ARKY 325 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Teotihuacan, Quetzalcoatl, El Mirador

• School: University of Calgary
• Department: Archaeology
• Course: ARKY 325
• Professor: Richard Callaghan

Document Summary

Agricultural populations in diverse environment: from 1st and 2nd millennium bc, leads to more intensive agricultural system. Introduction of sacred objects and beliefs from the lowlands. By 200 bc: two major cities in valley of mexico. Teotihuacan reached huge size in following centuries. It becomes one of dominant political and cultural centres in ad 500. By ad 150: population of 20 000 people in 13 square km, population exploded between 150 ad and 600 ad. City was dominated by the pyramid of sun (64 m high) Had religions, civic, residential and market areas. Large multi-family compounds: surrounded by farming villages. Tribute (praise) derived (gained) from neighbouring states. Breakdown of population: craftspeople made up 25% of the urban population, > 500 workshops, obsidian(glass/rock) tools to ceramics, merchants and civil servants were major classes. They had foreign quarters for artisans (craftsman) City became more militaristic as time went on. Influenced through: trade, warfare, tribute, alliance over much of mesoamerica.