First Civilizations of the Americas: The Olmec Chapter 2 / Section 3

The Bering Strait Land Bridge

The Bering Strait Land Bridge

Bison and Caribou

1) Where do the first people of the Americas come from? The last Ice Age (100,000-8,000 years ago)  land bridge b/w Asia and North America (the Bering Strait) Hunters and gatherers, probably pursuing bison & caribou, crossed the bridge as glaciers receded (20,000-13,000 B.C.E.)

2) Isolation Civilization of the Western Hemisphere is distinguished by its isolation from the rest of the world Over thousands of years, humans spread throughout the Western Hemisphere Adapted to polar extremes, tropical rain forests, mountains, deserts, woodlands, and prairies

3) The First Civilizations The Olmec in Mesoamerica (Mexico and northern Central America) The Chavin in the mountainous Andean region of South America

Mesoamerica

The Olmec in Mesoamerica

The Chavin in the Andes

What made the rise of these civilizations possible? The domestication of new plant varieties The introduction of new technologies Limited development of trade Social stratification & urbanization. Active community participation by political & social elites (associated w/ religion).

What did the elites do? Organize laborers to construct irrigation & drainage ditches Clear forests Farm on floodplains & hillsides  Urban centers w/ religious structures & elite housing.

Mesoamerica

Geography of Mesoamerica It is a land bridge between North and South America A range of active volcanoes run through the middle of the Central American land bridge, like a backbone That range is called the Central Highlands Volcanic ashes created fertile soil, which is used for farming

Physical Map of Mesoamerica

“Cleaned-Up” Satellite Image of Mesoamerica

Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala 8,373 feet 19 miles from Guatemala City Last erupted in 2010

The Environment The mountain ranges break the region into microenvironments: temperate highlands, tropical forest, rainforest, drier scrub forest  Amerindians developed specialized technologies that exploited native plants, animals, & minerals (obsidian, quartz, jade).

Obsidian, Quartz, Jade

Contact across environmental boundaries  trade & cultural exchange Trade, agricultural surplus, & population growth  urbanization & political & religious elites Mesoamerica was never politically unified Shared common cultural elements: technology, religion, political organization, art, & sports

The Olmec

The Olmec (1200-400 B.C.E.) Near the tropical Atlantic coast of today’s Mexican states of Veracruz & Tabasco Early advances in agriculture  urban development How?

Gathering & fishing Domestication of staples: corn, bean, squash, & manioc Surplus food Craft specialization & social stratification Political & religious elites Prestige & authority to organize labor for irrigation, drainage, & political/religious monuments or buildings

Corn, Bean, Squash, Manioc

Olmec Cultural Centers: San Lorenzo La Venta Tres Zapotes

Olmec Cultural Centers

San Lorenzo

La Venta

Tres Zapotes

The relationship among them is unclear: Rival city-states, OR Dependent centers of centralized political authority, BUT each center: Developed independently Exploited & traded specialized products (salt, cacao, clay, & limestone) Was eventually abandoned, defaced, & buried

Salt, Cacao, Clay, Limestone

Why were the centers abandoned? Rebellions or civil wars Conquests Rituals associated with the death of a ruler

Large earthen mounds dominated Olmec urban centers: - Collective ritual and political activities - Foundation for residences of elites City layout aligned with the paths of certain stars: - Belief in the significance of astronomical events

Olmec Earthen Mounds

La Venta Religious Site

Olmec Religious Pyramid

Olmec Social Structure 1) Political & religious elite: kings - Houses decorated by fine crafts - Fine dresses 2) Merchants: traded in obsidian, jade, & pottery 3) Skilled artisans: high-quality crafts (carved jade figurines, necklaces, ceremonial knives) & decorated buildings with sculptures 4) Laborers: construction work; lived in small stick-and-mud huts

Olmec Art

The Power of Rulers Colossal carved stone heads believed to memorialize individual rulers (11 ft tall) The best-known monuments of Olmec culture

Urbanization & the growing power of the religious and political elite were shared broadly by society. HOW? Example: collective labor  Increased food production  Made food production more reliable  Diversified diet  Spread of religious beliefs (clay figurines)

Olmec Religious Beliefs Religious rituals to control commoners Bloodletting and human sacrifice Polytheism Deities had dual characteristics: - male & female - human & animal Representations of powerful animals: jaguars (rulers), crocodiles, snakes, & sharks Skinchangers Shamans & healers

Olmec Jaguar-God

Role of Shamans Practical advice about rain (essential for agriculture) Urban planners (astronomical layout of cities) Development of a form of writing Calendar to organize ritual life & agriculture

Olmec Ball Game The rules of the ballgame are not known Similar to racquetball, where the aim is to keep the ball in play Ball courts vary considerably in size, but all have long narrow alleys with side-walls against which the balls could bounce In the most widespread version of the game, the players struck the ball with their hips, although some versions allowed the use of forearms, rackets, bats, or hand stones. The ball was made of solid rubber and weighed as much as 9 lbs, and sizes differed greatly over time or according to the version played The game had important ritual aspects, and major formal ballgames were held as ritual events, often featuring human sacrifice. The sport was also played casually for recreation by children and perhaps even women.

Ball Court

Human Sacrifice After Ball Game

Was the Olmec Civilization an Empire? Probably NOT. Reasons: Limited technologically & agriculturally  No significant military power  No conquests BUT!!! - Olmec products and images (jade carvings of jaguar-god) in a wide area  the Olmec had cultural influence over others.