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r/AncientAmericas

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La vestimenta de la cultura Huari (Wari) se caracterizó por el uso de un arte textil muy sofisticado, elaborado con algodón, lana de alpaca y vicuña, y destacado por sus diseños geométricos policromados

u/Miublb — 9 days ago
▲ 2.7k r/AncientAmericas+2 crossposts

Trump’s border wall construction cut into an ancient ground carving older than Stonehenge. The Las Playas Intaglio carving of a huge fish is at least 2,000 years older than the first Egyptian pyramid, according to researchers’ estimations.

nbcnews.com
u/Comfortable_Cut5796 — 11 days ago
▲ 73 r/AncientAmericas+1 crossposts

El rostro divinizado de un gobernante maya

La máscara representa el rostro divinizado de un gobernante soberano maya (perteneciente a la poderosa Dinastía Kaan). Aunque se asocia estrechamente con el entierro del rey Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk', la máscara no busca ser un retrato realista del monarca humano, sino su transición mística hacia la inmortalidad, fusionándolo con los atributos de los dioses.

¿Qué simboliza?

Cada elemento dentro de este complejo mosaico tiene un profundo valor iconográfico en la cosmovisión maya:

El Jade (El color verde): Para los mayas, el jade era la piedra más preciosa y sagrada, vinculada directamente con la fertilidad, el aliento vital, el agua y el renacimiento. Al cubrir al gobernante con teselas de jade, se aseguraba la renovación perpetua de su alma

El tocado superior: La imponente corona estructurada en la parte superior simboliza el árbol cósmico (la ceiba), que conecta el inframundo, la tierra y el plano celestial, marcando el estatus divino y el poder universal del monarca.

Las orejeras: Los grandes discos a los lados representan el orden y el equilibrio del cosmos, portados únicamente por la élite política y espiritual de la sociedad.

En su conjunto, la máscara simboliza la resurrección y la continuidad del ciclo de la vida. Tras la muerte, el rey maya no desaparecía; se convertía en una deidad del maíz y en el sustento eterno que garantizaba la prosperidad de su pueblo.

u/Current_Return2438 — 10 days ago
▲ 15 r/AncientAmericas+1 crossposts

Plaque from Peru

My mom has this from her mom when they lived in Peru between 1968-1971 when her mom taught school. Its 35.5 inches diameter and is usually very shiny brass. No stamps on back

u/jenisgreatsinger — 9 days ago
▲ 28 r/AncientAmericas+3 crossposts

Zapotec base-20 numbering system and a historical lecture on ancient Zapotec glyphs and writing

This session is the second class of the Basic Zapotec Course (2026-B). Instructor Rayo leads students through a conversational warm-up, an explanation of the Zapotec base-20 numbering system (1 to 20), interactive sentence and verb exercises, and a historical lecture on ancient Zapotec glyphs and writing systems.

Key Topics Covered:

 1. Zapotec Numbers (1 to 20) & Base-20 System:

* Vigesimal System: The instructor emphasizes that Zapotec utilizes a vigesimal (base-20) numerical system rather than a decimal system. As a result, counting is structured around units from 1 to 19 before reaching the base of 20.

* Pronunciation of Numbers:
* 1–5: tu (1), txupa (2), tsuna (3), tapa (4), gayu (5).
* 6–10: xupa (6), gadxi (7), xunu (8), ga (9), txi (10).
* 11–15: txineaj (11), txínu (12), txi’inu (13), txidaa (14), txìnu (15).
* 16–20: txixhupa (16), txini (17), txixhunu (18), txenaj (19), galaj (20).

* The Concept of Zero (Tibi): Historically, speakers used Spanish loanwords or phrases like ni tú (“not one”) for zero. For pedagogical purposes, the instructor adopts the word tibi (meaning “no” or “nothing”) to signify zero.

  1. Interactive Practice & Verb Vocabulary:

* Student Introductions: Students practice answering core questions about their names, origin, current city, age, profession, and spoken languages in Zapotec.
* Sentence-Building Exercises: Using digital matching games, students practice ordering question structures like Gax bi’i lii (“Where are you from?”) and Bix dxin runu (“What do you do for work?”).
* Key Verb Matching:
* Neda zwaa = “I live”.
* Neda runa dxin = “I work”.
* Neda Ruseda= “I learn”.
* Neda rinea= “I speak”.
* Neda reja= “I go”.

  1. Ancient Zapotec Writing & Glyphs (Glifos Zapotecos):

* Earliest Mesoamerican Writing: Zapotec is one of the few Mesoamerican cultures to develop a formal written language.
* Glyph Structure: The instructor explains that abstract symbol glyphs — such as the “1 Earthquake” (Uno Terremoto) symbol beneath the figure — mark the transition from pictorial art to actual written language.
* Numerical Glyphs: Zapotec numeral glyphs share similarities with Maya and other Mesoamerican systems, using dots for units (1–4) and horizontal bars for 5s.
* Decipherment Challenges: Zapotec glyphs are not yet 100% deciphered because glyph writing gradually ceased following the decline of Monte Albán (around the 8th century AD), centuries prior to Spanish arrival in 1521.
* Resource Recommendation: The instructor suggests Javier Urcid’s book, Zapotec Writing: Knowledge, Power, and Memory in Ancient Oaxaca, for further study on the subject.

  1. Class Wrap-Up:
  • Homework activities, presentation slides, and interactive links are shared via Google Classroom and WhatsApp. * The instructor outlines how student workbooks will be used in upcoming sessions as the course progresses into verb conjugations.
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u/Comfortable_Cut5796 — 9 days ago