January 04, 2008, Ancient cultures of Mexico, By Guillermo Méndez, How do you tell one ‘tec from another?, Looking closer at astrology, By Colin Hanlen

Ancient cultures of Mexico
By Guillermo Méndez January 4, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Lectures

Ancient Cultures of Mexico, Part I
January 9 and March 5

Ancient Cultures of Mexico, Part II
January 16 and March 12

Codex Mendoza
January 23 and March 19

The Magnificent Maya, Part I
January 30 and April 2

The Magnificent Maya, Part II
February 6 and April 9

Colón
February 13 and around “Columbus Day”

The Conquest
Date TBA
Wednesdays at 3pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

The ancient cultures of the “European” hemisphere are considerably older than the ancient cultures of Mexico. Very sophisticated civilizations existed in Mesopotamia, China and Egypt by 3000 BC.

At this time the inhabitants of Mexico were farmers living in small villages; there were no cities, no kings, no temples or pyramids. It would be over 1,000 years before the great Olmec culture would reveal the hallmarks of “civilization” (i.e., cities, monumental architecture, social, religious and political institutions). But by the time Europe was passing through its medieval period (circa AD 600), the great Mexican city of Teotihuacan (about 30 miles from Mexico City) with over 100,000 inhabitants was thriving and asserting itself throughout Mesoamerica. At this time it would have been the sixth largest city in the world. Mayan cities like Tikal (population about 70,000) were also at their cultural peak. The seventh century AD is the apogee of the Mesoamerican Classic Period, “classic” because of the richness of i
ts artistic and intellectual achievements.

Artists and artisans created works of great beauty for their rulers. Because they were made of durable materials, we are most familiar with the Mayan carved stone reliefs, jade jewelry and artifacts and painted clay vessels. But there must have been equally beautiful works made of wood, feathers, paper and other perishable materials.

During the Classic Period the Maya practiced a sophisticated mathematics that included the use of “zero,” a rare occurrence in world cultures. The Europeans got “zero” from the Arabs—who got it from India. The Maya probably got “zero” from the Olmecs. They used their mathematics to chart the movements of the sun, moon and the planet Venus. They successfully predicted solar eclipses.

The carved stone masks of Teotihuacan are justly famous, but it is the architecture of this great city that is without peer. The pyramids of the Sun, Moon and Quetzalcoatl and the monumental space around them are truly impressive.

The plaza in front of the pyramid of the Moon is large enough to hold thousands. One can only imagine the public spectacles that must have occurred there. And imagine we must, for there is still a great deal that is unknown about Teotihuacan. We do not know who they were, what language they spoke, nor what they called themselves. The city’s name, “Teotihuacan,” is an Aztec word meaning “city of the gods.” The Aztecs believed that the gods had created the fifth sun there; four previous suns had been created and destroyed. We are still living under that fifth sun.

The Aztecs did not enter the valley of Mexico until the thirteenth century AD.

The city of Teotihuacan and the culture that made it had collapsed about five centuries earlier. Maya, Olmec, Teotihuacan and Aztec—and there were others—Toltec, Mixtec, Zapotec and the Classic Veracruz culture. So many ancient cultures—so little time.

All of these great cultures of ancient Mexico will be the subjects of lectures offered at the Biblioteca Pública beginning in January.

Olmec, Toltec and Aztec are names familiar to all of us—but how can we distinguish one “-tec” from another? The answer is that we must associate certain characteristic images and ideas with each culture. Exactly how to do this is the focus of two lectures: Ancient Culture of Mexico: Parts I and II. Part I presents the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec and Aztec cultures. Part II focuses on the Zapotec, Maya, Classic Vercruz and Mixtec cultures.

And how shall we distinguish between, say, the Teotihuacan culture and the others? We shall do it with images and ideas. The images we must know and recall for Teotihuacan are the images of the city, namely the pyramids of the Sun, the Moon and Quetzalcoatl. The “Avenue of the Dead” connects them. The “idea” or concept to keep in mind is that of “The City.” There was no more important city in Mesoamerica during the Classic Period than Teotihuacan. The Ancient Cultures of Mexico lecture series will provide the “images” and present the “concepts,” followed by a question and answer session. To know the ancient cultures of Mexico is the first step of getting to “know” Mexico. The reader is invited to join in this exploration—beginning in just a week.

A brief description and schedule of the lectures offered this winter and spring follows. Lectures are in the Biblioteca Pública on Wednesdays at 3pm; admission is 50 pesos.

Ancient Cultures of Mexico, Part I

This lecture is an introduction to the four cultures that have had the greatest influence in shaping the character of Mesoamerica: Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec and Aztec.

The focus of the lecture is the presentation of the images and ideas unique to each culture that enable us to distinguish between them with relative ease.

Ancient Cultures of Mexico, Part II

This lecture is structured like Part I above, but presents four different Mesoamerican cultures: Zapotec, Maya, Classic Veracruz and Mixtec. Parts I and II together serve as an introduction to all the major cultures of Mesoamerica.

Codex Mendoza

The Codex Mendoza is an Aztec “picture” book made by Aztec scribes. The Aztecs had no written language, but like most Mesoamerican cultures they made books. Their books contain only images, no words, yet they can be “read” if certain rules of interpretation are followed. How to read the Codex Mendoza is the focus of the lecture.

The Magnificent Maya, Part I

The ancient Maya developed the most sophisticated culture of Mesoamerica. Whether in art or architecture, astronomy or agriculture, language or mathematics--the Maya excelled. They were the only ancient people to have a complete written language. They could write in glyphs, not pictures, anything that could be spoken. This lecture focuses on architecture, mathematics and the mural paintings at Bonampak, Mexico.

The Magnificent Maya, Part II

This lecture deals with Maya politics, religion and sex. How were the ancient Maya organized politically? What were their religious beliefs? What was “sexy” to the Maya? These are the questions answered in Part II.

Colón

In English-speaking countries he is known as Christopher Columbus. The Spanish call him Cristóbal Colón. This Genoese mariner-explorer has been cited by more than one historian as the individual who changed world history more than any other person. Quite a claim. Certainly this hemisphere from Mexico south owes its flavor to Colón. For although he was Genoese (there was no Italy at the time), he sailed for Spain. How and why he did it, and his adventures, are the focus of this lecture.

The Conquest

The people of Mexico exist because of the conquest of Cortés and his indigenous allies over the reigning power of central Mexico, the Aztecs. Most Mexicans are “mestizo,” a combination of indigenous (Indian) and Spanish blood.

Would this have been the case had Cortés been French, conquering for France? The story of La Conquista is incredible and fascinating. At no other point in human history did a people come into existence as the result of a sudden, violent and complete conquest. The history of Mexico begins with the conquest. This new lecture will be offered for the first time in April.

How do you tell one ‘tec from another?

Lecture
Ancient Cultures of Mexico: Part I
Guillermo Méndez
Wed, Jan 9, 3pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

Aztec, Toltec, Mixtec and Zapotec were some of the great cultures of ancient Mexico, but how can you tell one ‘tec from another? To resolve the question, consider an upcoming lecture by retired Professor of Humanities Guillermo Méndez which examines four major pre-Hispanic cultures described by one Mesoamerican scholar as the four “unifying forces” in ancient Mexico. They are the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec and Aztec civilizations. The lecture will be illustrated with over 200 digital images of art, artifacts and architecture.

Méndez illustrates and discusses a distinguishing concept for each culture which helps differentiate one group from another. For example, the concept for the Olmecs is “The Mother Culture,” for that is the role they played in Mesoamerican history. Most of the salient characteristics of later cultures were present in the Olmec several centuries before the year zero in our Gregorian calendar.

The ancient cultures of Mexico shared a 365-day solar calendar and a 260-day ritual calendar. This unique combination of calendars repeated after 52 years. Thus 52-year “centuries” acquired considerable importance in the cosmic expectations of the Aztecs, for example, demanding vital rituals like the “new fire ceremony.” Every 52 years all the fires in the Aztec capital city, Tenochtitlan, were extinguished. On a hilltop outside the city a “new fire” was started on the chest of a soon-to-be-sacrificed person. From the new fire all the extinguished fires of the city would be reignited.

Each of the four cultures had its own style in art and architecture. Distinguishing visual images will be presented that characterize each culture. In the case of the Olmecs the colossal heads carved of basalt will be discussed and the unique were-jaguar images, many carved from jadeite, will be examined and interpreted.

A second lecture next week utilizing the same format will present the Zapotec, Maya, Classic Veracruz and Mixtec cultures.

Lecture
Astrology & Divination: Science or Fiction
Thurs, Jan 10, 3–5pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

Some use astrology and divination to guide their life and some believe they are nonsense. So who is correct? Some say they are related to Carl Jung’s collective unconscious and that he used astrology and wrote the forward to a Classic I Ching book. Some say that are totally unrelated to science. But “Science” is also an interesting term. Newtonian physics and quantum physics are dramatically different. Both are true. One depends upon the five senses of the physical world. The other explores a reality not always seen by the physical sense of sight. But mystics, gurus and quantum physicians have demonstrated that nothing is ‘solid.’ Consider that dogs can hear sounds (frequencies) and cats can see stuff (frequencies) that we humans cannot.

Astrologies and divination have been around for millennia. Mayan, Oriental, Jewish and Vedic (India) all have ancient calendars. It is the Gregorian calendar that is the new kid on the block. Cultures around the world use things like entrails of animals, cards, bones, stones, herbs, etc. I think there is ample evidence that astrology and divination can be accurate. But how accurate an individual is can be another matter. To make an analogy, we all know that a good mechanic can fix a machine or vehicle. But there are a lot of mechanics who are definitely not skilled, competent or honest. And not every astrologer, prophet or psychic has the same gifts. The field of possibilities and talents is so broad that it boggles the mind.

Colin Hanlen has been a Catholic Priest and also studied the Sacred Teachings and practices of many of the worlds Religions and Philosophies and has found that many basically say the same thing. And many who have much in common also say they are the only one whose way is correct.