A POLYCENTRIC WORLD
(Americas)
I.
Mesoamerican Urbanization
A.
Olmec (1150-400 B.C.E.)
1.
Where?
a) San Lorenzo (d. 900 B.C.E.)
b) La Venta (d. 400 B.C.E.)
2.
What?
a) chinampas
b) giant stone heads
B. Zapotec (1150 B.C.E.-700 C.E.)
--
Monte Alban (500 B.C.E.-700 C.E.)
C.
Teotihuacan (150 B.C.E.-750 C.E.)
1.
Where? = Valley of Mexico
a) trade network
b)
"naval of the universe"
2.
City = monumental geometric grid
a) Pyramids (Moon & Sun)
b) Temple of Quetzalcoatl
c) Avenue of the Dead
3.
Foundations for later civilizations
a) Toltecs at Tula (950-1170
C.E.)
--
Tolipzin's god Quetzalcoatl
b)
Aztecs at Tenochtitlan (1345-1520 C.E.)
--
warfare & human sacrifice
D.
Maya (300-900 C.E.)
1.
How do we know?
a) cities discovered (1839-1841)
b) hieroglyphs & script deciphered (1970s)
2.
What do we know?
a) city-states
--
shaman kings
--
single culture, two regions
--
warfare & human sacrifice
b) achievements: writings, calendar, math
c) agriculture: milpa
for maize
II.
South American Urbanization
A.
Coastal Settlements
1.
Moche (200 B.C.E-600 C.E.)
a)
royal tombs of Sipan
b)
warfare & human sacrifice
2.
Chimu kingdom (600-1470 C.E.)
--
capital at Chan Chan
B.
Urbanization in the Andes
1.
Chavin (1200-200 B.C.E.)
--
ceremonial centers
2.
Tiwanaku, Huari, Nazca (by 200 C.E.)
--
high plains agriculture
3.
Inca empire (1476-1534 C..E.)
a) system of roads
b) mit'a labor
c) quipu
d) terraced agriculture
--
chunu