April 29, 2009
Meso- American Government and Political Organization
Olmecs and Mayans
The Olmecs lived in Mexico during the period from about 1200BC to about 800BC. According to some historians, the Olmecs came to Mexico from West Africa – the Saharan Region, some 3500years ago. Other historians attribute the Olmecs’ ancestry to American Indians and possibly Asians. Nonetheless, the Olmecs established the first Mesoamerican civilization and their culture went on to influence many succeeding cultures in aspects pertaining to religion, language, and social class.
The Olmecs’ civilization possessed a high degree of societal organization and class stratification. The following diagram outlines the hierarchical structure of the Olmecs’ society.
Skilled Artisans, Traders, Wealthy Olmecs
Common people – corn farmers, hunters, other farmers
Mayans have been influenced by the Olmec Indians. The very first hieroglyphics were written, and cities started to appear. The early Mayan economy was based on agriculture and the exchange of farm goods. The Maya grew Indian corn, or maize. It was a staple food of many Indians in Central America for centuries. The Mayans developed the slash-and-burn farming method. A Mayan farmer would clear the cornfield by cutting bushes and girdling trees, and then he would allow the piled brush to catch fire under the sun. The ashes were then scattered among the stumps of the trees, and a sharp stick called a mattock was used to poke holes in the ground for the seeds to be laid. This method was used for centuries and it made farming the basis of the Mayan economy. It is estimated that as many as one hundred and fifty days out of the year were free from farm labor. Using the time off from farming, the Mayans built magnificent cities and temples to honor their many gods. In early Mayan history, homes were built with wattle-and-daub walls in an oval shape with a thatched roof of palmetto fronds. These homes stayed dry when it was raining, and cool when it was hot. They contained very little furniture, and were used only for eating and sleeping. Decedents of the Maya still continue to build and live in these huts today. The Mayans used stone to construct temples and pyramids. Some of their best creations include: the Caracol, an astronomical observatory in Chichen-Itza, the tomb of Lord Pacal, the royal palace, which was used to look out for invaders over the Usumacinta River, El Castillo, or the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl, and the Temple of the Magician, which was rebuilt five times to follow the rounds of the Mayan calendar every fifty two years. The great architecture was only one of the many aspects that made the Maya such an advanced civilizationThe Mayan civilization was not one unified empire, but rather a multitude of separate entities with a common cultural background. Similar to the Greeks, they were religiously and artistically a nation, but politically sovereign states.
Olmecs and Mayans
The Olmecs lived in Mexico during the period from about 1200BC to about 800BC. According to some historians, the Olmecs came to Mexico from West Africa – the Saharan Region, some 3500years ago. Other historians attribute the Olmecs’ ancestry to American Indians and possibly Asians. Nonetheless, the Olmecs established the first Mesoamerican civilization and their culture went on to influence many succeeding cultures in aspects pertaining to religion, language, and social class.
The Olmecs’ civilization possessed a high degree of societal organization and class stratification. The following diagram outlines the hierarchical structure of the Olmecs’ society.
Skilled Artisans, Traders, Wealthy Olmecs
Common people – corn farmers, hunters, other farmers
Mayans have been influenced by the Olmec Indians. The very first hieroglyphics were written, and cities started to appear. The early Mayan economy was based on agriculture and the exchange of farm goods. The Maya grew Indian corn, or maize. It was a staple food of many Indians in Central America for centuries. The Mayans developed the slash-and-burn farming method. A Mayan farmer would clear the cornfield by cutting bushes and girdling trees, and then he would allow the piled brush to catch fire under the sun. The ashes were then scattered among the stumps of the trees, and a sharp stick called a mattock was used to poke holes in the ground for the seeds to be laid. This method was used for centuries and it made farming the basis of the Mayan economy. It is estimated that as many as one hundred and fifty days out of the year were free from farm labor. Using the time off from farming, the Mayans built magnificent cities and temples to honor their many gods. In early Mayan history, homes were built with wattle-and-daub walls in an oval shape with a thatched roof of palmetto fronds. These homes stayed dry when it was raining, and cool when it was hot. They contained very little furniture, and were used only for eating and sleeping. Decedents of the Maya still continue to build and live in these huts today. The Mayans used stone to construct temples and pyramids. Some of their best creations include: the Caracol, an astronomical observatory in Chichen-Itza, the tomb of Lord Pacal, the royal palace, which was used to look out for invaders over the Usumacinta River, El Castillo, or the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl, and the Temple of the Magician, which was rebuilt five times to follow the rounds of the Mayan calendar every fifty two years. The great architecture was only one of the many aspects that made the Maya such an advanced civilizationThe Mayan civilization was not one unified empire, but rather a multitude of separate entities with a common cultural background. Similar to the Greeks, they were religiously and artistically a nation, but politically sovereign states.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)