Archaic Foundations
How was corn's wild ancestor probably eaten, at least initially?
As popcorn
What was the typical travel radius of a chiefdom?
~1 day
Which chiefdom in the Valley of Oaxaca gained an advantage over its competitors and relocated/became Monte Albán?
San José Mogote
Other two chiefdoms were Yegüih and Tilcajete
What generation state is Teotihuacán, and where did it develop?
First generation state
Basin of Mexico
(Other first-gen state: Monte Albán)
What are second generation states like compared to first generation?
Petty, unstable, and smaller in scale, and there are many of them
What ancestors of these three domesticated plants grew together naturally in the wild?
Corn, beans, and squash
Name two things that happened inside men's houses.
Initiate men
Chew tobacco and lime
Plan raids
Conduct other rituals
As we saw in the Valley of Oaxaca, why do temples in state-level societies have two rooms?
There's now a class of specialized, full-time priests
Inner temple for priests and other elites, outer temple for commoners to leave offerings
What was manufactured at the apartment complex of La Ventilla at Teotihuacán?
Fine masks (mask assembly line!)
All craft makers concentrated in urban center and housed in apartment-workshop compounds
What language did the Aztec (and other ancient Mesoamerican groups, like the Toltec) speak?
Nahuatl
Burials in Coxcatlán cave provide evidence of ritual practices that originated in the Archaic and continued to the time of the Aztec. What are they?
Human sacrifice and cannabalism
What role did women play in creating chiefly alliances?
Marriage alliances between and within chiefly societies
The early Monte Albán state carved many depictions of individuals in stone as part of their state propaganda. Describe what these individuals look like.
Slain captives/enemies, depicted as nude and injured
(Monument 3 at SJM with captive's name written below)
What is the evidence for Teotihuacán’s distinctive, multi-ethnic make up?
The Oaxaca Barrio at Teotihuacán
Monte Albán sent groups of citizens to live at Teotihuacán; archaeologists have recovered cultural materials characteristic of Monte Albán at Teo
The two temples atop the Templo Mayor at Tenochtitlán were dedicated to which two deities?
Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli
Which traits of teosinte changed to make maize cultivation worthwhile?
Softer fruit case, more kernels, and larger cobs
What are some ways that chiefs attempted to draw in visitors to the chiefly (tier 1) center, gain followers, and retain their power/authority?
Specialized structures (temples, ballcourts), feasts, craft specialization to produce elite goods for export
Monument 3 at SJM is one of the first instances of writing that we know about. What purpose does that first instance of writing serve?
Giving details of a specific conquest/defeat of enemy
What were the sacrificed warriors buried in Teotihuacán’s Ciudadela complex wearing around their necks?
Human upper jaws (maxillae) and teeth made of ceramics (clay teeth made to look human)
Shows how sacrifice was used at the temple of Quetzacoatl
What three cities formed the Aztec Triple Alliance?
What form did cities take during the Archaic?
Cities didn't exist in the Archaic! People were highly mobile, living in macro- or microband camps
How can archaeologists tell that chiefdoms were unstable political institutions?
Signs of raiding
Palisades
Defensive ditches
Olmec basalt head destruction
What does the Lápida de Bazán tell us about Monte Albán’s relationship with other powerful states (i.e., Teotihucán)?
Monte Albán and Teotihucán had diplomatic relations, did not attempt to conquer each other
Sent ambassadors to one another’s cities for political and religious meetings
Barrio in Teotihuácan of people from Monte Albán
Trading
Why don’t we know much about Teotihuacán’s origins?
Its main chiefly rival, Cuicuilco, was buried by a volcanic explosion (Tehuacán Valley)
Why did the Aztecs want a Colhuacan princess, what did they do to her when they got her?
They wanted to marry their highest ranking man to a royal woman, so as to improve the nobility of their blood line. They honored the Colhuacan princess by sacrificing her, flaying her, and dancing in her skin in front of her father.