Ancient Mesoamerica
Why We Care and You Should Too
Why We Care and You Should Too
Let's face it. Not a lot of people know a whole lot about the beginnings of civilization in the Americas. Beyond the simple line, "[i]n 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue," all that most people retain is that the Europeans had conquered the Indigenous peoples and boom, the countries that are seen on the globe today were born. The fact of the matter is, people usually mistaken the indigenous peoples of the New World as one people, labeling them as simply "Indians." Number one, they're not Indians. And number two, that would be like naming everyone in the United States American and not United States of American. Well, people already do that and when they refer to Americans, they really mean people of the United States. Plus, the latter is a mouthful. So in a way, we're robbed of our own little identity but in an "okay" way. Seriously though, what many people today don't realize is that these people in Ancient Mesoamerica formed distinct societies that each harbored their own cherished beliefs and political systems. Mesoamerica, itself, was comprised of multiple ethnic groups, which is reasonable considering the total spread of the area we call Mesoamerica.
Mesoamerica was made up of what is now modern-day Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Although not shown on the map, it was also comprised by parts of Peru, where the Inca civilization had its roots. This area was inhabited by dozens of ethnic groups like the Aztecs and Mayans. The reason that so many are unfamiliar is that the larger groups were actually comprised of a federation of smaller groups.
Early Mesoamerican History
It is speculated that early Mesoamerican peoples arrived as early as 17.000 years ago through the Bering land bridge. Because it was so isolated from the rest of the world, particularly East Asia by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, Mesoamerican agriculture did not appear until 5,000 BCE---five thousand years after agriculture became prominent in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East. Before then, the early people of Mesoamerica lived in family groups of 25-30 people and as hunter-gatherers, much like the early people of anywhere else. They primarily hunted American bison and woolly mammoths, but by 8,000 BCE, these big game animals had died out--most likely because of either over-hunting by humans, a drastic change in climate, or disease. The most probable being a drastic climate change with the last Ice Age in the Americas ending at around 7,000 BCE. In all honesty though, over-hunting was probably the least likely. Being a hunter would mean coming home some days empty-handed. Unless they got help from intellectual, green-headed beings from space, it usually took days to locate and kill an animal. By the time agriculture was firmly established in the area, the people had cultivated the likes of corn, chili, cacao, turkeys (okay, domesticated not cultivated), tomatoes, amaranth, vanilla, avocados, and a large majority of squashes and beans.
The Mesoamerican people never domesticated the likes of cattle and horses, and this resulted in a very slow development of cities and hence, civilization. Surprisingly, during a span of the next 2,000 years countless hand-built pyramids and architecture would arise. The pyramids themselves could be used to either honor deities and/or as observatories. The people who built them were known as porters, which was a sign of some labor division in early Mesoamerica. As a porter, you would work hours and hours daily, which could lead to multiple injuries in the back area as well as broken fingers and the sort. It is widely believed then that much of the heavy stones used to build these architectural structures were actually floated down rivers on wooden planks or rafts. Either that, or they got help from intellectual, green-headed beings from space.
By the time the very first cities arose in 1,500 BCE, trade was not only prevalent but had found special importance within the merchant classes throughout the area. Silver, gold, minerals, ornaments, animal skins, and condiments were widely bought and sold. This not only provided an economic boost for these markets but also allowed to some extent a mixing of beliefs, which often occurred as a result of trade between two peoples.
The Mesoamerican people never domesticated the likes of cattle and horses, and this resulted in a very slow development of cities and hence, civilization. Surprisingly, during a span of the next 2,000 years countless hand-built pyramids and architecture would arise. The pyramids themselves could be used to either honor deities and/or as observatories. The people who built them were known as porters, which was a sign of some labor division in early Mesoamerica. As a porter, you would work hours and hours daily, which could lead to multiple injuries in the back area as well as broken fingers and the sort. It is widely believed then that much of the heavy stones used to build these architectural structures were actually floated down rivers on wooden planks or rafts. Either that, or they got help from intellectual, green-headed beings from space.
By the time the very first cities arose in 1,500 BCE, trade was not only prevalent but had found special importance within the merchant classes throughout the area. Silver, gold, minerals, ornaments, animal skins, and condiments were widely bought and sold. This not only provided an economic boost for these markets but also allowed to some extent a mixing of beliefs, which often occurred as a result of trade between two peoples.
The Great Pyramid of Cholula (shown on the right) was built to honor the Mesoamerican god known as Quetzalcoatl, which signifies a development of religion throughout parts of Mesoamerica. Based on volume, it is the largest structure to have ever been built. After their conquest, however, the Spanish would later build a church on top of it, and it is for this very reason that the entire structure has been left untouched and might never be fully renovated.
Links:
- http://www.utexas.edu/courses/stross/ant322m_files/prehistory.htm
- http://www.merriam-webster.com/concise/mesoamerican%20civilization
- http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/bevans/mesoamerican/
- http://www.famsi.org/maps/linguistic_Map.jpg