(written for Latin American History Class, University of S. Indiana, 1994)
There
are many similarities between the Latin American cultures of Olmecs,
Maya, Toltecs, Aztecs. All of these civilizations made some important
individual achievements, but they also borrowed from other previous
civilizations to some degree. Each had large ceremonial centers, with
great pyramids; they each practiced human sacrifice; they all had
ritual calendars. However, when compared, the most notable
achievements in the use of calendars, astronomy, mathematics, and
writing belong to the Maya.
The
construction of the ceremonial centers and the great pyramids for all
these cultures may have resulted from their fascination with their
gods. Many ancient people believed that the gods controlled
everything: life, death, wind, rain, and the growth of crops. If one
believes that the closer one gets to one's god the better, then tall
pyramids make sense.
The
conquering of one group by another would also explain the mingling of
the religions and adoptions and adaptations of various gods. If the
god possessed appealing qualities it would be kept; if it was similar
to one of their own, alterations could be made to suit the new
rulers. For example, the rain god Tlaloc appears in most of the Latin
American cultures, albeit under other names and with changes in
appearance.
The Maya, Toltec, and Aztec all had their own version of Quetzelcoalt. The Maya worshiped a sun god. Throughout Mesoamerica the jaguar was held sacred. Even today, the modern day Yanamamo, a native tribe of South America, consider the jaguar sacred and many of their myths are centered around the jaguar.
The Maya, Toltec, and Aztec all had their own version of Quetzelcoalt. The Maya worshiped a sun god. Throughout Mesoamerica the jaguar was held sacred. Even today, the modern day Yanamamo, a native tribe of South America, consider the jaguar sacred and many of their myths are centered around the jaguar.
There
is some evidence that each of these societies practiced human
sacrifice, although none is likely to have reached the level of
cruelty as that of the Aztecs. One Aztec religious ceremony is
reported to have cost 20,000 people their hearts. Most crimes brought
death or mutilation. An extremely cruel society will usually collapse
in time, from inner or outer influence. One wonders how long the
Aztec would have lasted had the Spanish not arrived when they did.
The
Aztecs were a monarchy in which the monarch was chosen by the Council
of 100, possibly from an elite class. Power was not shared but the
Council probably had some control. They were a people who dealt in
treachery, using one tribe as allies to defeat an enemy tribe and
then defeating their allies.
The only Aztec achievement worth noting is the building of Tenochtitlan in Lake Texcoco. The aqueducts, paved streets, causeways and floating gardens sound more like Rome or Greece than Central America. A great deal of ingenuity went into the creation or it would not have lasted centuries. In spite of this the Aztecs, and the Toltecs, were not a creative people; they built their empires with the creative achievements of previous civilizations.
The only Aztec achievement worth noting is the building of Tenochtitlan in Lake Texcoco. The aqueducts, paved streets, causeways and floating gardens sound more like Rome or Greece than Central America. A great deal of ingenuity went into the creation or it would not have lasted centuries. In spite of this the Aztecs, and the Toltecs, were not a creative people; they built their empires with the creative achievements of previous civilizations.
Maya
society was probably as well organized as that of the Aztecs.
According to Norman Hammond in Ancient
Maya Civilization it
was multi-layered, the ruling class at the top, and each successive
layer possibly containing many specialist such as priest, artisans,
warriors, traders, and farmers. Rulers probably inherited their
positions through their fathers. The family was central in Maya
society.
The
cultures of Mesoamerica had ritual calendars and their very lives
were bound up in the cycle of days. Some days were considered evil
and anything that happened on these days was doomed. Knowing you were
born on a bad day must have been a real bummer. From the moment of
your birth you are marked. It would be interesting to know how much
psychology had to do with the development of such individuals. It is
doubtful they would have turned into model citizens if everyone
expected them to be otherwise.
In
The
Ancient Kingdoms of Mexico,
Nigel Davis says "the Olmecs invented the art of writing"
and the use of putting dates on stone. Although the Olmec probably
developed the first calendar, once source indicates that they may not
have had it before 500 B. C.
Regardless
of who the inventor was, the Maya used both the calendar and writing
to their fullest potential. The Maya used three calendars, a long
count, a secular, and a religious calendar. The secular calendar had
360 days with 5 evil days added; it was only 2/10,000
longer than our current calendar. The religious calendar had 260 days
and was based on the year of Venus. With the long count calendar they
could count up to 157,700 years. When one thinks of the knowledge of
astronomy necessary and the time involved in developing these
systems, it is unbelievable that a primitive people could accomplish
such a thing. However, they were able to predicted eclipses, both
solar and lunar, with incredible accuracy, and their calculations in
time are truly awe inspiring.
Equally
amazing is their invention of one of the most complicated system of
writing during this time. They used a hieroglyphic form on stela,
tall stones covered with carved symbols, These stela have helped
unravel much of the mystery of the Mayan culture. They also had books
made of fig bark, most of which were burned by the Spanish. No other
Latin American culture used the stela idea, nor did they have a form
of written communication. During the post classic period of the Mayan
empire there are no more stela and the long count calendar is lost.
This may suggest that those who knew how to utilize these things
disappeared. Whether by conquest or by choice is a debatable
question.
The 260-day calendar is still used by Mayan descendants today.
The 260-day calendar is still used by Mayan descendants today.
The
city of Teotihuacan is said to have been a central influence on many
of the Latin American cultures for hundreds of years. It is difficult
to explain, however, why the Maya began "their most spectacular
period" after the decline of Teotihuacan. It may have been
because contact with the city hindered their creativity in some way.
It could also be that the city itself was a spur to the Mayan
creative desires.
The
ability to take an idea and expand on it was something the Maya did
to near perfection. Nearly everything they borrow is improved. The
disappearance of the long count and the writing is an indication that
the Mayan brain pool declined, and that loss is never regained. But
perhaps the greatest achievement of the Maya civilization lies not in
their monuments, their mathematics, their astronomy, or their
writing; perhaps it lies in their survival. In spite of conquering
tribes and invading armies they have retained their identity as a
people for thousands of years. Perhaps a people's greatness should be
measured on their ability to survive instead of the monuments they
leave behind.
Sources
Davies,
Nigel. The
Ancient Kingdoms of Mexico.
Penguin Books: 27 Wrightslane, London W8 5TZ, England. 1983: 9-256.
Fagg,
John. Latin
American History.
The Macmillian Company: London. 1969: 3-34.
Hammond,
Norman. Ancient
Maya Civilization.
Rutgers University Press: New Brunswick, New Jersey. 1990: 5-303.
Stuart,
Geroge E. and Gene S. Stuart. The
Mysterious Maya.
The National Geographic Society: Washington D.C. 1977: 17-195.
