The Americas and Time Keeping: Crash Course History of Science #5

Summary

This script explores the scientific achievements of Mesoamerican civilizations, focusing on the Maya, Aztecs, and Inkas. It delves into their complex calendar systems, particularly the Maya's intricate timekeeping involving five interlocking calendars. The Maya's base-twenty mathematical system and their detailed astronomical observations are highlighted, as well as the Aztecs' advanced agricultural techniques and the Inkas' khipu record-keeping system. The script also touches on the impact of Spanish colonization on these civilizations and the ongoing efforts to decode their knowledge systems.

Takeaways

• 📜 The history of science is often traced back to ancient civilizations like the Greeks and Indians, but it's important to recognize that systematic knowledge-making has likely been a part of human culture since the beginning of time.
• 🌐 Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the Maya, developed complex systems of understanding the cosmos, time, and the natural world without contact with other major civilizations.
• 🗓️ The Maya were particularly advanced in their astronomical knowledge and had a sophisticated calendar system, which included a 260-day sacred cycle and a 'Long Count' that could measure time in millions of years.
• 📚 Despite the destruction of many records by Spanish imperialists, archaeologists and linguists have been able to decode some of the Mayan hieroglyphs and understand their monumental stone works.
• 🔢 The Olmecs, an early Mesoamerican civilization, invented a mathematical system that included the concept of zero and a calendar system that influenced later cultures.
• 🏰 The Maya built step pyramids that served as both temples and observatories, demonstrating their advanced understanding of astronomy and architecture.
• 🌟 The Maya's focus on Venus as the most important heavenly body highlights the cultural significance of different celestial bodies in ancient societies.
• 📈 The Maya's base-twenty mathematical system and their large calculation tables were essential for their religious practices, particularly in predicting future calendar dates.
• 🌱 The Maya's agricultural practices, including intensive cultivation and irrigation, supported their large population and contributed to their civilization's complexity.
• 🏥 Aztec civilization, which rose after the Maya, was known for its advanced hydraulic engineering, extensive agricultural systems, and a rich knowledge of botany and medicine.
• 🌿 The Inka Empire in South America developed a unique system of record-keeping using khipu, which were strings with knots that encoded information about taxes, census, and more.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Olmec civilization in the history of Mesoamerican science?

The Olmecs, who lived in southern Mexico from 1500 to 400 BCE, are significant because they were the earliest Mesoamerican civilization to develop writing, a mathematical system including the concept of zero, and a calendar system that influenced later Mesoamerican civilizations.

How did the Maya civilization's knowledge of astronomy manifest in their architecture?

The Maya built step pyramids that served as temples and astronomical observation sites. The Caracol at Chichén Itzá, for instance, was constructed to align with the extremes of Venus's rising and setting, demonstrating their advanced astronomical knowledge.

What was unique about the Maya's mathematical system?

The Maya used a base-twenty or vigesimal mathematical system that included the concept of zero but did not use fractions. They also created large calculation tables, which were essential for their complex calendar system and religious practices.

Why was Venus so important to the Maya civilization?

To the Maya, Venus was the most important heavenly body. Their calendar system was intricately tied to the movements of Venus, and they used it for religious, agricultural, and astrological purposes.

How did the Maya's complex calendar system aid in their understanding of time?

The Maya used a system of five interlocking calendars to accurately track time across solar, lunar, and Venusian years. This system allowed them to define each day's sacred function in relation to Venus and provided a precise sense of time for religious, agricultural, and daily life activities.

What is the 'Long Count' in the Maya calendar, and how does it differ from other calendars?

The 'Long Count' is a calendar system used by the Maya that counts time in units ranging from one day to sixty-three thousand years. It allowed the Maya to reckon time in the millions of years, which is a significant difference from annual or cyclical calendars.

How did the Aztecs' knowledge of hydraulic engineering contribute to the development of Tenochtitlán?

The Aztecs used hydraulic engineering to build canals, floodgates, and aqueducts, which enabled them to practice intensive lake-marsh agriculture. This engineering allowed Tenochtitlán, built on Lake Texcoco, to support a large population of around three hundred thousand people.

What was the role of the Aztec priest class in the collection and maintenance of botanical and medical knowledge?

Aztec priests maintained a wealth of botanical and medical knowledge, serving as astrologers and healers. They believed in a complex humoral system linking plants, the human body, and the heavens, and had an extensive anatomical lexicon, even treating conditions like dandruff.

How did the Inka civilization manage to record and share complex data without a writing system?

The Inka used a sophisticated system of tying strings of knots called khipu to keep records. Khipu used a decimal system and allowed the Inka to share data related to taxes, the census, the calendar, and military organization, and may have functioned somewhat like a writing system.

What impact did the Spanish colonization have on the scientific and cultural knowledge of the indigenous peoples of the Americas?

Spanish colonization devastated the cultures native to the Americas, leading to a significant loss of their complex scientific and cultural knowledge.