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Presentation on the topic: Artistic culture of Mesoamerica

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What is called Mesoamerica? Central America, including Mexico, is usually called Mesoamerica The cultural development of the peoples of these geographical areas in the period from about the 2nd millennium BC to and until the 15th century AD. commonly called the culture of Mesoamerica, or the culture of pre-Columbian America

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The oldest civilization of pre-Columbian America was the culture of the Olmecs, who lived on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the II-I millennium BC. studies have shown that the Olmecs had well-planned cultural centers and stepped pyramids, stone sculpture, arts and crafts, hieroglyphic writing, and a ritual calendar. Olmec architecture is poorly preserved, as earth and rubble covered with a thick layer of plaster were used as building materials. The oldest civilization of pre-Columbian America was the culture of the Olmecs, who lived on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the II-I millennium BC. studies have shown that the Olmecs had well-planned cultural centers and stepped pyramids, stone sculpture, arts and crafts, hieroglyphic writing, and a ritual calendar. Olmec architecture is poorly preserved, as earth and rubble covered with a thick layer of plaster were used as building materials.

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The sculpture of the Olmecs, represented by huge stone heads up to 3 m high and weighing up to 40 tons, gained world fame. Until now, their purpose is not known exactly, but, most likely, they were of a cult nature. These gigantic heads, discovered during excavations, still amaze with their monumentality, craftsmanship, and realistic reproduction of the individual features of famous personalities of that time. The sculpture of the Olmecs, represented by huge stone heads up to 3 m high and weighing up to 40 tons, gained world fame. Until now, their purpose is not known exactly, but, most likely, they were of a cult nature. These gigantic heads, discovered during excavations, still amaze with their monumentality, craftsmanship, and realistic reproduction of the individual features of famous personalities of that time.

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In one of the famous sculptures, a young man is depicted with a wide and flat, as if flattened nose, thick lips and almond-shaped eyes, slightly covered by heavy eyelids. The height of the sculpture is 2.41 m, the weight is 25 tons. On the young man's head is a tight-fitting and decorated with a relief pattern helmet with headphones. In one of the famous sculptures, a young man is depicted with a wide and flat, as if flattened nose, thick lips and almond-shaped eyes, slightly covered by heavy eyelids. The height of the sculpture is 2.41 m, the weight is 25 tons. On the young man's head is a tight-fitting and decorated with a relief pattern helmet with headphones.

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Wrestler (Wrestler) Wrestler (Wrestler) 600-400 years. BC. 63x40 cm This is a basalt sculpture of a shaved, bearded man depicting him in dynamics, which is almost unique for all the sculptures of Mesoamerica

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Monument 19 from La Venta Monument 19 from La Venta Depicts a man inside a curved snake a man dressed in clothes with the same distinctive signs that the snake has. This monument is similar in theme to other Olmec monuments, which depict the emergence of a person from zoomorphic caves or niches

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Figurine of a seated man dressed as a supernatural beast Figurine of a seated man dressed as a supernatural beast 1200-600 BC. BC. 29.5x21.3 cm The nose and mouth are rendered quite realistically, but the figurine has no eyes at all Instead of them, the motif of flaming eyebrows characteristic of the Olmecs

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By the beginning of the new era, the Olmec culture had disappeared. What caused its decline is unknown, but it was replaced by new civilizations, and above all the city of Teotihuacan in Central America. In this city, from the heyday, two main temples dedicated to the Sun and the Moon have been preserved. They are located at the top of a huge stepped pyramid. The temples were decorated with colorful paintings and brightly colored statues of the gods. The eyes of the statues are inlaid with precious stones and mother-of-pearl. By the beginning of the new era, the Olmec culture had disappeared. What caused its decline is unknown, but it was replaced by new civilizations, and above all the city of Teotihuacan in Central America. In this city, from the heyday, two main temples dedicated to the Sun and the Moon have been preserved. They are located at the top of a huge stepped pyramid. The temples were decorated with colorful paintings and brightly colored statues of the gods. The eyes of the statues are inlaid with precious stones and mother-of-pearl.

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The most grandiose architectural structure is the Pyramid of the Sun, which currently has a height of 64.6 m. Unlike other pyramidal structures that had a stepped shape, the Pyramid of the Sun consists of four large, decreasing truncated pyramids, placed one on top of the other. On one side of the pyramid is a system of gradually narrowing ramps that led to the sanctuary in the temple. The planes between the terraces of the building were constructed in such a way that the spectators, who were at the foot of the large staircase, could not see what was happening on its top. The pyramid was built from a huge amount of raw bricks and lined with stone plastered slabs. The most grandiose architectural structure is the Pyramid of the Sun, which currently has a height of 64.6 m. Unlike other pyramidal structures that had a stepped shape, the Pyramid of the Sun consists of four large, decreasing truncated pyramids, placed one on top of the other. On one side of the pyramid is a system of gradually narrowing ramps that led to the sanctuary in the temple. The planes between the terraces of the building were constructed in such a way that the spectators, who were at the foot of the large staircase, could not see what was happening on its top. The pyramid was built from a huge amount of raw bricks and lined with stone plastered slabs.

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Most likely, the pyramid also served as a "sun clock", accurately marking the onset of the equinox. On March 20 and September 22, an amazing sight could be observed here: at exactly noon, the sun's rays caused the gradual disappearance of a direct shadow on the lower step of the western facade. The transition time from complete darkness to illumination took exactly 66.6 seconds. Of course, in order to achieve such a visual effect, it was necessary to have perfect knowledge in the field of mathematics, astronomy and geodesy. Most likely, the pyramid also served as a "sun clock", accurately marking the onset of the equinox. On March 20 and September 22, an amazing sight could be observed here: at exactly noon, the sun's rays caused the gradual disappearance of a direct shadow on the lower step of the western facade. The transition time from complete darkness to illumination took exactly 66.6 seconds. Of course, in order to achieve such a visual effect, it was necessary to have perfect knowledge in the field of mathematics, astronomy and geodesy.

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Around the Pyramid of the Sun, several small stepped pyramids were symmetrically located, emphasizing the monumentality of the main building. In the architectural decor, there are decorations in the form of huge snake heads painted with white paint. On the head of each snake was a corolla and feathers, symbolizing a particularly revered deity. In the middle of the ninth century The city was abandoned by the inhabitants and turned into a pile of ruins. The civilizations of the classical period were destroyed by the invasion of peoples from the north, first the Toltecs, and then the Aztecs, who created their own civilization. Around the Pyramid of the Sun, several small stepped pyramids were symmetrically located, emphasizing the monumentality of the main building. In the architectural decor, there are decorations in the form of huge snake heads painted with white paint. On the head of each snake was a corolla and feathers, symbolizing a particularly revered deity. In the middle of the ninth century The city was abandoned by the inhabitants and turned into a pile of ruins. The civilizations of the classical period were destroyed by the invasion of peoples from the north, first the Toltecs, and then the Aztecs, who created their own civilization.

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The main feature of the art of the hunting tribes of the Aztecs was the worship of the gods. Surviving legends and traditions tell of numerous campaigns and bloody battles of this warlike people before they created a powerful empire with a highly developed culture. The main places of worship for the gods were temples, which by the beginning of the conquest by the Spaniards in the 16th century, there were more than 40 thousand. The main feature of the art of the hunting tribes of the Aztecs was the worship of the gods. Surviving legends and traditions tell of numerous campaigns and bloody battles of this warlike people before they created a powerful empire with a highly developed culture. The main places of worship for the gods were temples, which by the beginning of the conquest by the Spaniards in the 16th century, there were more than 40 thousand.

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The capital of the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan, was especially struck by its splendor. The city center was located on an island in the middle of a picturesque lake, it was surrounded by buildings on piles and dams, cut by channels. In case of danger, the bridges thrown over the canals were raised and the city turned into an impregnable fortress. Alas, Tenochtitlan did not escape a sad fate: at the beginning of the 16th century, the city was conquered and destroyed by the Spanish conquerors-conquistadors. The capital of the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan, was especially struck by its splendor. The city center was located on an island in the middle of a picturesque lake, it was surrounded by buildings on piles and dams, cut by channels. In case of danger, the bridges thrown over the canals were raised and the city turned into an impregnable fortress. Alas, Tenochtitlan did not escape a sad fate: at the beginning of the 16th century, the city was conquered and destroyed by the Spanish conquerors-conquistadors.

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We know very little about Aztec architecture, as many structures were destroyed or completely rebuilt. Information about them was preserved only in the descriptions of Spanish eyewitnesses. It is known that in the center of Tenochtitlan there were three palaces of the Aztec rulers and the main temple of the supreme god of war. Two small wooden temples were erected on top of the stepped pyramid.

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Aztec sculpture reached its peak. Monumental statues of deities are abstract and conditional. An example is the huge statue of Coatlicue, the goddess of the earth and spring fertility, the mother of the supreme god of war. This statue only remotely resembles a human figure: it has no face, no head, no arms, no legs. It is made of various materials: corn cobs, claws, human skulls, feathers, etc. all this piling up is symmetrical and balanced. Aztec sculpture reached its peak. Monumental statues of deities are abstract and conditional. An example is the huge statue of Coatlicue, the goddess of the earth and spring fertility, the mother of the supreme god of war. This statue only remotely resembles a human figure: it has no face, no head, no arms, no legs. It is made of various materials: corn cobs, claws, human skulls, feathers, etc. all this piling up is symmetrical and balanced.

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The funeral masks of the Aztecs, reflecting the facial features of the buried, are of a different nature. Noteworthy in this regard is the basalt head of the “eagle warrior”, in which the strong-willed face of a young warrior is skillfully conveyed. Works of small plastic art also attract attention: graceful figurines of a frightened rabbit crouching on its hind legs, curled up in a ball of a snake. The funeral masks of the Aztecs, reflecting the facial features of the buried, are of a different nature. Noteworthy in this regard is the basalt head of the “eagle warrior”, in which the strong-willed face of a young warrior is skillfully conveyed. Works of small plastic art also attract attention: graceful figurines of a frightened rabbit crouching on its hind legs, curled up in a ball of a snake.

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The few surviving works of jewelry art amaze with their craftsmanship. Necklaces, pendants, earrings, chest plates are distinguished by the elegance of workmanship and the accuracy of modeling. The few surviving works of jewelry art amaze with their craftsmanship. Necklaces, pendants, earrings, chest plates are distinguished by the elegance of workmanship and the accuracy of modeling.

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The Maya civilization achieved particular success. Long before the conquerors conquered the Maya, they invented an accurate solar calendar, determined the length of the year, used the concept of zero in mathematics a thousand years earlier than European civilization, accurately predicted solar and lunar eclipses, and invented developed hieroglyphic writing. The art of the Mayan peoples was distinguished by sophistication and perfection. One of the most eloquent evidence of this culture is architecture. The Maya civilization achieved particular success. Long before the conquerors conquered the Maya, they invented an accurate solar calendar, determined the length of the year, used the concept of zero in mathematics a thousand years earlier than European civilization, accurately predicted solar and lunar eclipses, and invented developed hieroglyphic writing. The art of the Mayan peoples was distinguished by sophistication and perfection. One of the most eloquent evidence of this culture is architecture.

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Of the monuments of artistic culture, works of architecture have been best preserved to our time. They amaze with an amazing sense of proportions, majestic monumentality, diversity, variety of architectural forms. These are not only pyramids and courtyards, these are astronomical observatories, ball courts, columns, stairs, triumphal arches and steles. Of the monuments of artistic culture, works of architecture have been best preserved to our time. They amaze with an amazing sense of proportions, majestic monumentality, diversity, variety of architectural forms. These are not only pyramids and courtyards, these are astronomical observatories, ball courts, columns, stairs, triumphal arches and steles.

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One of the peaks of Mayan architecture is the Palace complex in the city of Palenque. 25 buildings scattered across a hilly plain. The main decorations of the complex are the palace and the step pyramid of the Inscriptions, three temples - the Sun, the Cross and the Foliate Cross. One of the peaks of Mayan architecture is the Palace complex in the city of Palenque. 25 buildings scattered across a hilly plain. The main decorations of the complex are the palace and the step pyramid of the Inscriptions, three temples - the Sun, the Cross and the Foliate Cross.

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The palace in Palenque stands on a natural plateau, rising almost 70 meters above the plain. Inside the palace there are courtyards surrounded by galleries. Richly decorated with carvings and sculptures and inscriptions, the palace has a four-story square tower, which probably served as an astronomical observatory for the Maya priests. The palace in Palenque stands on a natural plateau, rising almost 70 meters above the plain. Inside the palace there are courtyards surrounded by galleries. Richly decorated with carvings and sculptures and inscriptions, the palace has a four-story square tower, which probably served as an astronomical observatory for the Maya priests.

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The Temple of the Inscriptions is a 9-step pyramid rising above the ground to a height of about 24m. A rectangular temple was erected on its upper platform, to which a staircase of 69 steps leads. The walls of the temple are decorated with panels, richly decorated with bas-reliefs and relief hieroglyphic inscriptions, thanks to which the temple got its name. The Temple of the Inscriptions is a 9-step pyramid rising above the ground to a height of about 24m. A rectangular temple was erected on its upper platform, to which a staircase of 69 steps leads. The walls of the temple are decorated with panels, richly decorated with bas-reliefs and relief hieroglyphic inscriptions, thanks to which the temple got its name.

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No less original are the so-called stadiums - buildings for the cult ball game. They are two inclined massive walls running parallel to each other. Between them was placed a playground for playing ball. Competitors were not allowed to touch the ball with their hands or feet. The team that first threw the ball into a round hole made in a stone wall won. Fans were located on the tops of two walls, which they climbed by stairs located on the outside. No less original are the so-called stadiums - buildings for the cult ball game. They are two inclined massive walls running parallel to each other. Between them was placed a playground for playing ball. Competitors were not allowed to touch the ball with their hands or feet. The team that first threw the ball into a round hole made in a stone wall won. Fans were located on the tops of two walls, which they climbed by stairs located on the outside.

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The visual arts of the Maya also had their own characteristics. There was a canon in it, which was determined by the cult of the deified ruler and his ancestors. The Mayan ruler was most often depicted in war scenes or seated on a throne. The main attention of the sculptors was attracted not by individual features, but by the accurate and careful reproduction of the magnificent costume, headdress and other attributes of power. His face conveyed indifference and calm majesty. The image of the ruler was accompanied by a short hieroglyphic text containing information about his birth, reign, and military successes. The artistic culture of the Maya had a huge impact on the American culture of subsequent eras. The visual arts of the Maya also had their own characteristics. There was a canon in it, which was determined by the cult of the deified ruler and his ancestors. The Mayan ruler was most often depicted in war scenes or seated on a throne. The main attention of the sculptors was attracted not by individual features, but by the accurate and careful reproduction of the magnificent costume, headdress and other attributes of power. His face conveyed indifference and calm majesty. The image of the ruler was accompanied by a short hieroglyphic text containing information about his birth, reign, and military successes. The artistic culture of the Maya had a huge impact on the American culture of subsequent eras.

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One of the most famous South American civilizations was the empire of the Incas, an Indian people who lived from the 11th century. in present-day Peru. The Incas entered the history of world art thanks to the beauty and grandeur of their temples. On the coast of Peru, many pyramids have survived to this day. Some pyramids were not square in plan, but round. One of the most famous South American civilizations was the empire of the Incas, an Indian people who lived from the 11th century. in present-day Peru. The Incas entered the history of world art thanks to the beauty and grandeur of their temples. On the coast of Peru, many pyramids have survived to this day. Some pyramids were not square in plan, but round.

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One of the most outstanding buildings of the Inca period is the main temple of the Sun. According to the descriptions, it was surrounded by a triple wall, which had a circumference of about 380m. Perfectly hewn stones were tightly fitted to each other without the use of a binder solution. In the main wall was the only entrance leading from the square directly to the sanctuary of the deity. In the central hall of the sanctuary, an image of the sun god was erected in the form of a huge disk adorned with precious stones. One of the most outstanding buildings of the Inca period is the main temple of the Sun. According to the descriptions, it was surrounded by a triple wall, which had a circumference of about 380m. Perfectly hewn stones were tightly fitted to each other without the use of a binder solution. In the main wall was the only entrance leading from the square directly to the sanctuary of the deity. In the central hall of the sanctuary, an image of the sun god was erected in the form of a huge disk adorned with precious stones.

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Around the main buildings were the premises of the priests and servants of the temple and the world-famous "Golden Garden" of the Incas. Its dimensions reached approximately 220 by 100 m, and the garden itself and all its inhabitants - people, birds, lizards, insects - were made in full size from pure gold and silver. Around the main buildings were the premises of the priests and servants of the temple and the world-famous "Golden Garden" of the Incas. Its dimensions reached approximately 220 by 100 m, and the garden itself and all its inhabitants - people, birds, lizards, insects - were made in full size from pure gold and silver.

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The Incas achieved some success in sculpture. One of the most significant sculptural monuments is the relief on the gates of the Sun in Tiahuanaco. Works of ceramics have survived to our time. Ing craftsmen created gold jewelry, exquisite luxury items, which used bizarre graphic ornaments on mythological stories about the creation of the world, the struggle of heroes against fantastic monsters, as well as episodes from everyday life. The Incas achieved some success in sculpture. One of the most significant sculptural monuments is the relief on the gates of the Sun in Tiahuanaco. Works of ceramics have survived to our time. Ing craftsmen created gold jewelry, exquisite luxury items, which used bizarre graphic ornaments on mythological stories about the creation of the world, the struggle of heroes against fantastic monsters, as well as episodes from everyday life.

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A.I. Davletshin

Mesoamerican religions are based on the idea of ​​a divine
an all-pervading force that permeates the world and finds its manifestation
in individual gods, people, natural phenomena and animated objects.

Nagual KAWAK(LIGHTNING)
brings rain and symbolizes fertility.
The concept of an all-pervading divine power is a key concept in the system of Mesoamerican religions. When the Spanish monks tried to describe the "pagan cults" of the Indians, they quickly found a word that fit their idea of ​​God.
It was different in different languages:
at Yucatan Maya kitchen, y Cholan Maya choo, y Aztecs teotl, y Zapotec pitao, y juice masa etc.
However, modern ethnographic research, as well as a careful study of hieroglyphic inscriptions and Indian texts from the era of the conquest, showed that the Spaniards were far from the truth.

Cholan word choo, and the words corresponding to it in other languages, are associated not so much with the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bgod or gods, but with the idea of human soul and things with it destiny. The word chuh rather means divine power - an important component of the soul, which can be lost and gained and which is an invariable attribute of the gods and the powerful of this world, otherwise, what else can they be strong? This concept is more reminiscent of the concept of the Polynesian mana than European ideas about God or the soul.

Here is what the Mayans themselves say:

Chulel- this is the inner, personal "soul", located in the heart of each person;
it is also found in the blood vessels that are connected to the heart.
The soul is placed in the body of the fetus by the gods-ancestors. It consists of thirteen parts and the loss of one of them requires a special medicine ceremony in order to return it. Although the chulel can be divided into separate parts, as happens during the "loss of the soul", it is eternal and indestructible.
In fact, everything important and valuable is possessed by the chulel: domestic animals and plants, salt, houses and hearths, crosses, saints, musical instruments, maize, and all other gods of the pantheon.
The most important interactions in the universe take place not between persons and objects, but between the inner souls of persons and material objects..

It is said that a man from the very time of his birth has more "warmth" than a woman; his chulel (soul) is stronger than hers due to more heat. A greater amount of warmth is due to the fact that he is forced to fulfill the duties that fall on his shoulders.
He is the one who continues what the gods began at the "dawn of the world."

It is believed that from the very birth, a person accumulates "heat", which is " by the power of the soul»; when entering into some religious or socially important position, when getting married or receiving a first and second name, etc. a person acquires an appropriate amount of "heat". Various religious ceremonies, including, bloodletting rites, are aimed at protecting a person from possible "loss of the soul", which threatens a person with illness or death.

The concept of an all-pervading divine power is reflected in the idea that gods can incarnate in people. Throughout Mesoamerica, monumental monuments and small plastic objects have been found, on which kings are depicted as impersonators of the gods, performing ritual dances, playing ball, etc. The elements of the decoration of the rulers, as well as the captions to them, make it possible to determine which deity in this case impersonates the ruler. During the arrival of the Spaniards in the Yucatan, there were so-called prophets chilams(lit. translator), who, with the help of special techniques, “forced the gods to incarnate in them and prophesy through their mouths.”

From hieroglyphic texts we know that not only people and gods, but also mountains, temples, steles, vessels, earrings, have their own "divine" names, i.e. have a soul.
Notable in this respect is the royal scepter. cavil. The taking of this scepter symbolized the ascension of the ruler to the throne; such scepters have been found during archaeological excavations. They portray God Kavil- a creature with an ugly face and a large nose, whose body ends in a snake.
And the god Kavil, who lives in heaven, and the small scepters of Kavili, depicting him, are one and the same being. In addition, the god Kavil has " magical double”, whose name is the First Serpent (the snake part of the kavil scepter indicates his second essence).
This god is depicted in two ways: either appearing from a bowl with sacrificed blood, or in the form of a ritual object - a “heavenly band”, which is a two-headed snake, from whose open jaws peep Kavili. Taking the "heavenly band" symbolized the same thing as taking the scepter - accession to the throne.
In one of the texts about the "heavenly strip" it is said that "the king took the god."

Thus, the god Kavil not only exists in two forms, but in the countless scepters and "celestial bands" that depict him, he also exists incarnated in the kings who impersonate him.

Teaching about tonals, another important concept shared by all Mesoamerican religions, is a direct consequence of the concept of divine all-pervading power.
Different peoples used different terms to refer to this phenomenon: Aztec tonal, bulk ( nagual), Maya wye, lab, juice boorish etc.
The essence of these ideas is that each person has his magical double - tonal; this person is in turn the tonal of the being who is his tonal. Man and his tonal are intimately connected with each other in a magical way from the very moment of their birth; they share a single soul and a single destiny. If something happens to the tonal, for example, if it dies or is killed, the same thing will happen to the person.

Here is an example of a modern fairy tale with a characteristic plot:
There once was, they say, a woman who had a demon. The woman's demon was a fox.
This woman was blind, but, they say, she was very skilled in witchcraft. The fox spirit of that woman was accidentally shot by the hunters. She died immediately, because the fox spirit of the blind sorceress was killed. But the woman who died still continued to conjure.
But this old woman, they say, was very skilled in witchcraft.

There were significant variations in ideas about the tonal.

Some peoples believed that every person has a tonal, others that only sorcerers and high-ranking people possess them. The favorite image of the sorcerer's tonal is jaguar. Kings and some gods also possess "magic doubles". It is with the help of their tonal that sorcerers can perform magical actions, for example, steal the souls of people, causing illness or death.
According to legend, communication with and manipulation of the tonal takes place in a dream; in the views of the Indians, the soul completely or partially leaves the human body during sleep and travels through the "upper, middle and lower worlds." It is at this moment that there is the greatest likelihood of "losing your soul."
In this, the teaching about tonals resembles the shamanistic ideas of the peoples of Siberia and North America.

bloodletting, as a specific religious practice, is a characteristic feature of the Mesoamerican religions. Depictions of dignitaries performing bloodletting rituals are one of the popular themes in Mesoamerican art.

Various forms of this rite were practiced. With the help of special ritual objects, such as a thorn of a stingray stingray or a thorn of a prickly agave plant, the Indians pierced various parts of the body and collected the flowing blood on paper, which was then offered to the deity. The more painful the sacrifice, the more effective it was considered - they pierced the earlobe, tongue, cheeks, skin on the thighs.
Sometimes a rope was passed through a punctured hole, which was saturated with blood; this operation is very painful. The Spanish monk Diego de Landa described one of the varieties of this rite in the 16th century:

«... On other occasions they made dishonorable and sad sacrifices.
Those who performed it gathered in the temple, where, standing in a row, they made several holes for themselves in the male members, across the side, and, having done this, they threaded through them as much as possible of the lace as they could, which made them all tied up and strung; they also smeared the blood of all these members on the statue of the demon. The one who did more was considered the most courageous».

We know from Mayan hieroglyphic texts that blood offering was one of the main duties of the king; bloodletting was accompanied by rituals associated with the accession of the king to the throne, commemoration of ancestors, appeal to the gods and the end of calendar cycles.
Title chahom (« splashing drops”) is used as a synonym for king.

The practice of blood offerings is closely connected with the idea of ​​a divine substance that permeates the universe. According to Mesoamerican ideas, blood is the material carrier of the soul that lives in the human heart. The Indians still believe that the pulse is its tangible, material manifestation.
By releasing the power that is contained in the blood, a person can influence the course of events, prevent misfortunes, feed the gods and even call them to life from oblivion.
So, on one of the stelae dedicated to the end of the 20th anniversary, in honor of which the Mayan rulers performed bloodletting, it says “the gods, the God of the Night and the God of the Day, were born, and King Itzamna-Kavil did this.” Above the ruler are the God of Night and the God of Day, who, as it were, bathe in clouds of steam emanating from spilled blood.

The strength of a person depends on his social position, on the position he occupies.
That is why kings, as descendants of gods and deified ancestors, have the greatest amount of power, that is why the duty falls on their shoulders with the help of sacred rituals, in particular, bloodletting, to maintain world order, the well-being of the people and ensure the favor of the gods.
The gods are named in the texts as "the care of the king" - he must feed them, make statues, build temples, make offerings. If the ruler does not behave properly, his people and kingdom will face inevitable misfortunes.

The legends of the Aztecs about the creation of the world claim that the god Quetzalcoatl irrigated the bones of his ancestors with his own blood in order to create community members, ordinary people. The myth clearly demonstrates, on the one hand, that the divine substance of blood has a huge creative potential, and on the other hand, that there is a clear opposition between kings and mere mortals, and kings are more like gods than people.
The names that the heirs received upon accession to the throne equate the kings with the gods - they are a concise description of some mythological plots: Born-Out-of-the-Sky-God-Chuck, Burns-the sky-god-Kavil, Sad-Heart-Hot(hot, i.e. "full of strength").
The names of the rulers of one kingdom, as a rule, mention the same god, in other words, the ruling dynasty had its own patron god, and the kings were seen as its incarnations.

Bloodletting was not the only form of sacrifice practiced by the Indians.

It is known that the Indians fasted, without eating salt and spices, kindled fragrant incense, sacrificed birds, butterflies and people. The latter practice is also associated with the concept of blood as a reservoir of divine power.

The doctrine of cycles of time played a huge role in cosmological concepts and the daily life of the Indians. The ancient Mesoamericans had amazing astronomical knowledge.
Back at the end of the 1st millennium BC, they developed an absolute dating system, which counts from the mythical date of the creation of the world in 3114. BC. (This calendar system is more accurate than the one we use).
Even earlier, they invented a sacred 260-day calendar that allows you to predict solar and lunar eclipses, as well as the movement of the planet Venus. Such an early development of astronomical knowledge is associated with the need to accurately predict the change of the season, because an error of 1 day can result in the loss of the entire year's harvest.

calendar knowledge received a special refraction in the Mesoamerican religions.
So one of the functions of the sacred 260-day calendar is to name people according to the day they are born. Not only people, but also the gods received their names in accordance with the day on which they were born or performed great deeds.
However
a calendar name is not just a name (as a rule, the Indians had two names: one calendar, the other personal); it is also the sign under which a person is born, and his destiny. There were priests who made predictions about the fate of a person using special books.
Famous Aztec books tonalpoualli with tables of days, it is rather not “count of days”, as they often write, but “ soul count". According to the Spanish missionaries, the Indians could, using such books, “manipulate fate”: it was enough to call a child born under a bad sign by the calendar name of the next day, with more favorable forecasts for the future.

Mesoamericans believed that various astronomical events had a huge impact on their lives. If, for example, a pregnant woman sees a solar eclipse, then she will have a dead child; Venus was a symbol of war, and the time when the planet was visible the longest in the sky was considered the most favorable for military campaigns; if maize is planted on a waning moon, the sprouts will wither on the vine or be eaten by rats. [ And also Venus - the nagual of Quetzalcoatl: Xolotl, the Evening Star; at night he ferries through the depths of the underworld from west to east the solar disk]

The Indians believed in cycle of world events,
therefore round dates (400th anniversaries, 20th anniversaries and 52nd anniversaries) looked especially important in their eyes; these days the rulers erected monuments, tied them up and sprinkled them with blood in order to give them life.

One interesting episode from the history of the Maya is connected with these representations.
kingdoms Naranjo And caracol have been at odds with each other for a long time. Caracol often won victories, which were imprinted on the hieroglyphic ladder. When the kings of Naranjo captured Caracol in 680, the first thing they did was dismantled the ladder and took it to their kingdom, where they folded it incorrectly so that all the dates were mixed up.
Thus, the kings of Naranjo tried to overcome the "cyclical nature of history", to change the course of events.

In hieroglyphic texts, kings often draw parallels between themselves and the events they perform with the gods and the deeds performed by the gods in mythical times. Some of these events took place millions of years ago. So, what was once done by the gods at the dawn of the world and served as the basis of the existing world, is repeated by the kings, demigods, half-humans, who will be responsible for maintaining the existing world order.

Cosmology.

In Mesoamerica, there were complex cosmogonic ideas that varied with time and region. According to the Aztecs, the world was created Tezcat sticky And Quetzalcoatlem from the monster Tlaltecuhtli, torn by them into two parts: heaven and earth.

The world has a horizontal and vertical division.
In the first division, 4 parts of the world and the center are distinguished, each of which has its own world tree, connecting the worlds, the corresponding bird and color (west - blue, north - yellow, east - red, south - green). Each part of the world has its own patron god.
In the vertical direction, the world is divided into 13 heavens, the middle world and 9 hells. In heaven are the luminaries, gods, the souls of warriors who died in battle, and women who died in childbirth. The upper 2 heavens are inhabited by a divine couple Ometecutli And Omesihuatl that gave birth to gods and people.
The god of death lives in the 9 hells Mitlantecuhtli and his wife Mictlancihuatl, as well as the souls of those who died a simple death.

In the cosmology of the Aztecs there is principle of duality- the eternal struggle of two principles.

The created world went through 4 "world epochs", each of which ended with the destruction of the world: fire, flood, etc. We live during the fifth age ruled by the sun god Tonatiu; it must end in terrible cataclysms.
Every 52 years the world is in danger of being destroyed, the gods decide whether to extend its existence for a new period.

The ideas about the world of other Mesoamerican peoples are similar, but differ in details.

The Maya, for example, have a different color symbolism, and the rain god Chak exists in five forms, arranged according to the horizontal division of the world ( White Chuck in the north, Yellow Chuck in the south, etc.).
According to hieroglyphic texts, when a person dies, his " White flower”(a metaphorical description of the soul), evaporating, goes to the water world, located underground, the path to which lies through the mountain.

The underworld is also the habitat of the tonals.

By the time the Spaniards arrived, the Aztecs had become simply obsessed the idea of ​​the imminent end of the "modern era" and destruction of the world. The only way in their minds to support the existing world order and appease the gods was large-scale human sacrifices, because blood is the "food of the gods" - the only thing that can give strength to the gods to maintain world balance.
The priests tore out the heart and brought it still beating and spurting blood to the statue of the god, sprinkling it.

In 1478 during the consecration of the Great Temple of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, about 20,000 people were sacrificed in four days. Similar practices existed among many Mesoamerican peoples, but nowhere and never did they take on such proportions.

Doubts about the truth of religious doctrines were inherent in people of distant epochs no less than we are. Of course, the historical and religious texts of Mesoamerica leave no room for possible doubts, but the poems of the Aztec poets have also come down to us, which were memorized and passed down from generation to generation. Many of them are real masterpieces of philosophical and religious lyrics. A significant proportion of the poetic works of the king [ruler of Texcoca] Nezahualcoyotl (1402-1472) are devoted to the Giver of Life and the Creator of Himself, and his praise.

At the same time, some stanzas express doubts about the truth and goodness of God, about the prosperity of whose cult Nezahualcoyotl so advocated, as well as about the possible life of a person after death.

Are you true, the one who alone rules over all things, the Giver of Life?
Is it true? Maybe it's not like they say?
Let not our hearts be tormented! Everything that is true is said to be not true.
Only the Giver of Life will be the judge.
Let not our hearts be tormented! Because he is the Giver of Life.

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Artistic culture of Mesoamerica Grade 10

Pre-Columbian America (before 1492)

The territory of Central and South America Cultural civilizations arose: Olmec Aztec Maya Incas

The oldest civilization in pre-Columbian America was the Olmec culture. They lived on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the 2-1 millennium BC. The Olmecs had planned cultural centers and step pyramids, stone sculpture, objects of decorative and applied art, hieroglyphic writing, and a ritual calendar.

Architecture The architecture is poorly preserved. A huge stone head up to 3 m high and weighing up to 40 tons has gained world fame. Its purpose is not known, probably - a cult character.

New Civilization City of Teotihuacan in Central America. Two main temples dedicated to the Sun and the Moon have been preserved. S. 54 ab.2

Artistic culture of the Aztecs In the 11th century, conquerors came from the north - the Aztecs, who created their own civilization. The main feature of the art of the hunting tribes of the Aztecs was the worship of the gods.

Temples were the main place of worship for the gods. The capital of the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan, or Mexico City, was striking in its splendor - now the capital of Mexico. The city center was on an island in the middle of a lake.

Sculpture of the Aztecs Monumental statues of deities were abstract and conditional. Statue of Coatlicue - goddess of the earth and spring fertility. It is made of corn cobs, jaguar claws and fangs, human skulls and palms, feathers, snakes, eagle paws, etc.

Reading. p. 56 ab 1 from below, p. 57 Funeral mask Jewelry

Artistic culture of the Maya The Mayan tribe invented an accurate solar calendar, determined the length of the year, used the concept of zero, predicted solar and lunar eclipses, invented hieroglyphic writing.

Architecture. Difference. (p. 58 ab.1) Egyptian pyramids Temple of the Aztec Inscriptions

Stadiums are structures with playgrounds for the iconic ball game. Game rules with. 59 ab.1 from below

Artistic culture of the Incas. The Inca Empire is an Indian people living since the 11th century. In what is now Peru. There are legends about the emergence of the Inca Empire (p. 61 ab. 2)

Sculpture. Relief on the Gate of the Sun at Tiahuanaco

Homework: The Art of Primitive Man The Artistic Culture of Western Asia The Architecture of Ancient Egypt The Artistic Culture of Mesoamerica. REPEAT FOR CONTROL WORK

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The purpose of the lesson: to introduce students to the artistic culture of Mesoamerica

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What is called Mesoamerica?

Central America, including Mexico, is usually called Mesoamerica The cultural development of the peoples of these geographical areas in the period from about the 2nd millennium BC to and until the 15th century AD. It is customary to call the culture of Mesoamerica, or the culture of pre-Columbian America!

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Map of pre-Columbian America