Ancient Civilizations in

Central & South America

Janet Pareja, Signature School, Evansville, Indiana

Earliest Civilizations in Earliest Civilizations in AmericasAmericas

• OlmecOlmec

• Mesoamerica• 1400 BCE- 400 BC1400 BCE- 400 BCE• ““Rubber People”Rubber People”

• Norte ChicoNorte Chico– Andes Mountains: CaralCaral in the Supe Valley

Early Olmec Religious Centers

Regional Religious Centers Regional Religious Centers Olmec Cities Olmec Cities

•La Venta’s Great Great Pyramid Pyramid marked the height of Olmec civilization, and was the largest structure in the Americas.

Olmec: Alluvial Plain?Coatzacoalcos Coatzacoalcos

River BasinRiver Basin

Stretched as far South as Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica…125 x 50 miles.

IrrigationIrrigationWater DrainageWater Drainage Varied by season: Too dry to Floods & Hurricanes!

Agriculture

• Slash & Burn• Beans, chilis,

avocados, gourds, avocados, gourds, tomatoestomatoes

• Maize!!Maize!!

• Cacao!!Cacao!!

• No large animals to No large animals to domesticatedomesticate

• Jade, obsidian, magnetite Jade, obsidian, magnetite items, such as masks, items, such as masks, knives… knives…

• Exotic feathers Exotic feathers • Animal skins (especially Animal skins (especially

Jaguar) Jaguar) • Kiln-made CeramicsKiln-made Ceramics• 150 – 250 miles150 – 250 miles

              

         

• ShamanismShamanism– “Nahuales” - assumed powers of

certain animals

• Birth of mankind/gods - underground• 10+ gods incl:

fire, rain, CORN/MAIZE,

Feathered Serpent… • Tree of Life• Snake Worship• Jaguar as Spirit Guide/

Weir Jaguar

17 Monolithic 17 Monolithic Basalt HeadsBasalt Heads

•50-60 miles 50-60 miles from sourcefrom source•Floated on Floated on Rivers? Rivers? •Kings as BallKings as Ball

Players? Players?

Olmec Jade

Perferators

Self-sacrifice rites:

•Rulers•Communication with Ancestors•Vital to sustain gods & world•Jade Perferators

– Also Bone, Flint, Stingray Spines, Shark Teeth…

•Height: 38 cm Width: 3 cm

• UndecipheredUndeciphered

• CalendarsCalendars• Cylinder SealsCylinder Seals

Olmec MathOlmec Math

• Long Count Calendar Long Count Calendar

dates to Sept. 3, 32 BCEdates to Sept. 3, 32 BCE

• AstronomyAstronomy

• Concept of ZeroConcept of Zero

• 365-day year365-day year

• Math: Base 20Math: Base 20

Guinea Pigs, Turkeys… Dogs

Xoloitzcuintli

• Irrigation • Drainage / Aqueducts• Kiln baked ceramics• Pyramids• Boats• NO METALLURGY!• NO WHEEL!

• RUBBER!RUBBER!

“The Ball Game” starts here!The Ball Game” starts here!

DisappearedDisappeared “MysteriouslyMysteriously”

Systematically destroyed their own ceremonial centers?

•Deserted sites.

•Broken and buried

statues.

HUARI

Tihuanaco

The Lost Pyramids of Caral

The Lost Pyramids of Caral

II. II. Norte Chico/ Caral-SupeNorte Chico/ Caral-Supe

• 3000 – 1800 BCE 3000 – 1800 BCE – Same time as Egypt and Sumer

were developing– 2000 years before Olmec- why?

• Central Coast of Peru

• Ruth Shady, 1997, Peruvian Archaeologist

Norte ChicoNorte Chico• Cities- Small

• Some economic specialization

• Economy: Agriculture & ?Economy: Agriculture & ?

– Ag: Ag: CottonCotton

• Squash, beans, guava grown by inland people in irrigated river valleys

– Trade: Sardines & Anchovies from coastal people for Fishing Nets made of cotton

• No pottery, no writing…QuipuNo pottery, no writing…Quipu

• Few sculptures, carvings…Flutes!

Ancient American CivilizationCentral America:

Olmec

1400 BCE- 400 BCE1400 BCE- 400 BCE•Math: Calendar, Writing•Lived in low, swampy land•Pyramids, Irrigation, Drainage/Aqueducts•Maize, Cacao•Long Distance Trade - Luxuries•Jade artifacts, large basalt heads, Were Jaguars, Ceramics in Kilns•Culture carried on to

Zapotecs, Teotihuacans and

Maya…

South America:

Norte Chico

3000 – 1800 BCE3000 – 1800 BCE•No writing, QUIPU!•No pottery•Mountains, foothills •Agriculture: COTTON•Long Distance Trade – especially cotton for Fish with coastal people•Products: rope, flutes, •Religious / Trade / Entertainment Centers!•Inca and others built on their culture…