court at Copan

• Little is known about rules.

• 93 ft long. • Largest at

Chichen Itza is 500 ft.

Tikal

• 145 ft.• 732 CE• Temple of the Giant Jaguar• Hasaw Chan K’awiil• Buried undernearth• 9 levels?• Graded slope for catching

rain water

Jaina

• Painted clay• 6.25”• 700-900 CE• Burial Figure

Bonampak “Presentation of captives to Lord Chan Muwan

• Fresco and Tempera

• Old murals• Shows the

life of a ruler

Pyramid of the Niches

• El Tajin, Mexico• Veracruz• 6th Cent. CE• 66 ft.• How many niches?• 17 ball courts

Chichen Itza, Castillo

• 98 ft.• Mayan 9th Cent.• What is unique

about the steps?• About the

solstices?• Tope temple

dedicated to Kukulcan

• Built over a smaller temple

Chichen Itza, Caracol

• “Snail Shell”• Temple as well• Circular Staircase• Astronomical Observatory

Chacmool

Tula, 16’ Toltecs

Mesoamerican Weaponry