RISE OF CIVILIZATION

RISE OF CIVILIZATION[Mesoamerica Lec1 2015.wpd] April 8, 2015T. D'Altroy

MESOAMERICA I SETTING, THE OLMEC Terence N. DAltroy[sources: Blanton et al. 1981; Wenke and Olszewski 2006; de Montmollin class notes; Grove 1992; Price and Feinman 2010]

1. New World civilizations: 2 focia. Mesoamerica1. central Mexico2. Guatemala3. Belizeb. Andes1. Colombia to Argentina3. Peru: core region for most great civilizationsc. Intermediate Area1. Honduras to Colombia and Venezuela2. chiefdom-level organization3. spectacular metallurgy

2. New World states later than most in Old Worlda. OW: Mesopotamia ca. 3600 BCb. NW1. Mesoamerica: ca. 500 BC, maybe 900 BC2. Andes: ca. 100 AD, maybe 300 BC

3. some contact between Mesoamerican and Andean civilizationsa. e.g., importation of metallurgy into west Mexico ca. AD 1200b. but state/civilization development an independent process

4. major themes of class todaya. introductionb. geographyc. chronological sequenced. Olmecs

MAJOR FEATURES OF MESOAMERICAN CIVILIZATION

1. conceptual scope of Mesoamericaa. region sharing certain basic features of civilization1. states

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2. urbanism: to varying degrees3. writing4. social complexity5. high agricultural productivityb. certain specific characteristics1. e.g., ritual ball game2. calendrics

2. Mesoamerican frontiersa. north: sharp contrast with simpler societies1. but long-distance trade in luxury goods: exportation into American Southwest2. periodic problems with invasions/migrations from northa. perhaps Aztecsb. south: more complex societies to the south1. but not as well-developed as Mesoamerican core

3. geographic/demographic scopea. 1 million sq kmb. population: about 35,000,000 in 1520

4. cultural scope: diversitya. high internal diversity: in relatively limited areab. increasing diversity over time: e.g., in1. forms of urbanism2. economy3. political organization4. language and writing5. religionc. major linguistic/cultural regions1. Gulf Coasta. Olmecsb. later: Totonac2. Central highlands of Mexicoa. Otomib. Nahua3. southern highlands: Oaxaca region1. Zapotec2. Mixtec4. southeastern Mexico and upper Central America1. Maya

5. cultural scope: interactiona. long-term and widespread evidence for intensive interaction among various region of Mesoamerica

b. elite social mobility1. elite intermarriage between regionsc. farmers: largely stationaryd. conceptual sharing1. elite bilingualism2. much sharing of ideas in religious contextse. exchange of material goods1. esp. luxury objects2. spatially restricted raw materials: e.g., obsidianf. whole of Mesoamerica is now interpreted as an elite interaction sphere

HISTORY OF MESOAMERICAN RESEARCH

1. long history of study of Mesoamerican societiesa. Spanish conquistadores1. censuses and natural resources: taxation2. administrationb. clerics1. did indigenous population have souls?a. Papal bulls affirmed that beings were humansb. validated, even dictated, the conquest of the New World2. extirpation of idolatry: burning of indigenous records

2. modern interests in prehistorya. chronologies organize national heritage1. as well as culture historyb. considerable ambivalence about relationship between1. native societies: autochthonous grandeur2. Spanish civilization: e.g., Catholicismc. Mexican revolution called upon prehistory as legitimization of self-rule1. symbols of past: key to modern image2. Aztec symbol of the eagle grasping a snake on Mexican national flag

3. continuity of past societies/populations into the presenta. demographic collapse1. disease, warfare2. 90% drop in 35,000,000 population at contactb. nonetheless, low European:native ratio1. strong resistance to Catholic conversion2. syncretic blend with native religionsc. still some large populations of native peoples1. certain degree of continuity that links to the past2. treated by some anthropologists as direct descendants of past civilizations

3. more likely just peasant component

4. archaeological researcha. location of fullest development of anthropological archaeology: comprehensive scope of human culture1. processual2. ecological3. model-oriented4. settlement pattern studies5. contextual, textual, and post-modern studiesb. strong Marxist/nationalist tradition

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING

1. 2 major tropical areasa. cool tropical highlands1. interior mountain ranges: run down spine of Mesoamericab. warm tropical lowlands1. Pacific: narrow coastal flatlands2. Gulf coast: broad coastal plain3. Yucatan peninsula

2. highlandsa. diverse environments1. often related to altitude differencesb. major centers: focused around two largest valleys1. Valley of Mexico: Teotihuacan, Aztecs2. Valley of Oaxaca: Zapotecs

3. lowlandsa. generally wetter than highlandsb. mostly semi-tropical rain forest1. localized diversity: climate and vegetation

SUMMARY OF SEQUENCE

1. Late Archaic: 5000-2000 BCa. consolidation of Mesoamerican agriculture: distinct array of crops1. main complex: maize, beans, squashb. animal husbandry limited1. no major food or draft animals

2. edible dogs, birdsc. sedentary village life1. relatively egalitarian society2. stone tool technology3. no metals4. diverse pottery manufacture5. architecturea. wattle and daub and thatched-roof housingd. social formation1. kinship: probably nuclear or extended family units2. household worship: focused on figurines and ancestors3. village-level worship led by shamansd. regional integration: prestige goods exchange

2. Early/Middle Formative: 2000-400 BCa. 2000-1200 BC1. formation of chiefdoms2. era still only modestly understoodb. 1200 BC: major emergence of Olmec culture in Gulf Coast1. stratified chiefdoms2. maybe even simple states3. large ceremonial centers: with resident populations4. incipient writing & calendar5. artistryc. independent emergence of simpler chiefdoms1. esp. Basin of Mexico2. Oaxacad. regional interaction networks1. linked leaders of Olmec2. other chiefly societies

3. Late Formative: 400 BC - AD 300 Classic: AD 300 -1000a. set stage for state formation in highlands1. coupled with urban developmenta. Teotihuacan: Basin of Mexicob. Monte Albn: Oaxacab. lowlands: multiple states in Maya region1. lesser degree of urbanismc. major cultural transformations1. multiple writing systems2. linked to increasing divergence in artistic stylesd. monumental constructions

1. great pyramids: highlands and lowlands

3. Postclassic: AD 1000-1520a. fall of first major statesb. shift of power into new centers1. e.g., Tula: Toltecsc. reemergence of power in Basin of Mexico1. Aztecs: starting about AD 12002. Aztecs overthrown by Spanish invasion in 1520

THE OLMECS

1. tropical emergence of first social complexitya. appears odd: notoriously poor tropical forest soilsb. however: soils are actually variegated1. rich soils: along banks of major river courses2. annual floods: deposit siltc. relatively easy first agriculturally-based developments1. but there are limits to productivityd. later shift to highlands1. most complex societies2. grand-scale urbanism

2. term Olmec means "the rubber people" in Nahuatla. i.e., in the Aztec languageb. almost certainly not the term that the Olmecs applied to themselves

Settlement and demography

1. regional settlement patternsa. still relatively poorly understoodb. major ceremonial centers1. size of population unclear: a few thousands?a. La Venta: perhaps as many as 20,0002. probably civic centersc. hinterland of smaller villages

2. key locales and settlementsa. San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan1. on Ro Coatzalcoalcos2. earliest major center on Gulf coast3. earliest recognizably Olmec style: 1200-900 BC

b. La Venta1. replaced San Lorenzo as most eminent center2. most important era: ranges from 1000/900 BC to 600/400 BC3. brief overlap between San Lorenzo and La Venta: 1000-900a. period of colossal headsc. other major centers: occupied at least during overlap1. Tres Zapotes2. Laguna de los Cerros: in Tuxtla mts.

3. character of major settlements: ceremonial centersa. best known component of settlements1. but increasing evidence for substantial residential components as wellb. strong ideological factors in the layout1. San Lorenzo: hilltop location ostensibly shaped into a giant bird effigya. note parallel to Hopewell effigy mounds in North America2. San Lorenzo: "ceremonial" hydraulic systemsa. network of pools on hilltop linked by canalsc. main features of core planning: San Lorenzo and La Venta1. ritual buildings2. arranged around plazasd. standardized pattern1. long plazas2. flanked by long mounds3. broken up by pyramids4. around public buildings: monuments, portraits of rulers5. long axis of many sites oriented 80 W of true north: e.g., La Ventae. central civic areas: apparently arenas for rituals associated with rulersf. civic areas set forms seen throughout Mesoamerican sequence1. pyramids2. ritual platforms3. possible ball court: San Lorenzog. offerings at La Venta1. burial of serpentine mosaica. either jaguarb. or tree of life2. array of serpentine and jade figurines

Economy

1. agriculturea. not well-studied yetb. main features can be inferred from1. environment

2. technologyc. food complex1. floral: maize-bean-squash complexa. maize grown in La Venta area by 2250 BC2. faunal: fishing and huntingd. agricultural cycle1. infield-outfield system2. river levees: productive, intensivea. annual floods3. S&B in tropical foreste. possible: Olmec rulers controlled more productive lands1. economic basis for sociopolitical differentiation2. coupled with ideological/ritual leadership

2. craft productiona. much low-level self-sufficiency1. e.g., pottery, daily toolsb. emergent craft specialists: again in prestige items1. pottery2. jade and other stones3. probably attached specialistsc. bead workshop found at San Lorenzo1. two tons of ilmenite recovered: lustrous iron-bearing ore

3. exchangea. a fair amount of movement of localized resources and prestige objects within Olmec region1. La Venta: access to sea resources, e.g., salt2. San Lorenzo: clay sources3. Laguna de los Cerros and Tres Zapotes: basalt sources for sacred monumentsb. important exchanges with other regions: e.g., Valley of Oaxaca1. Olmec to Oaxaca: sting ray spines, shark teeth, sacred imagery2. Oaxaca to Olmec: magnetite mirrors

Social organization

1. probably substantial social differentiation among the Olmec

2. residential architecturea. virtually untouched source of informationb. presumed: elites were building fancier housesc. possible: some long platforms in civic centers were residences for chiefs and ritual specialists

3. mortuary evidence: limited dataa. La Venta: one elaborate burial chamber for elite1. located next to the main plaza2. jade offeringsb. presumed: simpler burial for commoners

4. luxury items: main source of evidence for social stratificationa. mostly looted: in museums or private collectionsb. excavated items: related to civic structures as offeringsc. rationales for calling them prestige goods1. appear in civic contexts: where activities are directed and controlled by leaders2. items have elements of a sophisticated Olmec iconography and symbolisma. probably linked to notions about special origins for an elite groupb. descended from jaguars: on the male sidec. e.g., Las Limas figure with jaguar baby symbols

Political organization

1. history suggests changing locus of power over timea. San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan: 1350-900 BCb. La Venta: replaces San Lorenzo 1000-900 BC

2. strong linkage betweena. political leadershipb. ideological/ritual leadershipc. overall suggestion: theocratic rule1. rulers may have set themselves up as mediators betweena. peopleb. supernatural

3. evidencea. major labor investments1. focused on monumental constructions: temples2. not on public service works: e.g., irrigationb. labor mobilization for ritual constructions: implies sacred element to leadership1. hallmark of Mesoamerican civilizationc. votive offerings1. pyramids: repositories for offerings2. foot of the main pyramid in La Venta: large amounts of exotic jade piecesa. in a jaguar face patternb. pattern recurs later in Mesoamerica3. suggests a control of wealth items by rulers

a. who control top end of ritual systemd. possible portrayals of rulers: giant heads1. 15 known: from principal centersa. San Lorenzob. La Ventac. Tres Zapotes2. suggestion: individualized portraits of chiefsa. each one is differentb. individual portraits unusual later in Mesoamerica3. scale: 20-30 tonsa. 100s of people needed to move themb. source: quarry area next to a volcano in Tuxtla mts4. 2 colossal heads found to have been resculpted out of large rectangular Olmec thronese. conventional view: many monuments marred and buried ca. 900 BC and 500 BC1. coincident with end of Early and Middle Formative periods2. perhaps as part of a ritual celebrating the death of the associated rulers3. or popular revolt: less likelyf. however, ritual destruction of heads probably an ongoing procedure1. probably carried out by Olmecs themselves2. perhaps occurring with the deaths of specific significant rulers

Ideology and codified information

1. ideology: surprisingly accessiblea. because of the nature of Olmec artb. because of the attention it has attractedc. elements continued into later eras1. ideas/culture: seen as Mother Culture for Mesoamerican civilization2. Postclassic period: written sources mention religious ideas expressed in symbolsa. sometimes explain meanings3. ergo: later ideologies used to help interpret Olmec ideology

2. debate over nature of Olmec imagery: recent reconsiderationsa. main focus: wild animals of coastal estuary and rain forest1. harpy eagle2. jaguar3. caiman4. serpent5. sharkb. water and fire imagery also important

3. jaguar imagery: conventional interpretationsa. key, widespread element

b. were-babies1. produced by mating between a male jaguar and a human female2. ancestors of Olmec ruling lineages3. i.e., separate creation for ruling lineages4. origins of commoners not portrayed in artc. were-jaguar1. human: able to transform himself into a jaguar on special occasions2. could link with supernatural3. occurred in trance statesa. auto-sacrificeb. blood-letting: stingray spinesc. psychedelic toads: Bufo marinis4. were jaguars in Olmec society: powerful shaman-rulers5. continuity into later times: esp. in Maya area1. shaman rulers2. autosacrifice: e.g., bloodletting from genitals with stingray and cactus spines3. emphasis on links betweena. rulersb. their ancestors

4. ideology suggests social stratificationa. esp. separate creations1. rulers2. rest of societyb. some archaeologists see suggestions of state society in the evidence1. more likely complex chiefdom2. evidence for stratification linked more toa. ritual roles and social statusb. than to development of political institutionsc. continuity in importance of divination into later eras1. strong element of political status and power2. tied to sacred calendarsa. tied to divination

5. sometimes suggested that much of the art interpreted as felines was actually depicting a crocodilian: Grovea. land: represented as a crocodilian floating in primordial sea1. so-called flaming eyebrow now proposed to be crocodilian eye orbitb. water: motifs have shark-like features

Olmec writing

1. no deciphered evidence for writing and calendars among the Olmeca. Cascajal Block: ca. 800 BC1. may be writing, but not yet decipheredb. Stela C: Tres Zapotes1. oldest writing in New World2. one side of this basalt slab: Olmec-like motifs3. other side: Long-Count date of Sept. 3, 32 BCc. monument 13, La Venta1. end of Olmec civilization: dated 500-400 BC2. an example of a number of inscriptions from the Gulf Coast in the LF, Early Classic

2. 1986 Stela from Epi-Olmec era: La Mojarra Stela 1a. earliest readable text in Mesoamerica1. date: ca. AD 159b. 9 other Epi-Olmec texts knownc. post-dates Olmec grandeur1. script period dates to ca. 150 BC - AD 4502. but provides insight into culture affairs and history that had a long period of developmentd. history of warrior-ruler named Harvest Mountain Lord depicted on stone1. associated ritual activities: e.g., blood-letting2. story ends with king crushing a coup led by his brother-in-lawe. language: pre-proto-Zoquean1. ancestor of 4 languages now spoken: Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, and Oaxacaf. more closely related to Mayan hieroglyphic writing1. than to other early Mesoamerican scripts2. calendrics3. numeralsg. most epi-Olmec signs1. syllabograms: signs that represent a syllable2. or logograms: signs that represent words or morphemesh. some phonetic symbols as well

SUMMARY OF THE OLMECS

1. long thought to be mother culture of Mesoamerican civilization: certainly was precocious in many waysa. e.g., social differentiationb. monumental architecturec. craft productiond shamanistic rulership

e. proto-writing systemsf. elements of mythology: e.g., were-babies

2. but other major culture areas developed with independent features and trajectoriesa. e.g., urban patterns of Oaxaca and Valley of Mexicob. these are the subject of the next few lectures