Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica

Jade-1500 BC- Jade was starting to be used and was first being worshiped.
In 1500 BC a Jade Head was found in Altun Ha ruins. The ruins are now famous because of the famous discovery. At approximately six inches high and weighing over nine pounds the Head is the still said to be the largest carved jade object in the whole Maya area. It is the national symbol of Belize, which is visible on every banknote. The “Jade Head” represented the Sun God, Kinich Ahau. This is the most significant find.

Olmecs- 1200 BC
The Olmecs were a culture of ancient people of the East Mexico lowlands. The Olmec were often regarded as the Mother Culture of later Middle American civilizations. A stone found is believed to be a calendar numbered using The Vigesimal counting system. The detail on the low relief of the stone shows detail from a four-digit numerical recording, read as 15.6.16.18. The counting system had been used across Mesoamerica. The value 5 is represented by a bar, where the value of 1 is represented by a dot. Where 3 bars and a single dot stand the value would equal 16. The Maya would later adopt this counting system for their Long Count calendar. The date in this relief is the oldest date recorded in Mesoamerica, corresponding to a day in the year 31 BC.

Tikal- 800 BC
The tomb of the Jade Jaguar at Tikal included the largest pyrite mosaic mirror found in all of Mesoamerica, the greatest number of pottery vessels of any Late Classic Maya burial known in the lowlands. Another amazing aspect of Mayan life was the use of the stone stela that dot the ancient city. Seen here in the great plaza, the massive stones were used to record the events of the time. Many are covered with glyphic writing, and pictures. Over 200 stone stela, altars and glyphic stones have been discovered in the city Though the Maya did not create sculpture-in-the-round, they did create exquisite relieves that paid tribute to past rulers and recorded the passage of time-a...