Ancient Civilizations of Mexico and Central America / Third and Revised Edition

by Herbert Joseph Spinden

NEW YORK
1928

Publication
of the
Anthropological Handbook Fund

PREFACE

This little book is intended as a general commentary and explanation of the more important phases of the ancient life and arts of the Indians of Mexico and Central America, and especially of their history. The substance of it is drawn from many sources, for the anthropologist must mould together and harmonize the gross results of several sciences. Archæology, ethnology, somatology, and linguistics all make their special contributions and we are only on the threshold of our subject. In the Mexican and Central American field we find the accumulated writings that result from four hundred years of European contact with the Indians and in addition a mass of native documents and monumental inscriptions expressed in several hieroglyphic systems.

The general method of this book will be to take up in order the recognized “horizons” of pre-Columbian history, beginning with the earliest of which we have knowledge. In relation to each horizon we will examine the records and discuss the principal developments in arts, beliefs, and social structures. The introductory chapter is designed to put before the reader such facts as may be necessary for a ready understanding of the discussions and explanations that will follow.

The Mexican Hall of the American Museum of Natural History furnishes illustrations of most of the facts given herewith. This Hall contains both originals and casts brought together by various expeditions of the Museum and of other scientific institutions. The principal patrons of science whose names should be mentioned in connection with the upbuilding of these collections are: Willard Brown, Austin Corbin, R. P. Doremus, Anson W. Hard, Archer M. Huntington, Morris K. Jesup, James H. Jones, Minor C. Keith, the Duke of Loubat, William Mack, Henry Marquand, Doctor William Pepper, A. D. Straus, I. McI. Strong, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Henry Villard, William C. Whitney. But thanks are also due to innumerable persons who have contributed single specimens and small collections as well as those who have placed information at the disposal of the scientific staff. The principal collectors have been: George Byron Gordon, Aleš Hrdlička, Carl Lumholtz, Francis C. Nicholas, Marshall H. Saville, Eduard Seler, Herbert J. Spinden, and John L. Stephens.

CONTENTS

PAGE [Preface] 5 [Introduction] 13 Geography and Natural Environment. History of European Contact. Languages. Ethnology. Physical Types. CHAPTER I [The Archaic Horizon] 45 Stratification of Remains. The Cemetery under the Lava. Invention of Agriculture. Archaic Figurines. Ancient Customs. Archaic Pottery. Stone Sculptures of the Archaic Period. Extensions of the Archaic Horizon. CHAPTER II [The Mayan Civilization] 73 Architecture. Massive Sculptural Art. Minor Arts. The Serpent in Mayan Art. The Human Figure. Design. Composition, and Perspective. The Mayan Pantheon. How Mayan History has been Recovered. Sequences in Art. Books of Chilam Balam. The Mayan Time Counts. Elements of the Day Count. The Conventional Year. The Calendar Round. Mayan Numbers. The Long Count. Dates of Dedication. Hieroglyphs. Codices. Correlation with Christian Chronology. The Mayan Eras. Astronomical Checks on the Correlation. Astronomical Observatories. The True Year. The Lunar Calendar. Venus Calendar. Summary of Mayan History. CHAPTER III [The Middle Civilizations] 153 The Olmeca or Rubber People. Zapotecan Culture. Mitla. Totonacan Culture. The Toltecs. Quetzalcoatl and the Toltec Era. San Juan Teotihuacan. Xochicalco. Tula. Cholula. The Frontier Cities of the Northwest. Santa Lucia Cozumalhualpa. The Chorotegan Culture. Isthmian Gold Work. CHAPTER IV [The Aztecs] 201 Mayas and Aztecs compared to Greeks and Romans. The Chichimecas. Aztecan History. Social Organization. The Tecpan or Temple Enclosure. The Calendar Stone. Stone of Tizoc. Contlicue. Mexican Writing. Aztecan Religion. Conceptions of the Universe. Ceremonies. Poetry and Music. Minor Aztecan Arts. The Tarascans. Southern Mexico. Aztecan Influence in Central America. [A Cross-Section of New World History] 249 [Bibliography] 255 [Index] 259

MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Page. [Funerary Urn from a Zapotecan Tomb] Frontispiece [Map of Mexico and Central America showing the Principal Archaeological Sites with a Detail Insert of the Valley of Mexico] Facing 45 [Diagram of American Chronology] Facing 253