Pre-Columbian Americas

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See also: Prehispanic Mesoamerica

pre-pottery Andean civilization

  • also called "Archaic period"
  • settlements on the west-slope of the Andes
  • advantages of the location:
    • changes in elevation within close proximity of the ocean
      • provided multiple ecological environments
      • variety of plants (each adapted to the different elevation)
      • access to the ocean, especially for fishing
  • population growth along three river valleys
    • Fortaleza, Pativilca, Caral-Supe rivers

Norte Chico civilization, 3500-1800 BC

City of Caral

City of Caral timeline
Period Stage
2800 BC early settlement in Picu valley
2600 BC First constructions
2400 BC
2200 BC Enlarged and reconstructed
2000 BC
1800 BC city abandoned
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caral
Pyramids at Caral-Supe
  • the oldest city in the Americas is "Caral-Supe" or "Caral" in Peru
    • "Caral" is the city
    • "Supe" = the valley
  • built approx. 3,000 BC
    • contemporaneous (same time) with Ancient Egypt
  • population was approx, 3,000
    • other similar sites suggest overall regional population of up to 20,000
  • consists of ceremonial, monumental and administrative buildings/ structures
  • city layout shows signs of social classes
    • large residential complexes near to ceremonial structures
    • small rooms in other areas
  • built pyramids
  • created the pattern of urban design in the Andes through to the Inca
  • shows no signs of warfare of defensive structures

Collapse

  • earthquakes
  • wind-blown sand and sediment from wind shift towards inland from the sea
    • disrupted agriculture
    • disrupted fisheries

Amazon civilizations

Casarabe Culture, 500-1400 AD

  • agriculture-based society in Amazon region of modern Bolivia (Llanos de Mojos) and southwestern Brazil
    • watery-region
  • created urban centers with elevated terraces, monumental buildings and pyramid-shaped mounds
  • water control via canals, reservoirs, causeways and islands
  • pimary cities: Landivar and Cotoca

see

Metallurgy in pre-Columbian Americas

  • Metallurgy in pre-Columbian Americas per region:
    • North America: no smelting
      • copper readily available, malleable by hammering
      • iron ore used to make jewelry, simple tools << confirm
        • easily exploitable in Great Lakes regions
        • but not applied to metallurgy
    • South America developed smelting
    • Mesoamerica metallurgy via South American diffusion
  • see: Metallurgy in pre-Columbian America - Wikipedia
    • iron readily available
    • gold / silver / copper
      • gold hammered
      • tumbaga: copper-gold alloy
        • used for casting
    • gems used extensively / jade
    • obsidian used for edges/ knives/ cutting
      • ability to cut stone
      • but not wood
      • source: The Minerals of Pre-Columbian America | Rock & Gem Magazine (rockngem.com)
      • Andes region alloy use
        • tin used for specific but not general purposes >> "wirework bells"
          • tin deposits avail, not exploited
      • copper smelting in drafted furnaces
      • mercury
      • platinum developed in Andes region
        • copper, gold, silver alloys
        • technology adopted by Spanish
      • sinnabar
    • wood less useful
      • charcoal not developed
      • planks not exploited for buildings / ships

Writing in pre-Columbian Americas

Aztecs / Aztec Empire

engineering

writing system

vocabulary

  • aqueducts
  • canals
  • chinampas
  • dikes
  • hieroglyphs
  • obsidian
  • quetzal
    • tropical bird that Aztecs use for their feathers
  • slash and burn agriculture
  • tribute