Anth 4220/5220 The Archaeology of Mexico and Central America
Fall 1996. T Th 2 - 3:15, Hale 260. Payson Sheets, office Hale 160,
office hours T Th 3:30 - 5 pm.
Prerequisite: Anth 1030 or 2200.
Week Dates Topics Readings
1 27, 29 Aug Intro, Geogr, Geology Preface, Ch. 1
2 3, 5 Sep Ecology, PaleoIndian Pd Ch 2 thru p 33
3 10,12 Sep Archaic, Early Formative p 33 - 45
4 17, 19 Sep Mid-Late Formative (Olmec) Ch. 3
5 24, 26 Sep PreClassic Maya Ch. 4
Thursday 26 Sep: First Midterm Exam
6 1, 3 Oct Maya agric, settlements Ch. 5 thru p 169
7 8, 10 Oct Politics, writing p 170-183
8 15, 17 Oct Ideology, mythology p 183-200
(“Popol Vuh” video thurs)
9 22, 24 Oct Cl Maya Warfare, Collapse p 263-271
10 29, 31 Oct Teotihuacan Valley & City p 201-215
Thursday 31 Oct: Second Midterm Exam
11 5, 7 Nov Teotihuacan expansion, empire p 215-231
12 12, 14 Nov The "Epiclassic" in Mexico p 231-235, 254-275
13 19, 21 Nov Oaxaca: Monte Alban, Mitla p 235-253, 329-337
14 26 Nov The "Toltecs:" Tula, Chichen p 271-299
15 3, 5 Dec Aztecs: Tenochtitlan & empire Ch. 9
16 10 Dec Summary & Overview
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Final Exam: Friday 13 Dec 7:30-10:30pm same room
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Examinations:
Midterms: Thursday 26 Sept and Thursday 31 Oct, each 100 points.
Final Exam: 200 points Friday 13 Dec, same room, 7:30 pm.
No makeup examinations. It is your responsibility to attend and take the
exams at the scheduled time.
Termpapers:
Termpapers are due no later than noon Thursday 5 December. Ten percent of
the total will be deducted per day late. The termpapers will be returned
to you on the day of the final examination. I will be glad to help you on
selection of topic, reference materials, and the like. Please note the
attached list of primary reference materials in Norlin that you may find
useful.
Undergraduate (4220): Students will prepare an original paper consisting
of 4 to 7 pages of typed double spaced text, normal fonts (this length is
text only, and does not include your list of References Cited and your
illustrations as Figures). The topic is of your own choosing, so long as
it focuses on an aspect of Mexican or Central American archaeology, from a
social science perspective. The text can be largely descriptive, but it
must have at least a page of your own ideas, reactions, opinions,
comparisons, or suggestions. The anthropological style of parenthetical
referencing is mandatory. If you are unfamilar with this, see the
attached style sheet. Value: 100 points.
Graduate students (5220) will prepare a 10 to 15 page typed double spaced
graduate level termpaper. It must be primarily theoretical in nature. It
could be explanatory (e.g. the function of feline symbolism in Olmec art,
or the reasons shamans travel long distances for symbols of power),
processual (e.g. the factors underlying the rise of the Teotihuacan
empire), or hypothesis testing (e.g. evaluating two competing explanations
for the collapse of the Classic Maya). Parenthetical referencing is to be
used, of course. Value: 200 points.
Text:
Adams, Richard E. W. PREHISTORIC MESOAMERICA (revised ed.) 1991 Univ
of Oklahoma Press, Norman.
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