Introduction to Anthropology

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of cultural anthropology?

  • Analysis of language structure
  • Study of material remains
  • Examination of culture and societies (correct)
  • Biological evolution of humans

Which of the following reflects a significant chronological marker in human development?

  • Anatomically modern humans appeared 100,000 years ago
  • Rise of cities occurred 10,000 years ago (correct)
  • Industrial Revolution began in 1750 A.D. (correct)
  • Agriculture developed 20,000 years ago

Which Mesoamerican period followed the Preclassic period?

  • Classic (correct)
  • Archaic
  • Spanish Invasion
  • Postclassic

The architecture at which site is characterized by Puuc style?

<p>Uxmal (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of monumental architecture in Teotihuacan?

<p>Religious and ceremonial gatherings (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which political characteristic is associated with centralized states in Mayan society?

<p>Presence of bureaucracy (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which model of political development considers both corporate and network strategies?

<p>Dual Processual Model (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following sites was known for the Tomb of Pakal the Great?

<p>Palenque (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which deity is primarily associated with rain in the Mayan cosmology?

<p>Chaac (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary agricultural technique used in the Maya civilization?

<p>Slash-and-burn (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which calendar is utilized for ritual purposes in the Maya civilization?

<p>Tzolkin (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was one major environmental factor contributing to the collapse of the Maya civilization?

<p>Drought (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following figures documented the writing system of the Maya?

<p>Diego de Landa (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary staple crop domesticated by the Maya approximately 9,000 years ago?

<p>Maize (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which system of warfare did the Maya engage in besides conquest warfare?

<p>Ritualized combat (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who was a significant advocate for indigenous rights in modern times?

<p>Rigoberta Menchú (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

What is Anthropology?

The study of humankind, specifically Homo sapiens. It encompasses various aspects of human existence, including culture, language, biology, and archaeology.

What is Cultural Anthropology?

One of the four main subfields of anthropology that focuses on the study of human cultures and societies. This includes examining their beliefs, practices, social structures, and ways of life.

What is Archaeology?

A subfield of anthropology that explores the material remains of past human behavior. This includes studying artifacts, buildings, and other remnants of past societies.

What is Linguistic Anthropology?

One of the four main subfields of anthropology concerned with the study of language, its structures, and its evolution in human societies.

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What is Physical Anthropology?

One of the four subfields of anthropology dedicated to the study of the biological and evolutionary history of humans. This includes examining human origins, physical variations, and adaptations to different environments.

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What is a Centralized State?

A system of organization and power within a society where a king or leader holds authority and controls resources. This often involves a hierarchy of officials and a system of collecting tribute from the population.

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What is the Hydraulic Hypothesis?

A model that suggests the development of centralized states is linked to the control and management of water resources, especially in arid environments. This implies that societies with access to valuable water resources are more likely to develop complex political systems.

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What is the Dual Processual Model?

A model that suggests the development of political organization is a complex process influenced by multiple factors. It argues that societies develop different strategies based on their environmental, social, and economic conditions. This often involves a combination of corporate and network-based governance.

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Maya Cosmology Realms

The Maya believed in three realms: Earth, Celestial, and Xibalba (the underworld, which included both paradises and suffering).

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Itzamná

The Maya civilization's creator deity, responsible for the creation of humans and the world.

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Chaac

This god is responsible for rain, a critical element in the Maya agricultural system.

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Maya Warfare

Maya warfare involved both ritualized combat and conquest warfare, with the Kaan dynasty using a 'Snake Glyph' to symbolize their dominance.

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Haab Calendar

This calendar system is a 365-day solar calendar used for agricultural purposes.

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Long Count Calendar

The Maya calendar system used for tracking historical events, recording dates on a linear scale.

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Hallucinogens in Maya Practices

This practice involved the use of hallucinogenic substances to induce altered states of consciousness, often during religious rituals.

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Hernan Cortes and the Maya Conquest

During the Spanish conquest, Hernan Cortes, a Spanish conquistador, used his military advantage and alliances with native groups to conquer the Maya.

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Study Notes

Introduction to Anthropology

  • Anthropology is the study of humankind, specifically Homo sapiens.
  • Four main subfields exist:
    • Cultural Anthropology: Examines cultures and societies.
    • Archaeology: Studies past human behavior through material remains.
    • Linguistic Anthropology: Focuses on language structure and evolution.
    • Physical Anthropology: Investigates biological evolution and human variation.

Key Chronological Markers in Human Development

  • 6 million years ago (mya): Early hominins.
  • 2 million years ago (mya): Early Homo species.
  • 200,000 years ago (ya): Anatomically modern humans.
  • 10,000 years ago (ya): Development of agriculture.
  • 6,000 years ago (ya): Rise of cities and states.
  • 1750 A.D.: Industrial Revolution.

Mesoamerican Cultural Periods

  • Archaic, Preclassic (Early, Middle, Late), Classic (Early, Late), Terminal Classic, Postclassic (Early, Late), Spanish Invasion.

Geography of the Maya Area

  • Mesoamerican Diversity:
    • Northern Lowlands: Characterized by tropical dry forests, limestone, and cenotes.
    • Southern Lowlands: Dense forests, consistent climate, high biodiversity.
    • Highlands: Volcanic regions, mangroves, and mountainous terrains.

Preclassic and Classic Sites

  • Cuello: Early settlement
  • Nakbe: Causeways (sacbes)
  • Tikal: Monumental architecture, linked to Teotihuacan
  • Calakmul: Power base of the Kaan dynasty
  • Caracol: Allied with Calakmul
  • Dos Pilas: Internal conflicts and warfare
  • Palenque: Tomb of Pakal the Great
  • Yaxchilan: Rituals and carved lintels
  • Ceibal: Terminal Classic significance

Postclassic Sites

  • Uxmal: Puuc architecture
  • Chichen Itza: Caracol, Temple of Warriors, Great Ballcourt
  • Mayapan: League of Mayapan hub
  • Tulum: Coastal trade center.

Structures and Monumental Architecture

  • Teotihuacan: Pyramid of the Sun, Moon, Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
  • El Mirador: Danta Pyramid
  • Palenque: Temple of the Inscriptions
  • Chichen Itza: El Castillo, Tzompantli

Maya Political Organization

  • Centralized State Characteristics: Bureaucracy, tribute systems, military.
  • Hierarchy: Ahau (king), Sajal (subordinate ruler), Yajaw (secondary leader)

Models of Political Development

  • Hydraulic Hypothesis
  • Systems Theory
  • Dual Processual Model (Corporate vs. Network strategies)

Religion and Cosmology

  • Cosmological Structure: Three Realms (Earth, Celestial, Xibalba – underworld). Xibalba includes paradisiacal and suffering realms.
  • Key Deities: Itzamna (creator deity); Kinich Ahau (sun god); Chaac (rain deity); Ix Chel (fertility and medicine); Paddler Gods (guides of the Maize God).

Rituals

  • Bloodletting, deity impersonation
  • Use of hallucinogens for altered states
  • Ceremonies marking K'atun endings

Agriculture and Economy

  • Techniques: Slash-and-burn, chinampas
  • Staple Crops: Maize, beans, squash (Three Sisters)

Warfare and Collapse Theories

  • Types of Warfare: Ritualized combat, conquest warfare (Kaan dynasty's "Snake Glyph" for dominance)
  • Collapse Theories: Environmental degradation, endemic warfare, drought. Evidence: Skeletal malnutrition, climatic records.

Astronomy, Calendar, and Writing

  • Calendars: Haab (365-day solar), Tzolkin (260-day ritual), Calendar Round (52-year cycles), Long Count (linear historical tracking)
  • Astronomical Observations: Movements of Venus, eclipses
  • Writing: Logographic and phonetic symbols; surviving codices (Dresden, Madrid, Paris, Grolier).

Colonial and Modern Contexts

  • Spanish Conquest: Resources, conversion, domination (methods: alliances, diseases, advanced weaponry)
  • Guatemalan Civil War: Social inequality, Cold War dynamics, effects: massacres, displacement

Key Historical Figures

  • Maya: Pakal the Great (Palenque), Jasaw Chan K’awiil (Tikal), (defeated Calakmul),

  • Spanish: Hernan Cortes, Diego de Landa

Modern Advocates

  • Modern Advocates: Rigoberta Menchú (Indigenous rights)

Decipherment Scholars

  • Yuri Knorosov (Phonetic decoding), Tatiana Proskouriakoff (Hieroglyph analysis).

Domestication

  • Maize domesticated ~9,000 years ago.

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