Art of the Americas Before 1300

Tangyan, EdwardAPAH, Period 6

People lived in extended family groups in towns led by chiefs—did not live in hierarchical societies

Group called Diquis occupied fortified villages lasting from 700-1500 CE

Metal work (especially with gold and copper) was widespread through Central America (lost-wax technique developed in present-day Columbia and spread north from there)

Central America

Shaman with Drum and Snake (13th-16th century, Gold)

Resides in Costa Rica Came with the use of gold and

copper-gold alloys in artwork (Metallurgy)

Used lost-wax casting technique Shaman is a small, exquisite

pendant-good example of the style and tecnique of Diquis goldwork

Male figure wearing bracelets, anklets, and a belt with a snake-headed sheath

He plays a drum while holding the tail of a snake in his teeth and its head in his left hand

Wavy forms in elaborate reptile costume, inverted triangles on headdress represent bird tails

Diquis

Bird and snake imagery important to culture

Mythology- serpents/crocodiles inhabited lower world, humans and bird a higher one

Maybe shaman is transforming or performing a ritual?

Scrolls on side of head represent hearing or ability to understand animals

Shows a ritual of mediation between earthly and cosmic powers involving music, dance, and costume

Gold thought to capture the energy and power of the sun (wore to inspire fear)

Energy used to travel into cosmic realms

Diquis

Developed complex hierarchical societies with varied artistic traditions

Drastic geographical differences in South America--narrow coastal plain is one of the driest deserts in the world, the Andes have high grasslands with sloping areas, and eastern slopes of the Andes descend into the tropical rain forests of the Amazon basin The ecological variations impacted the art that

developed in different regions

South America

Chavin During 1000 to 200 BCE, the Early Horizon

period, Chavin style art developed and spread

Art style developed at the site of Chavin de Huantar

Innovations in metallurgy, ceramics and textiles

Chavin people believed in an afterlife and that idea is reflected in their art

Raimondi Stone Low relief sculpture in diorite Found in a ceremonial complex 1000-600BCE Chavin Style art made during Early

Horizon period Figure’s headdress has snakes

emerging and fills the entire surface

Typifies Chavin art style: frontal, symmetrical, curvilinear design and combination of human, animal, bird and reptile parts

Chavin

Mantle with BirdImpersonators

Paracas textile 200BCE-200CE

Culture flourished from about 1000 BCE to 200 CE, overlapping Chavin period

Known for textiles that were extensively wrapped around the bodies of the dead

Textiles were a source of prestige and wealth Textile production was an important factor in the

domestication of both cotton and llamas Featured repeating embroidered patterns of warriors,

dancers, and composite creators (bird people)

Paracas—south coast of Peru (1000 BCE-200 CE)

Earth Drawing of a Hummingbird Nazca geoglyph 100BCE-700CE Nazca’s dominated the south

coast of Peru from about 200 BCE to 600 CE

Best known for colossal earthworks, geoglyphs.

Made on great stretches of desert by removing dark stones and exposing the light underlying stones

Each geoglyph was maintained by a clan and at certain times clans would gather and exchange goods and look for marriage partners

Purpose of geoglyphs is unclear

Nazca—South Coast of Peru (200 BCE-600 CE)

North coast of Peru- Moche Valley From Piura Valley to Huarmey Valley 200 B.C.-600 C.E.

Pyramid of Sun and Moon Adobe brick Dominating structures of decentralized social government of

Moche Performed sacrificial ceremonies

Popular icon of art Prisoners of war given as sacrifice Priests would drink blood of the sacrificed Warrior Priest, Bird Priest and Priestess Belief of maintaining good favor with the gods

Well-known for their ceramic artwork Created ceramic molds

Allowing mass production

Moche

Moche Moche Lord with a Feline Naturalistic models of humans and animals Portrait of Moche lord Painted ceramic Found in Moche Valley, Peru 100-500 C.E. 7 ½ in. tall Spout and handle in back Power and status in throne and dress

Wears earspools and headdress Fine-line, decorative painting

Mythological narratives and ritual scenes Believed animals to be sacred,

anthropomorphic vessels of soul Lord strokes jaguar cub or cat

Luxury item buried with its owner in ceremony

Khafre- Giza, Old KingdomKritian Boy- Acropolis

Classical Period

Comparison of the Human Form

Moche Earspool Common decorative pieces among Moche people Inserted through holes of the earlobes

Used to stretch earlobes Worn in pairs Held in place by thread, connecting the two holes

Depiction of warriors Held in high regard Anatomical detail Elaborate dress- wealth Nose ornament, holding club and shield Headdress with crescent shapes

Resemble knives used in sacrifices Owl head necklace

Gold with turquoise, quartz and shell 5 in. diameter Found in Sipan, Peru 2nd-5th century C.E. Buried with their wearers

North America Sparsely populated Limited agriculture Included different cultures

100 B.C.- 550 C.E. Part of Woodland Period

300 B.C.-1000 C.E. Traders and mound builders Mississippi, Illinois, and Ohio cultures traded with other North and

Central American cultures Traded pipestones and flint-like stones for Floridian shark teeth and

turtle shells Used cooper from Upper Michigan and mica from Appalachian Mountains

Burial and ceremonial earthworks Buried the dead with jewels and goods

Built mounds for shrines, sacred fires and holding homes of chiefs Carved pipes with animal representations using naturalistic

observations

Hopewell

Beaver Effigy Platform Pipe Found in Bedford Mound, Pike

County, IL 100-200 C.E. Length 4 9/16 x 1 7/8 x 2” Pipestone, river pearl, and bone Used in trade and social groupings Realism and stylized simplification Beaver crouching on platform White, shiny materialsspirituality

Pearl eyes= spirit world creature Leaves placed in bowl of beaver’s

back and lighted, then smoked from back end

Hopewell

Great Serpent Mound

Located in Adams County, Ohio 1070 C.E. World’s largest effigy mound Mounds of clay and rock, covered by soil Built on meteor site (Permian Period)

Created plateau with cryptoexplosion structure folded and faulted bedrock

1,254 ft long, 3 ft high National Historic Landmark- Department of Interior Constructed among three cultures: Adena, Hopewell, and Fort

Ancient Undulating, intricate design Great Serpent- mythological creature of Hopewell people

Embodied power of the Underworld Contrasted against the falcon or birdman Often horned or winged

Serpent holding an egg in its mouth Symbolizes vast eternity

Hopewell

Great Serpent Mound (continued) Mississippians valued relationship between the universe and

mankind Surrounding burial sites 1815 first map 1967 Ohio Historical Society opens Serpent Mound Museum 1886 excavated by Frederic Ward Putnam Head and egg align with summer solstice sunset

1987 Clark and Majorie Hardman Astronomical influences

1054 creation of Crab Nebula 1066 Halley’s Comet Designed after constellation Draco

Connecting the land and underground to heavens Honoring significant event Suggested representation of an eclipse Purpose remains unidentified

Hopewell

500-1500 C.E. Fort Center, Florida Glades Warlike group dominating Southern Florida Mainly hunted and fished

Fed off sea mammals, fish and shell fish No agricultural fields Dug waterways and canals Mound temples and shrines

Decorated with posts holding animal head carvings Simplified, painted carvings

Natural observations Animal head and masks used in sacrifices and ceremonies

Sometimes of human features Worn as headdresses by priests

Florida Glades

Pelican Figurehead 1000 C.E. Key Marco Decorative, architectural element—

possibly part of a shrine Wood and paint

Black, white, and gray 4 3/8 x 2 3/8 x 3 1/8” Once had wings

Found elsewhere later disintegrated

Clan symbols for bird or animal cult Other animals include: sea turtle,

alligator, fish-hawk, owl, bear, crab, wolf

Florida Glades

Mostly had influences within the four corners region (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico)

Because agriculture was usually out of the question in such a deserted climate, the pueblo people would live together and build apartment-like and storied buildings creating massive communities

Some buildings were constructed to serve as communal food storage, others for religious purposes

Other cultures in the area adapted and built deep and narrow irrigation systems to accommodate the water shortage

The American Southwest

Pueblo Society

Pueblo 550-1250 C.E. Four Corners Region: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and

New Mexico Developed irrigation system Known for Pottery Pueblo Bonito of Chaco Canyon

D-shaped, over 800 rooms in five or four storied apartment buildings

Also dwelled in community caves of canyons and cliffs Protection and insulation Community solidarity and responsibility

Pueblo Art of pottery carried through generations

Still in practice today Female potters Low-fired ceramics Earthenware, black-and-white pigment 14 ½” diameter 1150 C.E. Designed for seed storage

Narrow mouth helps prevent spillage Globular shape allows ample room Holes at top used for hanging

Hung off the ground to prevent seeds from being eaten by rodents

Dotted square, zigzag pattern Angular design contrasting round form

Emphasizes curviness

Pottery Comparison

Death of Sarpedon (Euphronios Krater)

Red Figure Vase- Archaic PeriodAchilles and Ajax Playing a Game Black Figure Vase- Archaic Period

Timeline

1500BC 1200BC 900BC 600BC 300BC 0 300AD 600AD 900AD 1200AD 1500AD

Diquis

Chavin

Paracas

Nazca

Moche

Hopewell

Florida Glades Culture

Pueblo

In Conclusion South America

Advanced civilizations such as Aztecs, Mayans, Incans Power and wealth symbolized in their building designs and massive city

complexes Similar to Mesopotamian Catal Huyuk and Greek civilizations

Knowledge=power Mayans developed calendar and system of writing which includes 800 glyphs

Religion Aztecs maintain good favor with their gods through blood sacrifices

Priests perform sacrifices atop step pyramids North America

Sparsely populated Hunting, fishing, gathering plants Concentrated populations around Missouri and Mississippi Rivers,

Louisiana area Development of agriculture (squash, sunflower, corn) 1000 B.C. nomadicsettled communities Earthworks