Mesoamerican Archaeology

1
Mesoamerican Archaeology

• Toltec
• Aztec

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Post-Classic

• Collapse of many of the great nations and cities
  of the Classic Era, although some continue, such
  as in Oaxaca, Cholula, and the Maya of Yucatán,
  such as at Chichen Itza and Uxmal.
• This is sometimes seen as a period of increased
  chaos and warfare.
• The Toltec for a time dominate central Mexico in
  the 11th - 13th century, then collapse.
• The northern Maya are for a time united under
  Mayapan.
• The Aztec Empire rises in the 14th century and
  seems on the path to asserting a dominance over
  the whole region not seen since Teotihuacan, when
  Mesoamerica is discovered by Spain and conquered
  by the Conquistadors.

3
Tula and the Toltecs

• A.D. 900-1200
• Development of city north of Teotihuacan after
  its collapse in 900 A.D.
• located on the Tula river and near the Lerma
  rivers for easy communication with others.
• this new capital was closer to the northern
  limits of agriculture.
• Toltec history embellished by Aztecs, Spaniards
  and others after their collapse in 1200 A.D.

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Toltec
5
Tula Grande

• Was occupied during the prime phase of Tula
  950-1150 A.D.
• 13 km in area, with a population of 30-60,000
  residents.
• craftspeople, tradespeople, religious leaders,
  but not farmers.
• workshops included manos and metates makers.
  toolmakers.
• city laid out on n-s axis.

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Tula
7
Atlantids
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Rise of the Aztec

• From A.D. 1200 to A.D. 1370 the Basin of Mexico
  was occupied by various central Mexican peoples.
• Chichimec people settled in the area from the
  North and gradually overcame the people living
  there at that time.
• primarily due to Xolotl, who ruled a somewhat
  barbaric horde.
• Technically squatted in the area of Tenochtitlan
  and were know as the Mixeca but today Aztecs is
  more common.

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The Chichimec Period

• The Aztec originated from somewhere in north or
  northwest Mexico.
• At that time the Aztecs (who referred to
  themselves as the Mexica or Tenochca) were a
  small, nomadic, Nahuatl-speaking aggregation of
  tribal peoples living on the margins of civilized
  Mesoamerica.
• Sometime in the 12th century they embarked on a
  period of wandering and in the 13th century
  settled in the central basin of México.

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The Chichimec Period

• The Aztecs finally found refuge on small islands
  in Lake Texcoco where, in 1325, they founded the
  town of TENOCHTITLAN (modern-day Mexico City).
• Other Chichimecs followed who were more civilized
  but stole women and practiced sacrifice.
• brought knowledge of the Maya calender system,
  cultivated crops with irrigation, constructed
  with stone.

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Basin of Mexico
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Aztec Empire
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Tenochtitlan
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Tenochtitlan Reconstruction
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How were they all fed?

• Used the Chinampas (floating gardens) for
  agriculture.
• 25,000 acres of chinampas at the time of contact.
• gardens never actually floated, but were created
  by making use of the vegetaion in the swamps.
• Floating water plants were used to build up
  gardens and then were dragged onto shore for
  chinampas.
• They became anchored to the native cypress.
• Lake mud was piled on and canals were built.

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Chinampas

• However, although chinampas were very productive,
  the number of people living in the area at the
  time of contact could not keep up with
  subsistence and surplus food demands.
• These marsh plots also brought in birds and fish
  that could be gathered while they were working.

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Chinampas
Ancient Aztecs tending to chinampas
http//www.rose-hulman.edu/delacova/aztec-society
.htm
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Cultural InnovationsTrade, Economics, Market
System

• Part of inter-related regions which consisted of
  Morelos to the south, Puebla to the east,
  Mezquital to the north, and Toluca to the west.
• although many crops the same, some areas had
  their specialty crops.
• tropical fruits, cotton, cacao from Morelos,
  beans from Puebla.
• flowers were also a big part of the economy
  because one of the great pleasures was of the
  smelling of flowers.

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Aztec Market (Tlateloco)

• Market days were held once each five days, four
  times each month. Sometimes daily in larger
  towns.
• reflected community craft specializations as well
  as imported goods.
• also slaves were traded, and dogs for food (400
  on a slow day).
• Bernal Diaz de Castillo says that he didnt even
  have time to list how many things were offered
  one day at the market of Tlateloco.
• commodities and goods exchanged by barter.

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Cultural Innovations

• Writing
• Nahuatl language spoken at conquest, living
  language today.
• Many codices and glyphs to describe lifeways of
  Aztecs, as well as Spanish accounts.
• Several Significant Codices
• Codex Borbonicus
• Florentine Codex
• Codex Mendoza

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Codex Borbonicus
 
A scene from the Codex Borbonicus, which shows the gods Tlachitonátiuh and Xolotl, while on the right are the 8 to 13 days of the sixteenth series of the ritual series.
http//www.rose-hulman.edu/delacova/aztecs4.htm
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Florentine Codex
Human sacrifice http//www.rose-hulman.edu/delac
ova/florentine-codex.htm
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Codex Mendoza
Tribute 
http//www.rose-hulman.edu/delacova/codex-mendoza
.htm
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Cultural Innovations

• Art
• Stone carving to communicate ideas.
• Free-standing figures of Aztec deities.
• Aztec Calender stone.
• Atlantean figures and chocmools
• Metallurgy
• acquired from Maya.
• Mostly gold, silver.

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Art
Stone box with representations of corn cobs
Obsidian vessel carved in the shape of a monkey
Polychrome terracota plaque with molded and
apliquéd sculpture of a human face
http//www.mesoweb.com/features/jpl/99.html
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Art
Stone box with representations of corn cobs
Obsidian vessel carved in the shape of a monkey
Polychrome terracota plaque with molded and
apliquéd sculpture of a human face
http//www.mesoweb.com/features/jpl/99.html
27
Jewelry
Necklaces found in the  Great Temple at
Tenochtitlan
http//www.rose-hulman.edu/delacova/aztec-jewelry
.htm
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Masks
http//www.rose-hulman.edu/delacova/aztec-masks.h
tm
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Human Sacrifice
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Skull Rack
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Spanish Arrival Cortes

• Spanish arrive in A.D. 1519 at Vera Cruz.
• March inland to Tenochtitlan
• Received by Moctezuma II, who was then held
  captive by Cortes and his men.
• Moctezuma II dies, replaced by nephew (dies
  almost immediately from small pox), replaced by
  another nephew Cuahtemoc.

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Moctezuma II
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Mexico Revolts

• The siege began on May 21, 1521 and lasted for 85
  days.
• Finally ended when the Spanish captured the
  northeast section of the city and eventually
  conquered the remaining Aztecs.
• Cuauhtemoc sets our from the city and surrenders
  to Cortes sometime around August 14, 1521.

34
Spanish Arrival Cortes

• Spanish arrive in A.D. 1519 at Vera Cruz.
• March inland to Tenochtitlan
• Received by Moctezuma II, who was then held
  captive by Cortes and his men.
• Moctezuma II dies, replaced by nephew (dies
  almost immediately from small pox), replaced by
  another nephew Cuahtemoc.
• Cuahtemoc is forced to surrender in AD 1521.