ANT102 Lecture 12 2

Summary

The video explores the early archaeological history of the Americas, focusing on ancient sites and artwork in South America. It highlights the Amazon rock art of the Pedra Pintada cave in Brazil, where early foragers created sophisticated astronomical motifs 13,000 years ago. The presentation also covers the Chinchorro mummies, the oldest mummies in the world, emphasizing their preservation and archaeological significance. The speaker examines how early cultures, particularly in the Amazon, had an intimate understanding of their environment and celestial events, contributing to the development of early scientific and artistic systems.

Takeaways

• 😀 Large, ancient pyramid structures in desert regions often mimic the surrounding landscape and mountains, providing a spiritual and symbolic connection to nature.
• 😀 In the Americas, ceremonial structures like sunken platforms and circular waiting rooms were commonly used as controlled entry points into pyramids.
• 😀 The Amazon rainforest in Brazil offers a unique early archaic period example, with groups of foragers and hunter-gatherers utilizing the tropical environment for survival.
• 😀 Rock art found in Brazil's Amazon, such as depictions of the sun, moon, stars, and various animals, reveals early astronomical and environmental knowledge among indigenous peoples.
• 😀 Pedra Pintada in Brazil contains some of the earliest rock art in the Americas, dating back over 13,000 years, predating other known ancient art like those of Egypt and Mesopotamia.
• 😀 These early rock paintings, often abstract and symbolic, may have been connected to astronomical events, such as solstices, aligning with natural cycles and celestial phenomena.
• 😀 The study of archoastronomy helps us understand how ancient people used the sky to track time, with rock paintings marking the sun's movements during solstices and other significant moments.
• 😀 The images in Brazilian caves, such as concentric circles, possibly represent stages of the sun’s movement, specifically around the winter solstice, marking their deep connection to the land and sky.
• 😀 Early Americans, such as those in the Amazon, were not just hunters and gatherers but also foragers, fishermen, and artists, with complex beliefs and scientific thinking about their environment.
• 😀 The rock art in Brazil represents one of the earliest known examples of a solar calendar, transforming a mountain into a three-dimensional tool for tracking astronomical events.
• 😀 The *Native America* documentary series highlights the importance of early American art and its connections to the natural world, showing how ancient cultures intertwined their lives with the environment and celestial observations.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Pyramid of Laak Wanka in the lecture?

The Pyramid of Laak Wanka is highlighted as one of the large structures in the desert region, situated next to a river. It is a key part of the site, and its layout demonstrates controlled access, with ceremonial rooms and entrances that lead to the pyramid. The architecture of these structures is designed to mimic the surrounding landscape.

How does the layout of the pyramid structures reflect the natural landscape?

The pyramid structures are designed to mimic the surrounding mountains. This reflects a cultural practice where architecture and the built environment closely mirror natural elements, a common theme across many ancient American civilizations.

What role did the circular sunken platforms in front of the pyramids serve?

The circular sunken platforms in front of the pyramids served as ceremonial or waiting rooms. These platforms acted as controlled access points, where people would enter before proceeding into the rest of the pyramid, suggesting their importance in rituals or social functions.

What type of environment and people are discussed in the Pedra Pintada site of Brazil?

The Pedra Pintada site, located in the Amazon rainforest, dates back to around 8500 BC and was inhabited by small nomadic forager groups. These groups engaged in hunting, fishing, and gathering, relying heavily on Brazil nuts and small game. Their most notable contribution was the rock art they left behind.

What kinds of animals are depicted in the rock art at Pedra Pintada?

The rock art at Pedra Pintada depicts various animals such as rabbits, birds, fish, dolphins, and manatees. These images were part of the early artistic expressions of the region's inhabitants.

How does the documentary clip challenge the traditional view of early human migration to the Americas?

The documentary clip challenges the traditional view that humans first entered the Americas around 11,000 BC via a land bridge from Asia. The findings at Pedra Pintada suggest that humans were living in the Amazon much earlier, around 13,000 years ago, and were engaged in advanced activities like rock art and early astronomy.

What is the significance of the rock art found in the Cava de Pedra Pintada in relation to astronomy?

The rock art found in Cava de Pedra Pintada shows signs of archoastronomy, as it may represent celestial events such as the sun and moon. This early artwork suggests that people were tracking the movements of the sun, possibly marking solstices, and had a sophisticated understanding of the sky and its cycles.

What is the connection between the artwork at Pedra Pintada and the solstices?

The artwork at Pedra Pintada, specifically two concentric circles, is believed to represent the sun's stages during the solstices. The alignment of the paintings with the solstices indicates that early Americans were marking these celestial events, much like later cultures such as the ones that built Stonehenge.

How did the ancient people of the Amazon use rock art as a form of calendar?

The ancient people of the Amazon used rock art to create a pictographic almanac, marking celestial events such as solstices. The paintings aligned with the sun's position, effectively transforming the mountain into a solar calendar that tracked seasonal changes and important astronomical events.

What does the documentary suggest about the development of ideas and beliefs among early American societies?

The documentary suggests that early American societies, even those in remote regions like the Amazon, developed advanced ideas and beliefs centered around the sky, nature, and their environment. The rock art indicates that these societies had a sophisticated worldview, observing and recording natural and celestial phenomena in ways that transcended simple survival.