Origins of Maya Culture. Preclassic Period. Cultural Roots. Keys to Maya Development. Middle Preclassic ( B.C.) Pacific coast region:

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1 Origins of Maya Culture Preclassic Period Roots of Maya civilization begin in the Preclassic period, 2000 B.C A.D regions active during this time: Southern highlands Central lowlands, or Peten region. 1 2 Cultural Roots Various explanations offered for roots of Maya civilization. Simplest: Olmec colonization. Clearly some Olmec influence e.g. giant heads/masks. Problem: not account for growth in diverse geographic areas. 3 4 Keys to Maya Development Favorable trading locations for almost all Preclassic sites. Political system: chiefdom. Hereditary system Social ranking Specialized labor Central distribution of some resources Chief selected by heredity, but maintained power through supernatural powers and economic controls. Trade advantage through location: rivers, portages, access to valuable resources. 5 Middle Preclassic ( B.C.) Pacific coast region: Trade in obsidian, jade, serpentine, feathers with Olmec. Monuments, figures reminiscent of Olmec style. Also traded with central Mexico. 6 1

2 Highlands in Middle Preclassic Cities developed in fertile mountain valleys. El Portón: important because had earliest example of glyph writing dated to about 400 B.C. (but no written dates at that time). Suggests that writing developed in the southern regions. Current discoveries suggest that there may have been 2 distinct strains of early writing, eventually developing into one common language. Lowlands in Middle Preclassic Lowlands possibly colonized by migrants from the southern areas. Earliest centers along coast, rivers. Early public monument: Altar de Sacrificios, which developed into a large Late Classic center. 7 8 Nakbe Temple and Mask Nakbe: Middle Preclassic Center Near El Mirador - - connected by road. Earliest known center with monumental construction. Rapid growth from B.C., with construction of terraced platform structures. Masks typical of period Cival - - Late Preclassic Sun God mask Late Preclassic 400 B.C. A.D. 100 Period of rapid growth in population. Social class and stratification evident at all major sites. Elaborate funerary structures. Massive ceremonial temples

3 Kaminaljuyu Cival Stela 2 Largest site in the highlands, valley of Guatemala. Temple and monument construction began in Middle Preclassic, reached peak in Late Preclassic. More than 200 mounds now present; about half excavated Kaminaljuyu Kaminaljuyu Tomb Tak alik Ab aj Tak alik Ab aj Monument Important site because is evidence of early adoption in the southern highlands of Long Count dates. Stela 5: Long Count date equivalent to 126 A.D. Writing well-developed in southern areas: warfare, sacrifice, political succession

4 Tak alik Ab aj Frog 19 Central Lowlands in Late Preclassic Central lowlands area had similar development to that of the southern highlands. Population grew rapidly, centers became much larger, and social complexity developed. Complex religion also evident murals at San Bartolo. 20 Preclassic San Bartolo Murals San Bartolo Mural Magnificent murals found at the San Bartolo site, in Tikal region. Dated between 200 B.C. and A.D probably around 50 B.C. Earliest known murals. Record Popol Vuh stories San Bartolo reconstruction San Bartolo female figure

5 San Bartolo Maize God San Bartolo North Wall reconstruction El Mirador El Mirador reconstruction Largest Late Preclassic center in the lowlands. Architecture larger than many later Maya cities. Best known feature: triadic pyramid form El Tigre complex, El Mirador El Mirador Mask

6 Nakbe Stucco Mask reconstruction El Mirador Center Ceremonial center for elite. Connected with Calakmul, Nakbe by roads. Surrounded by patio residential groups for commoners. Despite complexity, few examples of writing in the lowlands during Preclassic, unlike the southern highlands where writing clearly established