THE MAYANS A Mesoamerican civilization
The mayans
Jan 17, 2015
The Mayans were the S & E subject at the end of the semester. This presentation completes the videos, whiteboard summaries, objects, pictures and anecdotes (I spent 6 months in Yucatan) that were used.
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Transcript
THE MAYANS
A Mesoamerican civilization
Location:
• Central America: – Mexico– Guatemala– Belize– Honduras– El Salvador– Nicaragua– Costa Rica
Mayan periods:
• Preclassic: 2600 BC – 250 AD– Importance of Southern lands, first sites
(Izapa, Chocola) based on trade: obsidian, jade, cacao, … (Little interest in metals.)
– First hieroglyphs (c. 250 BC)
• Classic: (250 – 900 AD) – Large-scale constructions and urbanism (cities):
Copan, Tikal, Palenque, (begin) Uxmal, …– Carved stones (sum rulers lives).– Long distance trade with other cultures (influences)
Teotihuacan, Zapotecs, Tainos,… (Panaman gold at Chichen Itza.)
– Traded goods : cacao, salt, sea shells, jade obsidian, ...
Mayan Collapse
• Started around 8 - 9th centuries from the South.
• Not certain why.– Non-ecological theories: peasants revolt,
collapse of trade routes, overpopulation, foreign invasion.
– Ecological theories: disaster, epidemic, climate change, (evidence) carrying capacity excess, exhaustion agricultural land, overhunting megafauna.
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