*Early Civilizations of the Andes

*Andes Mountains

*4,500 miles from Colombia to Chile

*Many peaks over 20,000’

*Steep, rocky, poor soil

*Hot and dry during the day

*Very cold at night

*Societies in the Andes

*Settlements on the Coastal Plain*Andes Mountains, climate, environment make travel, farming difficult *Harsh deserts lie along Pacific coast*However, coastal areas with rivers have good soil; are settled 3600-2500 BC*Around 3000 BC agriculture starts; by 1800 BC communities arise

*The Chavin

*Chavin-first influential culture in South America (mother culture of South America)

*Arises in highland region of Peru; flourishes from 900 BC to 200 BC

*No evidence of political or economic organization

*RELIGIOUS civilization

*Gods-part human and part animal

*Chavin

*Named for major ruin, Chavin de Huantar

*City has pyramids, plazas, and massive earth mounds

*Chavin culture spreads over north and central Peru

*Influences other cultures

*Religious images reflected in stone carvings, pottery and textiles

*Religious centers featuring pyramids, plazas and giant earthen mounds

*Would the Chavin culture have been more influential if it had arisen along the Peruvian coast?

*Yes-Travel would have been easier.

*No-People made the difficult pilgrimages despite the rugged terrain.

*Nazca

*Nazca-culture on dry, southern coast of Peru

*Flourishes from 200 BC to 600 AD

*They build irrigation systems and make beautiful pottery and textiles

*Nazca Lines—Discovered in 1927*1,000 puzzling designs on

land—images of animals, geometric shapes and mythological beings

*Nazca Lines

*Theories About the Lines*1. Please the gods?

*2. Lines indicated where surface water entered the plain and marked elevated land between ancient riverbeds?

*3. A map that marks the course of underground aquifers?

*4. Straight lines may have led to ceremonial sites?

*How Have the Lines Lasted Over 1,000 years?*One of the driest regions on earth

*Ground is flat and stony

*Wind rarely carries away the soil

*Minimal erosion

*Nazca—Headhunters?

*In ceramic and textile design, Nazca artisans depict the taking of human heads.

*Moche

*Moche-culture that thrives on northern coast of Peru

*Flourishes from 100 to 700 AD

*Images on Moche tombs and pottery reveal how they lived

*GOLD and silver jewelry; musical instruments, woven clothing; doctors, soldiers

*Neither Moche religion nor fall of culture are understood

*No written language

*Moche

*Moche build large irrigation systems to water wide range of crops

*Corn, beans, potatoes, squash, peanuts, fish, ducks, guinea pigs, deer, crayfish

*Moche Tomb

*What can be inferred from the discovery of Nazca shrunken heads and the depiction of soldiers on Moche pottery?

*Both the Nazca and the Moche had enemies; some of their people were warriors.

*Identify similarities in the Chavin, Nazca, and Moche cultures.

*Successfully adapted to a harsh, rugged environment

*All built flourishing civilizations known for their art styles and beautiful crafts.

*Connections Across Time and Cultures

*1. Prospering agricultural villages and surpluses of food helped lead to the rise of civilizations. Give some examples from the rise of civilizations in the Americas

*Food supply—population growth—settled communities—skill and social classes

*Characteristics of Civilizations

*2. Advanced Cities:

*Monte Alban, San Lorenzo, La Venta

*Specialized Workers:

*Urban Design, Craftspeople, Sculptors, Weavers, Musicians, Doctors

*Record Keeping:

*Calendars; Zapotec writing

*Complex Institutions:

*Trade Networks, Ruling Classes, Ceremonies

*Advanced Technology:

*Irrigation

*3. As the economy becomes more specialized, social classes begin to emerge. Describe the social structure in Olmec culture.

*Ruling class (priests to nobles), peasant farmers, artisans and traders (middle class)

*4. As populations grew, religion became more organized. Describe some religious traditions that were followed by some of the earliest American civilizations.

*Jaguar spirits, nature gods, temples

*5. Identify other ways in which the rise of civilization in the Americas parallels the rise of ancient civilizations in different parts of the world.

*Learned to control environment; created solutions to environmental problems; used resources to build thriving communities; applied organized cooperation and leadership to massive building projects