Mexico

The pre-classical age (3500 B.C.-200 C.E.)

Olmec Statue

This artifact is called an Olmec statue and it is believed to have been found when the Olmec Civilization was formed in 1500 B.C. The Olmecs lived in the Gulf Coast of Mexico in the states of Veracruz and Tabasco. The Olmecs soon after that went out slowly in around the second century BC but they lived a much longer time in a different area. According to the article, this artifact was constructed by the Olmecs. This artifact was used for a couple of reasons. This artifact was used for showing the existence of a calendar. The inscriptions cut on the statues were used to show the calendar coming into existence. This artifact was also used for a primitive script. The importance of this statue is that it holds components and the disposition characteristic of the constructions and urban Mesoamerican groups. This artifact is well-known for the immense "Olmecs heads", stone sculptures, and it is visualized as the mother civilization of Mexico.     

Prods, Filaos. "History, Mexico : Pre-Classic." SunofMexico.com. Cultural Institute of Mexico in Washington D.C., 10 Mar. 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.

Olmec Jade Figurines discovered in La Venta

These artifacts are referred to as the Olmec jade figurines and it occurred in Mesoamerica between 900 to 400 B.C.E. These statues lived in the city of La Venta. Soon enough, the La Venta became the most solid center in Mesoamerica. The La Venta is believed to be located in Mesoamerica. The Olmecs were the makers of these La Venta statues. They put together floors and platforms and filled them with bright color to make the La Venta shine. The La Venta served for many purposes. Between 1200 and 900 B.C.E., it served as a slight civic and ceremonial center. Around 900 B.C.E., it was used for religious pilgrimages (journeys to holy places to show reverence). The La Venta was also used for religious gatherings. 

The La Venta served for a few other purposes as well. It was built as a residential center for the elite and was also built as a major trade center. After about 900 B.C.E., La Venta turned to become a prosperous center of occupation to people such as farmers, fishermen, traders, artisans, and sculptors. The La Venta was constructed on a big artificial clay mound and included many temples and a giant central plaza for religious gatherings. Monuments formed of basalt influenced La Venta and four of the seventeen of those basalt heads were discovered in La Venta. Later down the road, La Venta would plummet around 400 B.C.E. after it went through many years of prosperity.        

"Olmec Culture." Early Civilizations in the Americas Reference Library. Ed. Sonia G. Benson, Sarah Hermsen, and Deborah J. Baker. Vol. 2: Almanac, Vol. 2. Detroit: UXL, 2005. 275-297. Student Resources in Context. Web. 21 Mar. 2017.

Basalt head in San Lorenzo

This artifact is called a basalt head and it lived in the city of San Lorenzo in Mesoamerica. This basalt head took place during the time of 1500 and 1200 B.C.E. The basalt head is believed to be located in the three Olmec sites in Mexico (Mesoamerica) which are San Lorenzo, Potrero Nuevo, and Loma del Zapote. I believe that this artifact was created by the Olmecs because it is an Olmec artifact that may have belonged to them and it is one of their cultures as well. Therefore, the Olmecs may have constructed this artifact because of those reasons.

Based on the artifacts and remains that were discovered in the city, scientists believe that San Lorenzo was constructed to be a place for worship and government. San Lorenzo was also built because they used the city to have homes for the elite and to have a different place for the houses of common working people. San Lorenzo was also built because the Olmec workers who created the artificial ridge had to carry soil to the plains. They constructed the city of San Lorenzo because to have a network of stone graveled roads. San Lorenzo was constructed to have basalt drainage systems and water-storage ponds as well.

There a few facts with this artifact and one of them being is that Scientists excavated about eight of the seventeen Olmec basalt heads in San Lorenzo. The other fact is that Olmec workers used log rollers to send stone through jungles and then hovered it down the rivers on boats to the cities. A fact that deals with a place is that the site of El Manati which is away from San Lorenzo had been filled with water by it springs that artifacts created from wood and bone had been looked after.           
   

"Olmec Culture." Early Civilizations in the Americas Reference Library. Ed. Sonia G. Benson, Sarah Hermsen, and Deborah J. Baker. Vol. 2: Almanac, Vol. 2. Detroit: UXL, 2005. 275-297. Student Resources in Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2017.

Epi-Olmec Decipherment
A four-ton basalt slab that was found in 1986 and holding one of the oldest samples of complex writing in the New World has established the precision of translations issued a few years ago by epigraphers John S. Justeson and Terrence Kaufman. The text on the four-ton basalt slab contains 34 glyphs and most of them come on the front of the monument in a 21-line of text engraved over the figure of a warrior-king. "A four-ton basalt slab discovered in 1986 and bearing one of the oldest examples of complex writing in the New World, has confirmed the accuracy of translations published four years ago by epigraphers John S. Justeson of the State University of New York, Albany, and Terrence Kaufman of the University of Pittsburgh. The eroded text consists of 34 glyphs, most of which appear on the front of the monument in a 21-column text carved above the figure of a warrior-king" (Schuster, 1997, Pg.1).

In the year 1993, the epigraphers Justeson and Kaufman had indicated the script engraved on the stela as a pre-proto-Sokean, as an epi, or as a post-Olmec antecedent of five languages now mentioned in Mexico states which include Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, and Oaxaca. "In 1993 Justeson and Kaufman identified the script carved on the stela as pre-proto-Sokean, an epi- or post-Olmec predecessor of five languages now spoken in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, and Oaxaca" (Schuster, 1997, Pg. 1). The frontal text of the stela contains two long-count dates identical to May 1, A.D. 143 and June 23, 156, and it explains the warrior's growth to being a king through years of combat and ceremonial activity. "The frontal text, which includes two long-count dates equivalent to May 1, A.D. 143 and June 23, 156, describes the warrior's rise to kingship through years of warfare and ritual activity" (Schuster, 1997, Pg. 1). The new text of the stela states that the king had not yet grasped a decoded title for more than a decade and that he was able to turn himself into an animal. The new text also implies to a human sacrifice which is stated on the front side of the stela, possibly in regards to the king's brother-in-law in 157. "The new text says that the ruler held a yet-to-be-deciphered title for 12 or 13 years and that he was able to transform himself into an animal. It also alludes to a human sacrifice mentioned on the front of the stela, perhaps that of his brother-in-law in 157" (Schuster, 1997, Pg. 1).     

Schuster, Angela M.H. "Epi-Olmec Decipherment." Archaeology.org. Archaeological Institute of America, 29 July 1997. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.

Long Count

  The Maya used the Long Count to determine the date on a calendar by measuring time intervals between the calendar dates and by a sequential count which contains vigesimal counts of tuns, distinct counts of winals, and k'ins."The Maya measured time intervals between calendar dates by a composite chronological count which consists of a vigesimal (base 20) count of tuns (periods of 360 days) and distinct counts of winals (20-day periods) and k'ins (days)" (Carrasco, 2006, Pg. 1). In their writings, the Maya usually taped the Calendar Round dates of important events and connected these together by specifying the chronological interval detaching the dates. "In their inscriptions, the Maya customarily recorded the Calendar Round dates of significant events and linked these together by indicating the chronological interval separating the dates" (Carrasco, 2006, Pg. 1).

The Maya also used the Long Count for the Long Count record. A Long Count record starts with a characteristic glyph (also called an "introducing glyph") and continues with a referral to the chronological interval leading from the base date to the opening date of the content. "A Long Count record begins with a characteristic glyph, called an "introducing glyph," and continues with a reference to the chronological interval leading from the base date to the initial date of the text" (Carrasco, 2006, Pg. 1). As part of the Long Count record, the Maya also recorded the dates of mythological incidents happening before the base date by counting backwards to a spot before the zero point of the chronology. "The Maya also recorded the dates of mythological events occuring before the base date by counting backward to a position before the zero point of the absolute chronology" (Carrasco, 2006, Pg. 2).      

"The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures - Long Count." OxfordReference.com. Ed. David Carrasco. Oxford University Press, 2006. Web. 15 Apr. 2017.

Language of Early Americans Is Deciphered

In an infrequent and scholastic accomplishment, an archaeologist and a linguist have decoded the ancient writing system for the first time. This ancient writing system is referred to as Epi-Olmec. The archaeologist and the linguist have learned that the Epi-Olmec writing system was closely associated to ancient Mayan writing which has lately been decoded itself and it could be dropped from the unknown hieroglyphics of the Olmecs. "In a rare scholarly achievement, an archeologist and a linguist have for the first time deciphered the ancient writing system, called epi-Olmec. They determined that it was closely related to ancient Mayan writing, which has only recently been deciphered itself, and could be descended from the obscure hieroglyphics of the Olmecs" (Wilford, 1993, Pg. 2).

The Olmecs were a mysterious kind of people and they are known today primarily through their distinguishing sculpture of big human heads with mask-like appearances and thick lips. The Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco were the Olmec's heartlands. The Olmecs did not build cities but they created an extensive trading system and left a legacy of art and religious ritual. "The Olmecs were a particularly enigmatic people, known today mainly through their distinctive sculpture of huge human heads with masklike expressions and thick lips. Their heartland was in the Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. Although they built no great cities, the Olmecs developed a wide trading network and left a legacy of art and religious ritual" (Wilford, 1993, Pg. 2).

The reason as to why the writing system is called Epi-Olmec is because the writing network was used by people living in the previous Olmec areas. Some of the people who lived in those previous Olmec lands may have possibly been Olmec descendants. The language represented in the content and the researchers discovered are a form of Zoquean. Recuperation from mud the stela was discovered in the Acula River close to the village of La Mojarra, 25 miles inland from Alvarado on the Gulf Coast. Despite the wreckage and abrasion, the inscriptions were in good shape and many teams of linguists went to work of attempting to make sense of the writing. "The writing is called epi-Olmec because it was used by people living in the former Olmec lands, at least some of whom were probably Olmec descendants. The language represented in the text, the researchers found, is an early form of Zoquean. Recovery From Mud The stela was found in the mud of the Acula River near the ranching village of La Mojarra, 25 miles inland from Alvarado on the Gulf Coast. Despite some breakage and erosion, the inscriptions were in remarkably good condition, and several teams of linguists got busy trying to make sense of the writing" (Wilford, 1993, Pg. 2-3).

Wilford, John Noble. "Language of Early Americans Is Deciphered." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 22 Mar. 1993. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

The classical age (200 C.E.-1000 C.E.)

City of Teotihuacan

This artifact is based on the Ceremonial center of the city of Teotihuacan in Mexico. Teotihuacan is believed to be dated from 350 C.E. to 650 C.E. and it is one of the biggest cities in the world. Teotihuacan is also believed to be located today in the northeast of Mexico City. The city of Teotihuacan had a population of 200,000 people. The people of Teotihuacan may have built the city of Teotihuacan. The city of Teotihuacan served to be a place for commerce and manufacturing. The city of Teotihuacan extends to about nine miles long and it was the first city-state to be built in the Americas.

Boundless. "Teotihuacan - Boundless Open Textbook." Boundless. Boundless, 19 Mar. 2017. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
(The website title, author, and publisher were all called Boundless.)

The Ruins at Monte Alban

This artifact is the ruins at the archaeological site of Monte Alban and it is dated from 300 to 900 C.E. The archaeological site of Monte Alban is believed to be located today in the Oaxaca state of Mexico. The Zapotec and the Mixtec peoples may have built this archaeological site because this site may have been a center reserved for the Zapotec and the Mixtec cultures. This site was built on the high ground instead of on the low ground possibly for protection. This site was used for a few things. It was used for plazas, used for a court for playing a ball game called tlachtli, and used for underground passageways. This site also holds pyramids and about 170 tombs. During the first two periods of Monte Alban's culture, the temples and other buildings were constructed with dressing type of stone.       

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Monte Alban." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 05 Aug. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.

Maya Jade Pectoral

This artifact is called a Maya Jade Pectoral and it is dated from about 672 AD. It is believed that this image was first discovered in the Nim Li Punit in Belize. I would assume that the makers of this artifact could have been the Mayan people. It could have the Mayan people who made this artifact because they may have used this for their culture. The Mayan people could have created this artifact also because they may have wanted to make it for the Mayan king to use or wear. The Mayan king was called Janaab' Ohl K'inich. The purpose of this artifact was that it was used by the Mayan king as a necklace and he wore it for ceremonies.

The front of this object is slightly shaped like a T and it was discovered in a T-shaped building. The glyph of the Mayan for wind and breath is ik and it is T-shaped. These are referrals to the wind, breath, and life. This artifact was also discovered with a ceramic item and it was ornamented with pictures of the Mayan god of wind and music and a lithophone. These pictures were to be likely planned as gifts that were made during one of the ceremonies.       

Lobell, Jarrett A. "Artifact." Archaeology Magazine. Archaeological Institute of America, 10 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.

The Creation of Humanity According to the Popol Vuh

A Maya creation myth who was referred to as the Popol Vuh talks about how the Maya gods designed humans out of maize and water. The maize, along with several other foods including chocolate, was unveiled to the gods by a couple of animals and a couple of birds. Human flesh was constructed from the maize and blood was created from water. "The Popol Vuh, a Maya creation myth, describes how, after several failed attempts, the Maya gods finally created humans out of maize and water. The maize, along with many other delicious foods, including chocolate, was revealed to the gods by two animals and two birds. Human flesh was made from the maize, and water became the blood of humanity" (Christenson, Pg. 118). 

The food would become the flesh of the people. The ears of the maize went into their flesh by She Who Has Borne Children and He Who Has Begotten Sons. The meaning of She Who Has Borne Children and He Who Has Begotten Sons is that it refers to Sovereign and Quetzal Serpent. "Thus was found the food that would become the flesh of the newly framed and shaped people. The ears of maize entered into their flesh by means of She Who Has Borne Children and He Who Has Begotten Sons. Then spoke they who are called She Who Has Borne Children and He Who Has Begotten Sons, the Framer and the Shaper, Sovereign and Quetzal Serpent" (Christenson, Pg. 118).

Along with the food that went into the people's flesh, water also went into them to give them power. Therefore, the fatness of their arms was constructed. The yellowness of the humans came to be emerged when they were created by Sovereign and Quetzal Serpent. The people's flesh was only  both of yellow and white ears of maize. The food were also their legs and arms as well. "Food entered their flesh, along with water to give them strength. Thus was created the fatness of their arms. The yellowness of humanity came to be when they were made by Sovereign and Quetzal Serpent. Their flesh was merely yellow ears of maize and white ears of maize. Mere food were the legs and arms of humanity, of our first fathers" (Christenson, Pg. 118).
   

Bentley, Jerry H. and Herbert F. Zeigler, Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past, From the Beginning to 1500, Vol. 1, 6^th edition, "The Creation of Humanity According to the Popol Vuh.," Christenson, Allen J., (Pg. 118), (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2015).

Maya Carvings Tell of a War of Two Superpowers
After a hurricane hit a jungle in northern Guatemala about a year ago, a tree that was ripped out of the ground at the temple ruins at Dos Pilas revealed stones that held one of the lengthiest texts of Maya hieroglyphs that was ever discovered. On a staircase leading up to the side of a pyramid, the engraved stones recorded the victories and losses of one city caught during the war between the two superpowers. These two superpowers were the city-states of Tikal and Calakmul and these city-states broke up a lot of the Maya civilization about a thousand and five-hundred years ago. "When a hurricane ripped through the jungle of northern Guatemala a year ago, an uprooted tree at the base of temple ruins at Dos Pilas exposed stones bearing one of the longest texts of Maya hieroglyphs ever found. Part of a grand staircase leading up the side of a pyramid, the inscribed stones recorded the triumphs and defeats of one city caught in the middle of protracted warfare between two superpowers -- the city-states of Tikal and Calakmul -- that split much of the Maya civilization some 1,500 years ago" (Wilford, Pg. 3).

Mayan scholars and Archaeologists have stated that the hieroglyphic stairs have unveiled a secret story which talks about 60 years in the life of a Dos Pilas ruler. This Dos Pilas ruler was called Balaj Chan K'awiil. This secret story talks about a account of blood flowing and skulls being scattered on the ground after a battle was finished and the defeated were sacrificed. The scholars have also stated that the Dos Pilas ruler, Balaj Chan K'wiil, has discovered himself at times on one side and on the other side and that he must have been intelligent and lucky to have stayed alive to an old age. "Archaeologists and other Maya scholars said the hieroglyphic stairs revealed the largely unknown story of 60 years in the life of a Dos Pilas ruler, Balaj Chan K'awiil. It is at times a grisly account of flowing blood and piles of skulls after a battle was over and the vanquished were sacrificed. The ruler found himself at times on one side, then another, and must have been both clever and fortunate to have survived to a ripe age, some scholars said" (Wilford, Pg. 3).

Tikal (also known as Mutul) is one of the biggest city-states in Mayan history. Today, it is located in northern Guatemala and Tikal had a much bigger field of influence in the Mayan civilization. There are glyphs that give proof that Dos Pilas was created as a military outpost by Tikal and Dos Pilas was never intended to be a big city or independent capability. "One of the largest cities in Maya history, Tikal, then known as Mutul, was in what is now northern Guatemala, but had a much wider sphere of influence in the Maya world. The glyphs provide new evidence that Dos Pilas was established as a military outpost by Tikal and was never a major city or independent power" (Wilford, Pg. 3-4).

Wilford, John Noble. "Maya Carvings Tell of a War of 2 Superpowers." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 18 Sept. 2002. Web. 29 Apr. 2017.

Secrets of the Maya: Deciphering Tikal
 The city-state of Tikal was one of the strongest city-states in the Americas and it was surrounded by monumental buildings. These monumental buildings in Tikal include the stepped patios of the North Acropolis (which has malformed big masks sculpted out of plaster and masonry), a precipitous pyramid called Temple I, a pyramid on the other side which is called Temple II, and a compound of strange buildings which is called the Central Acropolis. In around 750 A.D., Tikal had a population of about 60,000 Maya people and Tikal swung over many city-states that were in the rain forest from the Yucatan Peninsula to the western Honduras. "Tikal’s great plaza, at the heart of what was one of the most powerful city-states in the Americas, is surrounded by monumental structures: the stepped terraces of the North Acropolis, festooned with grotesque giant masks carved out of plaster and masonry; a steep pyramid called Temple I, and its mate across the plaza, Temple II, and a complex of mysterious buildings called the Central Acropolis. At the peak of its glory, around a.d. 750, Tikal was home to at least 60,000 Maya and held sway over several other city-states scattered through the rain forest from the Yucatán Peninsula to western Honduras" (Roberts, Pg. 1).


At Tikal's North Acropolis, there is a row of carved stones or also known as stela. Each of the stelas represents a bedecked king and the monoliths are concealed in hieroglyphs. When it is decoded, it brightens up the look of Mayan life. "At the base of Tikal’s North Acropolis stands a row of tall carved stones, or stelae. Each stela depicts a sumptuously bedecked king, and the monoliths are covered in hieroglyphs that, once deciphered, illuminated our view of Maya life" (Roberts, Pg. 1).

    Along with the monumental buildings that Tikal has, Tikal also has other mysteries that is hidden below the jungle. This mystery is the The Lost World. The Lost World contains pyramids and buildings located in the southwest of the Great Plaza. According to Federico Fahsen who is a Guatemalan epigrapher, he stated that The Lost World served as a watchtower from around 500 BC to 250 AD. The Lost World also served as a royal burial ground. In the course of the Classical Era, The Lost World competed with the North Acropolis while The Lost World was a ceremonial epicenter of Tikal during that competition with the North Acropolis. "Yet hidden in the jungle below is another of Tikal’s mysteries. The Lost World is a complex of pyramids and buildings southwest of the Great Plaza. The area, according to Guatemalan epigrapher Federico Fahsen, served as an observatory from about 500 b.c. to a.d. 250. During the early Classic period, it vied with the North Acropolis as the ceremonial epicenter of Tikal and served as a royal burial ground" (Roberts, Pg. 3).

Roberts, David. "Secrets of the Maya: Deciphering Tikal." Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, 01 July 2005. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

The post-classical age (1000 C.E.-1697 C.E.)

The Toltecs

   These artifacts are referred to as Toltec statues and they thrived in Mexico between the 10th and mid-12th centuries CE. These statues were located in the Tollan (also known as Tula) which is a archaeological site in Mesoamerica. The makers of these statues may have been the Toltec peoples. If the Toltec peoples were not the makers then the makers of these statues could have been the Toltec leader and his son. The Toltec leader was referred to as Ce Tecpatl Mixcoatl and his son was called Ce Acatl Topiltzin. These Toltec statues may have been used for putting Post-colonial texts on them. These statues could have also been created to display Mesoamerican heritage. The importance of the Toltecs is that writing, medicine, and metallurgy were all created during the Toltec period. Buildings were made from gold, jade, turquoise, and quetzal feathers during the Toltec Era. Also during the Toltec period, a new and magnificent capital in Tollan was created by the Toltecs.             

Cartwright, Mark. "Toltec Civilization." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Tsohost, 09 Sept. 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

The Mixtecs 

  This artifact is called a Mixtec codex and it is dated from about 1,000 AD. This Mixtec art was believed to be located from the objects that were found in Tomb 7 of Monte Alban and was also located in Zaachila. This Mixtec art would then end up joining in the Zapotec substrate. The makers of this artifact could have been the Mixtec peoples or it possibly could have also been the Zapotec peoples as well. This artifact may have served to help the Mixtecs to get noticed and to help them grow as well. This artifact may have also served to help restore the relations with the outside after the downturn of Monte Alban came by. The importance of this artifact is that it had big effect on the customs of the aristocracy. Another important fact of this artifact is that the structure of the Mixtec art retained the Zapotec features from the previous time periods.    

Prods, Filaos. "History, Mexico: Post-Classical." SunofMexico.com. Cultural Institute of Mexico in Washington D.C., 10 Mar. 2015. Web. 01 May 2017.

 El Tajin

    This image is the Pre-Hispanic city of El Tajin in Mexico and it is dated from about 800 to 1200 AD. El Tajin is located in the state of Veracruz in Mexico. The makers of this city may have been the Aztec empire. While the city of El Tajin was thriving at this time, the Aztec empire were rising while the Teotihuacan empire were dropping. Soon enough, the Aztec empire would take over the city of El Tajin in Mexico.

  The city of El Tajin was created to include many things. This city was created to have a ball court to play in and it had a Mayan style arch as well. This city had another area which was the Group of Columns which had a row of stone type structures. The city of El Tajin also has public buildings, temples, houses, and altars. The city of El Tajin had a population of about 15,000 to 20,000 people. The buildings in the city had a fancy decoration of key-patterns, fretworks, niches, cornices, wall paintings, and low reliefs. El Tajin's cultural power would expand all ahead to the Gulf and it penetrated to the Maya area and the high plateaux of central Mexico.      

UNESCO World Heritage Centre. "El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City." Whc.unesco.org. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 20 May 2014. Web. 01 May 2017.

Mexica Expectations of Boys and Girls
Bernardino de Sahagun was a Franciscan evangelist who attempted to transform the native peoples of Mexico to Christianity in about the middle of the sixteenth century. Bernardino de Sahagun interviewed Mexica senior citizens and gathered lots of details about their society before the Europeans had arrived in Mexica. This speech written by Bernardino de Sahagun shows the roles that men and women were expected to play in Mexica society. "Bernardino de Sahagún was a Franciscan missionary who worked to convert the native peoples of Mesoamerica to Christianity in the mid sixteenth century. He interviewed Mexica elders and assembled a vast amount of information about their society before the arrival of Europeans. The speeches indicate clearly the roles men and women were expected to play in Mexica society" (Sahagun, Pg. 432).

The midwife would go in to address the female in this story. If it were a female, the midwife would say the following to the female when she cut the her umbilical cord which was "my darling maiden and my darling noblewomen has withstood exhaustion." The midwife also says those with undergo exhaustion will have tiredness in them and that they will sweat a lot by the hearth. The midwife also states that when they have exhaustion, they should be supplied with water. "If it were a female, the midwife said to her when she cut her umbilical cord: “My beloved maiden, my beloved noblewoman, thou has endured fatigue! And thou wilt become fatigued, thou wilt become tired; thou art to provide water, thou art to sweat by the ashes, by the hearth" (Sahagun, Pg. 432).

 Not only would the midwife cut the umbilical cord but she would bury the umbilical cord of the female by the hearth. The midwife had indicated that the female would not be able to roam anywhere. The midwife says that it is not imperative to go somewhere else. The midwife also states that the female's only place to live in was only throughout the house. While living in the house, the female had tasks to do which was that she worked with the drinks and foods. The female was to prepare the foods and drinks, to grind, to spin, and to weave. "Then the midwife buried the umbilical cord of the noblewoman by the hearth. It was said that by this she signified that the little woman would nowhere wander. Her dwelling place was only within the house. It was not necessary for her to go anywhere. And it meant that her very duty was drink, food. She was to prepare drink, to prepare food, to grind, to spin, to weave" (Sahagun, Pg. 432).
    

Bentley, Jerry H. and Herbert F. Zeigler, Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past, From the Beginning to 1500, Vol. 1, 6^th edition, "Mexica Expectations of Boys and Girls.," Sahagun, Bernardino de, (Pg. 432), (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2015).

Post-Classic Period
The end of the classical period had also marked the end of the Maya civilization. And the post-classical period has been described as a militaristic, decadent, and degraded period in Mayan history. However, more informed views would see that the militarism was part and parcel with other elements that recommend a propensity on the way to secularism and the resultant minimizing of the ceremonial rituals that controlled the classic era. Very miniature awareness has been managed toward knowing the post-classical period through archaeology but modern investigations on the post-classical period, especially at Santa Rita in northern Belize, encourages continuation from the classical era. "The end of the Terminal Classic Period has been viewed as the death knell for the Maya civilization, and the Postclassic Period has traditionally been described as a militaristic, decadent, and degenerate phase in Maya history. But more enlightened views would see that the militarism was part and parcel with other features that suggest a tendency towards secularism and the resultant downplaying of the ceremonial rituals that dominated the Classic Period. Very little attention has been directed towards understanding the Postclassic through archaeology, although recent research on the period, particularly at Santa Rita in northern Belize, suggests continuity from the Classic Period" (Mesoamerican Research Center, Pg. 1).

Furthermore, the Mesoamerican Research Center states that our explanations of the Post-classical period were predicted from ethnohistoric profiles of the Spanish invasions in the district. The Spanish had began to inflict their views and customs on the Maya after they had formed their base in northern Yucatan in 1546. This time period in 1546 was a time of disruption because the Mayan people had suffered from the start of European sicknesses, suffered from the suppression of native traditions, and suffered from the conscription of employment. "Moreover, much of our interpretations of the Postclassic were projected from ethnohistoric accounts of the Spanish intrusions in the region. Once the Spanish established their base in northern Yucatan by 1546, they began to impose their views and customs upon the Maya. This was a time of great disruption. The Maya people suffered from introduction of European diseases, suppression of native traditions, and conscription of labor" (Mesoamerican Research Center, Pg. 1).

Also during the post-classical period was that a huge amount of Mayan texts were horribly demolished by Spanish religious zealots. One of these Spanish religious zealots who took out the Maya documents was the Auto de Fe of Fray DeLanda. Although The Auto de Fe of Fray DeLanda was credited with giving pieces of details of the known text at the time, he would just end up destroying the texts while giving out information from the texts that could have been important. He was the one accountable for flaming most of the texts at the time. He also had constructed a vast null of details about the language and practices of the Mayan civilization. "Tragically, the vast majority of Maya documents were destroyed by Spanish religious zealots. The Auto de Fe of Fray DeLanda is among the most famed. Credited with providing scraps of information on the Mayan language, in truth he is responsible for burning the majority of the known text at the time. The created a huge void of information about the language and practices of this advanced civilization" (Mesoamerican Research Center, Pg. 1).      

Mesoamerican Research Center. "Postclassic Period." Marc.ucsb.edu. University of California, Santa Barbara, 2010. Web. 06 May 2017.

The Post Classic Period: The Aztecs
By the 13th century, a region called the Valley of Anahuac was populated by various rival city-states. Amid the last to come into the scene was the nomadic group called the Mexicas who are more familiarly known as the Aztecs. The Aztecs discontinued a wide migration from their northern homeland which was called Aztlan by settling in the Valley marshlands. "By the 13th century the entire region, then called the Valley of Anahuac, was occupied by assorted rival city-states. Among the last to arrive on the scene was the nomadic tribe of the Mexica, more commonly known as the Aztecs, who ended a long migration from their northern homeland, Aztlan, by settling in the Valley marshlands" (Palfrey, Pg. 1).

 The Aztecs pondered to themselves that they were the chosen people of the sun and the war god who was called Huitzilopochtli. After the Aztecs saw a eagle perched on a cactus consuming a snake, a sign predicted in ancient tribal prophecy, the Aztecs discovered their capital which was Tenochtitlan on an island on Lake Texcoco. The Aztecs sustained themselves at Tenochtitlan for about half of a century as soldiers for the Tepanecs of Azcapotzalco but they soon rose up against their leaders. Thus after the Aztecs rose up against their leaders, they successfully took hold of power over the valley. "The Aztecs considered themselves the chosen people of the sun and war god Huitzilopochtli. After coming upon an eagle perched on a cactus devouring a snake, a sign foretold in ancient tribal prophecy, the Aztecs founded Tenochtitlan, their capital, on an island in Lake Texcoco. They sustained themselves there for half a century by acting as mercenaries for the mighty Tepanecs of Azcapotzalco, but eventually rose up against their rulers, effectively seizing power over the valley (Palfrey, Pg. 1)

   Soon enough after the 13th and 14th centuries, The Aztecs would constitute the Triple Alliance with the cities of Texcoco and Tlacopan in around the 15th century. The armies of the Triple Alliance were to be sent east to engage in war against the cities of Tlaxcala and Huejotzingo. When the soldiers won the war and came back to Tenochtitlan in 1487, they escorted about 20,000 prisoners to be sacrificed for the commitment of the Great Temple which was constructed to esteem both Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. "In the 15th century the Aztecs formed the Triple Alliance with the states of Texcoco and Tlacopan. The joint armies were sent east to wage war against Tlaxcala and Huejotzingo. When the victorious warriors returned to Tenochtitlan in 1487 they brought 20,000 captives to be sacrificed for the dedication of the Great Temple built to honor both Huizilopochtli and Tlaloc" (Palfrey, Pg. 1).      
    

Palfrey, Dale Hoyt. "The Post Classic Period (900 - 1521) Part 2: The Aztecs."Mexconnect.com. Mexico Connect, 1 Jan. 1997. Web. 07 May 2017.

Conclusion:
I believe that Mexico was a great country to look up on with its artifacts and sources. Mexico had a lot of interesting and rare kind of artifacts throughout the three time periods. It also had a ton of  interesting sources throughout the three time periods as well. These images and sources were pretty much uncommon for me because I had never heard of them and I also had never took a History of Civilization class before. Whenever I think about Mexico now after studying the history of the country, the statues such as the Olmec statue and the cities such as the city of Teotihuacan will sound familiar for me than it was before.

Firstly, in the pre-classical time period, there are some great artifacts that I put on my blog such as the Olmec statue. There are also a few interesting sources that I included in my blog such as the Long Count. One of the artifacts, The Olmec statue, was built at around almost the same time that the Olmec Civilization was created. When the Olmec statue was constructed, it is looked at today as a visualized mother civilization of Mexico. On the other hand, one of the features in Mexico, the Long Count, was created because it was helpful for the figuring out what the date would be on a calendar. The Maya would figure out what the date on the calendar would be by measuring time intervals between the calendar dates and figuring it out by also a sequential counts which contains counts of tins, counts of winals, and k'ins.

    Secondly, in the classical era, there are a few interesting artifacts that I put down on my blog such as the Maya Jade Pectoral. There are also a few interesting sources that I also put on my blog such as the Creation of Humanity according to the Popol Vuh. One of the artifacts, The Maya Jade Pectoral, was used by the Mayans. It was created for the Mayan king to wear as a necklace for ceremonies. On the other side, one of the features that was talked about during the post-classical era, the Creation of Humanity according to the Popol Vuh, was a story that talked about how humans were created. The Popol Vuh talked about that humans were constructed with maize and water to which that the maize was used to make human flesh and the water was used to make blood for the humans.

      Lastly, in the post-classical time period, there are a few compelling artifacts that I put such as the Toltec statues. There are also a couple of articles that I put on my blog such as The Aztecs during the post-classical period. One of the three artifacts that I put, The Toltec statues, were possibly created for labeling post-colonial texts on them. The Toltec statues may have been created to display Mesoamerican heritage. On the other hand, One of the three sources that I put which was The Aztecs during the post-classical period talked about what kind of people the Aztecs were and what they did. The Aztecs considered to themselves that they were the chosen people of the sun and the war god who was referred to as Huitzilopochtli. The Aztecs were referred to as the Mexicas but their familiarly known name is called the Aztecs. For one of the things that they did is that the Aztecs discontinued a long migration from their northern homeland which was referred to as Aztlan by settling in the Valley marshlands.