Early Societies in the Americas

and Oceania
Early Mesoamerican Societies,
1200 B.C.E.-1100 C.E.
Origins of Mesoamerican Societies
Migration across Bering land bridge?
Probably 13,000 B.C.E., perhaps earlier
By sea from Asia?
By 9500 B.C.E. reached southernmost part of
South America
Hunter/gatherer societies
Evolve into agricultural societies
Olmecs
1200-100 B.C.E.
The rubber people
Ceremonial centers
San Lorenzo, La Venta, Tres Zapotes
Olmec heads
Up to 10 ft. tall, 20 tons
Transported by dragging, rolling on logs
1000 workers per head

Agriculture and Herding
Staple: maize
Herding: turkeys, barkless dogs
Both food
No draft animals
No development of wheeled vehicles
Olmec Society
Probably authoritarian in nature
Large class of conscripted laborers to construct
ceremonial sites
Also tombs for rulers, temples, pyramids, drainage
systems

Mysterious Decline of Olmecs
Ceremonial centers destroyed
No evidence of warfare
Revolution?
Civil war?
Maya
Huge cities discovered in nineteenth century
300 B.C.E.-900 C.E.
Terrace farming
Maize
Cotton
Cacao beans
Chocolate
Currency
Major ceremonial center at Tikal
Maya Warfare
Warfare for purposes of capturing enemy soldiers
Ritual sacrifice of enemies
Enslavement
Small kingdoms engage in constant conflict until
Chichn Itz begins to absorb captives
Some nevertheless choose death
Center of empire develops
Maya Ritual Calendar
Complex math
Invention of zero
Calendar of 365.242 days (17 seconds off)
Solar calendar of 365 days
Ritual calendar of 260 days
Management of calendar lends authority to
priesthood
Timing of auspicious moments for agriculture
Maya Language and Religion
Ideographs and a syllable alphabet
Most writings destroyed by Spanish conquerors
Deciphering work began in 1960s
Popol Vuh: Maya creation myth
Agricultural cycle maintained in exchange for
honors and sacrifices
Bloodletting rituals
Human sacrifices follow after removal of fingers,
piercing to allow blood flow


The Maya Ball Game
Ritual game
High-ranking captives, prisoners of war
contestants
Execution of losers immediately follows the
match
Bloodletting ritual for the gods
City of Teotihuacan
Highlands of Mexico
Lakes in area of high elevation
Village of Teotihuacan, 500 B.C.E., expands to
large agricultural city
Important ceremonial center
Extensive trade network, influenced surrounding
areas
Begins to decline ca. 650 C.E., sacked in middle
of eighth century, burned city
Andean Societies
Migration into South
America ca. 12,000
B.C.E.
Climate improves ca.
8000 B.C.E.
Largely independent from
Mesoamerica
Highly individualized due
to geography
Chavn Cult
New religion in central Andes, 900-300 B.C.E.
Little known about particulars of religion
Intricate stone carvings
Cult may have arisen when maize became an
important crop
During this era Andean society became
increasingly complex
The Mochica State
Valley of the Moche River
Dominated northern Peru, 300-700 C.E.
Painting survives
One of many states in region, none able to
consolidate into empire
Early Societies of Oceania, 1500 B.C.E.-
700 C.E.
Oceania
Prehistoric land bridges, lower seas permit
migration
Outrigger canoes for open-sea travel
Early hunter-gatherer societies in Australia
Early agriculture in New Guinea
Aborigine of the Naomi Tribe
Lapita Peoples
Found throughout Pacific islands
Agriculture, animal herding
Political organization based on chiefdoms
Trade over open ocean declines 500 B.C.E.
Greater independence of settlements