Anthropology E-175-mesoamerican Civilizations Syllabus

Anthropology E-175 Mesoamerican Civilizations Fall 2007 Lectures take place: Tuesday & Thursday at 11:00am in Room 14A, First Floor, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Lecture videos are posted within 48 hours of each class meeting, though usually they are up the same day. Extension School Distance Education Course: This course is being offered as part of the Harvard Extension School's Distance Education Program. The recorded lectures that you will view are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences course Foreign Cultures 34, Mesoamerican Civilizations, and this course meets two times per week throughout the term. While these are recorded lectures, the other aspects of the course are "live." This means that you are responsible for homework, exams and all other work. There will also be weekly online or on-campus section meetings or office hours (details yet to be determined) for students who wish to attend. Distance Education students are welcome to attend the lectures in person as well if their schedule and location permits. Please see the Harvard Extension School distance education web site for information on the distance ed program, details on how to view lectures and for technical support. The link is: http://www.extension.harvard.edu/DistanceEd/ Professor: Dr. David Carrasco Divinity Hall 304 Office Hours: Wednesdays, 2-4 Email: [email protected] Teaching Fellows: Dylan Clark 42C Mesoamerican Lab 4th Floor, Peabody Museum Office Hours: Mondays, 2-4 Email: [email protected] 617-495-0607 María-Cristina Vlassidis Harvard Divinity School Office Hours: TBA Email: [email protected] 1

Tina Warinner 58H Archaeological Biogeochemistry Laboratory 5th Floor, Peabody Museum Office Hours: TBA Email: [email protected] Course Description: This course highlights the distinctive features of the dynamic, still evolving cultural traditions of Mesoamerica, one of the oldest living civilizations in the world. Combining the perspectives of archaeology, social anthropology and the history of religions we will focus on the notions of place, body and imagination to explore the history of cities, civilization, colonialism and collapse in the social life ways of Mesoamerican peoples. Our work will include readings, lectures and museum visits on the daily life of Aztec and Maya peoples with special attention to their religion, ritual sacrifices, gendered attitudes, arts, cultural and imperial traditions. Significant attention will be given to the history of European colonialism, transculturation, race mixture and local resistance as expressed through art and politics. Some attention will also be directed toward the immigration of Mesoamerican ideas, peoples and practices into the US. Foreign Cultures 34 allows you to appreciate the breadth and depth of Mesoamerican civilizations through lectures, exposure in section to icons, manuscripts, and artifacts in the collections of the Peabody Museum, readings on Precolumbian, Colonial, and modern-day cultures, and publications by prominent Maya writers involved in social movements to promote selfdetermination in the 21st century. A holistic, anthropological approach is employed that allows you to make use of critical thinking in your evaluation of early historical accounts, archaeological investigations of preceding cultural traditions, the Colonial period and more recent texts and images, to understand the ethos and adaptations of these enduring civilizations. This perspective enables us to understand Mesoamerican cultures as dynamic, fluid, and creative, constantly being transformed as circumstances warrant, yet retaining their own distinctive outlooks and styles. Grading: Section Attendance and Participation: 10% Short writing assignment: 5 pgs, 15% Midterm Exam, 20% Research Paper, 10-15 pgs, 30% Final Exam, 25%

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Required Textbooks: Carrasco, Davíd 2000 Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire: Myths and Prophecies in the Aztec Tradition. Revised edition. Boulder: University Press of Colorado. Clendinnen, Inga 1995 Aztecs: An Interpretation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Diaz del Castillo, Bernal 2004 The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico, 1517-1521. 2nd edition. Translated by A.P. Maudslay. Cambridge: Da Capo Press. Menchú, Rigoberta 1984 I, Rigoberta Menchú: An Indian Woman in Guatemala. Elisabeth Burgos Debray (ed. and introduction). Translated by Ann Wright. London: Verso. Pohl, John 1999 Exploring Mesoamerica: Places in Time New York: Oxford University Press Tedlock, Dennis 1996 Popol Vuh: the Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life. Revised edition. Translated by Dennis Tedlock. New York: Simon & Schuster. Available on-line and on reserve: 2001 Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures (OEMC) selections, edited by David Carrasco, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Part 1

Cities and Symbols of Mesoamerican Civilizations

Tues. Sept 18th the

Introduction: What is “Mesoamerica” in Space, Time and Imagination?

Readings: Encyclopedia of

Davíd Carrasco, “Preface” from The Oxford Mesoamerican Cultures pp.ix-xii 3

Thur. Sept. 20th Readings:

Encountering Mesoamerican Places, Bodies, Myths Bernal Díaz del Castillo, The Conquest of Mexico, pp. 3-68, & 187-

214. Rigoberta Menchú, I, Rigoberta Menchú, pp. 1-20. Carrasco, “Introduction: Mosaics and Centers” from Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire. Popul Vuh, p. 71-76 Tues. Sept 25th

Foundations and Formative Mesoamerica: Cities and Exchange

Readings: Mesoamerica.

John Pohl, “Introduction” & “La Venta” from Exploring Alfredo Lopez Austin, “Cosmovision” pp. 268-274 OEMC David Grove, “Olmec”, OEMC, vol II, pp. 405-409

Thurs. Sept 27th Anyway? Readings:

Mother Culture or Sister Cultures? What is Civilization Pohl, “Izapa”, “Monte Alban”. Peter Bellwood, “Early Agriculture in the Americas” pp.

146-159 (S) S = reading from the sourcebook Menchú, First Visit to Finca” pp. 21-27 & chaps. 5,6 in I, Rigoberta Menchú *Mesoamerican Symbol of the Week: Cleft Heads and Maize Tues. Oct 2 Readings:

Thurs. Oct 4 Readings:

Classic Teotihuacan: Cities of the Gods Pohl, “Teotihuacan”, “Tikal”. Carrasco, “Teotihuacan: Imperial Capital” in Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire Exchanges and Receptions: Teo and the Maya (Guest Speaker Dr. William Fash) William Fash, “Teotihuacan and the Maya” & “Maya” (S) Pohl, “Copan” Popul Vuh, pp. 63-88

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*Mesoamerican Symbol of the Week: Ruler on the Hieroglyphic Stairway— Peabody Museum Tues. Oct. 9 The Mesoamerican Epiclassic: Greater Tollans and the Feathered Serpent Readings: “Other

Carrasco, “Quetzalcoatl and the Foundation of Tollan” & Tollans” in Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire. Pohl “Tula”, “Cholula”

Thurs. Oct. 11 Mountains Readings:

Postclassic Empires: Tenochtitlan and the Hearts of the Pohl, “Tenochtitlan” Carrasco, “The Sources: From Storybook to Encyclopedia”

& “Return of Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire” in Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire Mills and Taylor,”Aztec Stone Of the Five Suns” (S) *Mesoamerican Symbol of the Week: The Feathered Serpent Tues. Oct. 16th

The Discoveries of the Great Aztec Altepetl/Temple

Readings: Aztecs” (S)

Carrasco, “History and Cosmovision”, “Religion of the Carrasco, “Return of Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire”

in Quetzalcoatl Diego Duran, “Chapter XXVII” (S) *Midterm Exam (take-home) assigned Part 2

Daily Life in Mesoamerica

Thurs. Oct 18 Readings:

Altepetl, Agriculture and Cuisine Díaz del Castillo, pp. 208-215. CD of Mapa de Cuauhtinchan Bellwood 2005, Chapter 8, pp. 146-159 (S) OEMC, “Cuisine” pp. 292-294. Susan T. Evans 2004 “Pottery Vessel Forms” pp. 119-121

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Tues. Oct. 23 Readings:

Tianquitzli, Markets, Trade and Tribute Diaz del Castillo, pp. 215-221 Images from Codex Mendoza OEMC, “Trade and Exchange” pp. 254-257 OEMC, “Merchants,” pp. 208-210 OEMC, “Markets,” pp. 168-171. Bernardino de Sahagún, “de los mercaderes” (S)

*Midterm Exam (take-home) due in lecture Thurs. Oct 25 Writing

The Red and the Black: Eloquent Language and Powerful (Guest Speaker Dr. Marc Zender)

Readings: (S)

Sahagun, “De la retorica y filosofia moral” pp. 1-5, 41-45 OEMC, “Writing Systems,” pp.338-350 OEMC, “Pictorial Manuscripts” Popul Vuh

Tues Oct. 30th

Aztec Aesthetics: Arts, Poetry, Literature

Readings: Clendinnen 1991, “Aesthetics”, pp. 213-235 Sahagun, pp. 67-77, 159-160, 167-69, 219-222, 237-242 OEMC, “Music” , “Poetry, Songs and Prose Sources” OEMC, “Literature” pp. 133-135 OEMC, “Drama” pp. 333-337 OEMC, “Dance” pp. 305-311 Thurs. Nov. 1st Tues. Nov. 6

Festivals and Religion: Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead Festivals and Religion: Myth and Ritual

Readings: Clendinnen 1991, “Ritual: The World Transformed,” pp. 236-263 “Monthly Ceremonies of the Seasonal Calendar” pp. 295-297 6

“The Mexica Pantheon,” pp. 298-300 in Aztecs: An Interpretation *Discuss final papers, due dates Thurs. Nov. 8th

Warfare: A Flowery Death in Distant Lands

Readings: Merchants”

Clendinnen 1991, “Victims”, “Warriors, Priests, and “The Masculine Self Discovered” pp.87-152 in Aztecs: An Interpretation OEMC, “Aztec Warfare”

Tues. Nov 13th

The “Conquest” of Mexico

Readings:

Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Discovery and Conquest, entire

book *Final paper ideas and preliminary sources due in section Part 3

Mesoamerica Transformed: The Cultural Encounter

Thurs. Nov. 15th Readings:

Hernan Cortes, La Malinche, and Motecuhzoma Carrasco, chapter 5, Quetzalcoatl Clendinnen 1991 “Wives,” “Mothers,” and “The Female

Being Revealed,” pp.153-212, “Defeat,” pp. 267-273. Karttunen 1997, pp. 291-312 (S) Powers, “Colonial Sexuality”, (S) Nov 20-22

THANKSGIVING NO CLASS

Tues. Nov. 27th Readings:

Gender: Between the Quiver and the Spindle OEMC, “Gender Roles” pp. 427-434 Burkhart 1997, pp. 25-54 (S) Mills & Taylor “Beatriz de Padilla, Mulatta Mistress and

Mother” (S) Espejo-Ponce Hunt and Restall 1997, pp. 231-254 Menchú, I, Rigoberta Menchú “Introduction” chapters 1-11 *Short writing assignment assigned Thurs. Nov. 29th

Missionaries, Conquistadors, and Revolts

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Readings:

Menchú, I, Rigoberta Menchú, chapters 12-17 Mills and Taylor, “Orders given to the twelve (1523)” pp.

46-51 (S) Burkhart “Evangelization, Dialogue, Rhetoric. The Missionary Missionized and Christinaity Conquered (S) Tues. Dec. 4th Readings:

Local Religion: Gods, Saints, and Catechisms Menchú, I, Rigoberta Menchú, chapters 18-22 Córdoba, “Christian Doctrine” pp. 53-61 (S) Taylor 1996, pp.265-299; pp. 47-73 (S) Womack 1999, “Chiapas, the Bishop of San Cristóbal, and

the Zapatista Revolt” (S) *Short writing assignment due Thurs. Dec 6th Readings:

Tues. Dec 11th Readings:

The Mesoamerican Past Today Carrasco 2003, “Aztec Moments and Chicano Cosmovision”. Complete I, Rigoberta Menchú David Stoll 2001, “The Battle of Rigoberta” (S) Mesoamerica Today Stoll 2001, pp.392-401 (S) OEMC, “Guadelupe, Nuestra Señora de” pp. 444-447

Thurs. Dec 13th Class Summary

Sourcebook Readings (S): Bellwood, Peter 2005 Early Agriculture in the Americas. In First Farmers: The Origins of Agricultural Societies. Malden: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 146159. Burkhart, Louise 1989a Evangelization, Dialogue, Rhetoric, The Missionary Missionized, and

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Christianity Conquered. In The Slippery Earth. Tuscon: University of Arizona Press. 1997 Mexica Women on the Homefront. In Indian Women of Early Mexico. Susan Schroeder, Stephanie Wood, and Robert Haskett (eds.). Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 25-54. Carrasco, David 2003 Aztec Moments and Chicano Cosmovision: Aztlan Recalled to Life. In Moctezuma’s Mexico: Visions of the Aztec World. Boulder: University Press of Colorado. pp. 175-198. 1990 History and Cosmovision and the Religion of the Aztecs. In Religions of Mesoamerica: Cosmovision and Ceremonial Centers. Waveland Press. pp. 51-56, 65-70. de Córdoba, Pedro 1970 Christian Doctrine: For the Instruction and Information of the Indians. Translated by Sterling A. Stoudemire. Coral Gables: University of Miami Press. pp. 53-61. de Sahagún, Bernardino 1976 De la retorica y filosofia moral. In Florentine Codex: A General History of the Things of New Spain. Charles E. Dibble and Arthur J. O. Anderson (eds. and translators). Book 6, Rhetoric and Moral Philosophy Part VII: pp.1-5, 41-45, 67-77, 159-160, 167-169, 219-222, 237-242. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press. 1976 De los mercaderes. In Florentine Codex: A General History of the Things of New Spain. Charles E. Dibble and Arthur J. O. Anderson (eds. and translators). Book 9, Monographs: The Merchants. pp.1-19, 21-25, 9

27-35, 37-43,69-71, 73-85, 87-97. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press.

1974 De los vicios y virtudes desta gente. In Florentine Codex: A General History of the Things of New Spain. Charles E. Dibble and Arthur J. O. Anderson (eds. and translators). Book 10: The People, Part XI pp. 1-33, 35-39, 41-43, 45-53, 55-57. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press. Duran, Fray Diego 1964 Chapter XXVII. In Aztecs: The History of the Indies of New Spain. Translated and edited by Doris Heyden and Fernando Horcasitas. Orion Press. pp. 133-137. Espejo-Ponce Hunt, Marta and Matthew Restall 1997 Work, Marriage, and Status: Maya Women of Colonial Yucatan. In Indian Women of Early Mexico. Susan Schroeder, Stephanie Wood, and Robert Haskett (eds.). Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. pp.231-252. Evans, Susan Toby 2004 Pottery Vessel Forms. In Ancient Mexico and Central America. Pp.119-121 Fash, William L. and Barbara W. Fash 2000 Teotihuacan and the Maya: A Classic Heritage. In Mesoamerica’s Classic Heritage: From Teotihuacan to the Aztecs. David Carrasco, Lindsay Jones and Scott Sessions (eds.). Boulder: University Press of Colorado. pp.433-463. Karttunen, Frances 1997 Rethinking Malinche. In Indian Women of Early Mexico. Susan Schroeder, Stephanie Wood, and Robert Haskett (eds.). Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. pp.291-312. Mills, Kenneth and William B. Taylor 1998a Orders Given to the Twelve (1523). In Colonial Spanish America. 10

Kenneth Mills and William B. Taylor (eds.). Washington, DC: Scholarly Review Books. pp.46-51. 1998b Aztec Stone of Five Suns. In Colonial Spanish America. Kenneth Mills and William B. Taylor (eds.). Washington, DC: Scholarly Review Books. pp.23-26. 1998c Beatriz de Padilla, Mulatta Mistress and Mother. In Colonial Spanish America. Kenneth Mills and William B. Taylor (eds.). Washington, DC: Scholarly Review Books. Powers, Karen Viera 2005 Colonial Sexuality: Of Women, Men, and Mestizaje. In Women in the Crucible of Conquest. Santa Fe: University of New Mexico Press. pp.68-79. Stoll, David 2001 The Battle of Rigoberta. In The Rigoberta Menchú Controversy. Arturo Arias (ed.). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. pp. 392410. Taylor, William B. 1996 Issues of Local Religion. In Magistrates of the Sacred: Priests and Parishoners in 18th Century Mexico. Stanford: Stanford University Press. pp.47-73; pp.265-299. Womack, Jr., John 1999 Chiapas, the Bishop of San Cristobal, and the Zapatista Revolt. In Rebellion in Chiapas: An Historical Reader. New Press. pp.3-30.

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