1Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Chapter 6

Early Societies in the Americas and Oceania

2Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

3Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

4Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

5Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Agriculture and Herding

Staple: maize Herding: turkeys, barkless dogs

Both food No draft animals

No development of wheeled vehicles

6Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Olmec Society

Probably authoritarian in nature Large class of conscripted laborers to construct

ceremonial sites Also tombs for rulers, temples, pyramids, drainage

systems

7Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Mysterious Decline of Olmecs

Ceremonial centers destroyed No evidence of warfare Revolution? Civil war?

8Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Maya

huge cities discovered in 19th c. 300 BCE-900 CE Terrace Farming Cacao beans

hot chocolate Currency

Major ceremonial center at Tikal

9Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

10Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

11Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

12Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

13Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

14Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Andean Societies

Migration into South America c. 12000 BCE

Climate improves c. 8000 BCE

Largely independent from Mesoamerica

Highly individualized due to geography

15Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Chavin Cult

New religion in central Andes, 900-300 BCE South America, contemporary Peru

Little known about particulars of religion Intricate stone carvings

16Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

The Mochica State

Valley of the Moche River Dominated northern Peru, 300-700 CE Painting survies One of many states in region, none able to

consolidate into empire

17Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

18Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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

19Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Aborigine of the Naomi Tribe

20Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

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