- Development of Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations
- Characteristics of the Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations
- References
The Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations are considered original because they were the product of complex and prolonged cultural processes that promoted the formation of civilizing nuclei independent of the influence of other populated nuclei.
The development of these involved inventions that transformed both the existence of those who created them and the lifestyles of other people in a variety of areas.
With the original civilizations of Mesoamerica and the Andes, urban life in the New World was born. This meant the development of new forms of social, political, economic and religious organization.
The changes include: acquisition of new techniques, division of labor, growing social stratification, artistic creations, technological advances, military organization, establishment of tributes, and others.
Development of Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations
About 8000 years ago, the native inhabitants of the American continent began the transition from a nomadic lifestyle to a more sedentary and permanent one.
Where this transition was most evident was specifically in parts of Mexico and Central America (Mesoamerican region) and parts of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina (Andean region).
By the early 3000 BC, societies in these regions were more sophisticated, with a distinctive development of artistic and architectural styles. By that time, the Chavin civilization had flourished in northern Peru, while the Olmec had done the same in the Gulf of Mexico.
Then others followed, some of which became great empires. The most outstanding Peruvian cultures before the emergence of the Inca empire were the Moche, Sicán, Nazca, Huari, and the Tiahuanaco.
For their part, prior to the great Aztec-Mexica civilization, the Teotihuacans and the Mayans stood out.
The Inca Empire began in Cuzco, and its influence spread from the eastern part of the Andes mountain range to the Pacific Ocean. This civilization assimilated other cultures, and instilled Inca values and beliefs to those who lived within the kingdom.
For their part, the Aztecs settled in the basin of Mexico, exercising territorial control in northern Mesoamerica for more than two centuries.
Characteristics of the Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations
These two civilizations, although with different origins, shared certain characteristics, such as monumental constructions.
The Mesoamericans built pyramids with large squares, while the Andeans built U-shaped structures.
Public markets were common, but for the former the most precious objects were jade stones, cocoa and obsidian volcanic rock; for the latter, shells, textiles and metal articles.
In addition, other aspects such as food, religion and the practice of ritual sacrifices were very similar. Thus, both cultures privileged corn and squash in their diets.
Both Mesoamericans and Andeans were pantheists; that is to say, they had the belief that the entire material universe was a manifestation of the gods. Also, both cultures offered sacrifices to their deities.
These included, in the case of Mesoamerican civilization, animals and humans. Andean civilization rarely performed human sacrifices.
References
- León Portilla, M. (2006). Literatures of Anahuac and the Incario: The expression of two peoples of the sun. Mexico: XXI century.
- Mesoamerican civilization. (2015, June 22). Encyclopædia Britannica. Recovered from britannica.com.
- Restall, M. and Lane, K. (2011). Latin America in Colonial Times. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Somervill, B. A (2009). Empire of the Inca. New York: Facts on file.
- Van Tuerenhout, DR (2005). The Aztecs: New Perspectives. California: ABC-CLIO.