Life and Design of The Americas 2000 B.C. - 1521 A.D.

       Civilizations of the Americas that we are looking into include the Olmecs, Mayans-Toltecs, Aztecs, and Incas. Ranging from areas in Mexico, South America, and Peru.

A little bit about the culture...

       These civilizations lived in climates with tropical, humid weather with mountanous areas. The people were diverse, from nobles to commoners, leaders, farmers, divine peoples, and sports athletes. Religion played the most major role during this time period. Ceremonial/sacrificial centers and temples paved the cities layouts and oriented towns. Pyramids were built for the many gods.

Looking into the different civilizations...

• Olmecs - Flourished from 2000 B.C. - 300 B.C. when they suddenly ended. The Olmecs were the first major civilization within Mexico. They developed their own hieroglyphic writing, discovered rubber, and created the very first calendar for the Western hemisphere. They preferred realistic art, and their most precious work was jade stone. The jaguar was their chief deity symbol. It is said that the Olmecs practiced human and infant sacrifice. Common people lived in mud houses while those higher up lived in decorated homes. 
• La Venta - One of the first examples of a city with a main focus around its temple. The ceremonial center has a most interesting feature with its giant stone heads sculpted from giant basalt boulders, which can be seen throughout the area. 

 

Serpentine stone mosaic pavement. Often near burial sites.

Olmec heads, sculptures, altar, tomb, and depiction of sacrifice.

Sculptures depicting a dead, half jaguar baby that is limp for sacrifice.

• Teotihuacan - Lived from 250 B.C. - 900 A.D. when the city was deserted. The city is named "Place of the Gods" and has an overall ceremonial center that is two miles in length with a central spine road feature and a pyramid of the sun and pyramid of the moon. They also had a temple of the feathered serpent. The city was laid out on a grid, there were no city walls needed to defend these powerful people. People of Teotihuacan delved in decorative pottery and used motifs such as birds and flowers in nature as well as abstract designs. 

• Mayas - From 300 B.C. - 1521 A.D. these people lived for roughly 1,800 years. Everything was destroyed after the Spanish conquest. 
• Chichen Itza - Ceremonial area meaning "mouth of the well of Itza." There is a 75 ft high pyramid called Castillo. Jaguar thrones and ritualistic furniture were popular pieces.