ANTH 1140 Overall Study Guide

**Introduction to Anthropology** **Definition and Subfields:** - Anthropology: The study of humankind, specifically Homo sapiens. - Four Subfields: - Cultural Anthropology: Examines culture and societies. - Archaeology: Studies material remains of past human behavior. - L...

**Introduction to Anthropology** **Definition and Subfields:** - Anthropology: The study of humankind, specifically Homo sapiens. - Four Subfields: - Cultural Anthropology: Examines culture and societies. - Archaeology: Studies material remains of past human behavior. - Linguistic Anthropology: Focuses on language, its structure, and evolution. - Physical Anthropology: Investigates biological evolution and human variation. **Key Chronological Markers in Human Development:** - 6 Mya: Early hominins. - 2 Mya: Early Homo species. - 200,000 ya: Anatomically modern humans. - 10,000 ya: Development of agriculture. - 6,000 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:** Tropical dry forests, limestone, cenotes. - **Southern Lowlands:** Dense forests, consistent climate, biodiversity. - **Highlands:** Volcanic regions, mangroves, and mountainous terrains. **Major Sites** **Preclassic and Classic Sites:** - **Cuello:** Early settlement. - **Nakbe:** Causeways (sacbes). - **Tikal:** Monumental architecture; linked with Teotihuacan. - **Calakmul:** Kaan (Snake) dynasty's power base. - **Caracol:** Allied with Calakmul against Tikal. - **Dos Pilas:** Internal conflicts, warfare. - **Palenque:** Pakal the Great's tomb. - **Yaxchilan:** Rituals and carved lintels. - **Ceibal:** Terminal Classic significance. **Postclassic Sites:** - **Uxmal:** Puuc architecture. - **Chichen Itza:** Caracol, Temple of the 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 and deity impersonation. - Use of hallucinogens for altered states. - K'atun endings marked with ceremonies. **Agriculture and Economy** - **Techniques:** Slash-and-burn, chinampas. - **Staple Crops:** Maize, beans, squash (Three Sisters). - **Domestication:** Maize domesticated \~9,000 years ago. **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:** - Goals: Resources, conversion, domination. - Methods: Alliances, diseases, advanced weaponry. **Guatemalan Civil War:** - Social inequality, Cold War dynamics. - Effects: Massacres, displacement. **Modern Advocates:** - Rigoberta Menchú: Indigenous rights. **Key Historical Figures** **Maya:** - **Pakal the Great (Palenque):** Dynastic leader. - **Jasaw Chan K'awiil (Tikal):** Defeated Calakmul. **Spanish Figures:** - **Hernan Cortes:** Conqueror. - **Diego de Landa:** Documented Maya writing. **Decipherment Scholars:** - Yuri Knorosov: Phonetic decoding. - Tatiana Proskouriakoff: Hieroglyph analysis.