What is the Mesoamerican cosmovision?
Mesoamerican cosmovision. This cosmovision was an attempt to explain and better understand all that surrounded the society, including its place within the cosmos, or universe. It is known both from textual sources - the Popol Vuh and the Cuauhtinchan maps - and from the archeological record. Persisting throughout Mesoamerica over long periods,...
What did the Olmecs do?
Among other "firsts", the Olmec appeared to practice ritual bloodletting and played the Mesoamerican ballgame, hallmarks of nearly all subsequent Mesoamerican societies. The aspect of the Olmecs most familiar now is their artwork, particularly the aptly named " colossal heads ".
Is Olmeca an art?
La escritura olmeca no es un arte en el sentido literal, pero es normal desarrollar un párrafo para comprender el lenguaje de los signos que es una forma de escritura artística que cubre un pensamiento que cae principalmente dentro del dominio religioso y del campo sociopolítico.
What are the facial expressions of the Olmecs?
Facial expressions depicted on the heads vary from stern through placid to smiling. The most naturalistic Olmec art is the earliest, appearing suddenly without surviving antecedents, with a tendency towards more stylised sculpture as time progressed.
What is the importance of cosmovision in Mesoamerica?
The importance of cosmovision as a long lasting and unifying theme in Mesoamerican culture is also evident throughout the archaeological record. According to Gordon Willey’s theory concerning settlement patterns, excavated sites (considered primary sources) provide evidence for religious organization (Willey, 205). If one considers the major urban centers throughout Mesoamerica, such as Copan, Tikal, Teotihuacan, and Tenochtitlan to name a few, it is possible to discern very obvious, shared characteristics. These distinctive attributes include things such as architecture and celestial alignment that reflect Mesoamerican cosmovision. This is apparent in the building of massive pyramid sites, which represented the axis mundi in societies. They were places that embodied worldmaking, representing the creation beliefs, visually paralleling notions of the way in which the cosmos was organized. These urban sites also centered the Mesoamerican world by providing places where rulers could give people in society physical, and ultimately spiritual, access to their cosmovision. Finally, these urban centers provided a place for worldrenewal, where ritual ceremony and sacrifice took place.
How did cosmovision influence the Mesoamerican culture?
According to Elizabeth Boone's interpretation of the Mapa de Cuauhtinchan, cosmovision influenced the culture of Mesoamericans so heavily during the Colonial Period that they used their origin story as justification to claim native lands. Ancestor worship is a common theme in Mesoamerican cosmovision.
What are the elements of Mesoamerican cosmovision?
Elements of Mesoamerican cosmovision are reflected in pre-Columbian textual sources, such as the Popol Vuh and the Cuauhtinchan maps, the archeological record, as well as in the contemporary beliefs, values, and practices of Indigenous people, such as the Maya, Nahua, and Purépecha, as well as their descendants.
How did the Mesoamericans reflect their cosmovision?
The Mesoamerican world was made or structured to reflect their cosmovision. Societies were organized around huge, urban ceremonial centers, which were in turn constructed to reflect the cosmos through architecture, placement with relation to celestial bodies, and artwork. Mesoamericans, who viewed their landscape in terms of cardinal directions, saw these urban centers as axis mundi, places where divine power reaches the earth, and is diffused from there. These centers held ritual events that gave people access to “making” or generating a world that aligned with cosmovision. Its rulers and ancestors centered the Mesoamerican world. Ancestor worship, deification of rulers, and reverence for royal lineages were the foci in societies throughout Mesoamerica. Worldrenewing or rejuvenation was achieved through a variety of ritual practices, ceremonial sacrifice, and adherence to calendar systems.
What is cosmology in Mesoamerica?
Mesoamerican cosmovision or cosmology is the collection of worldviews shared by the Indigenous pre-Columbian societies of Mesoamerica. The cosmovision of these societies was reflected in the ways in which they were organized, such as in their built environment and social hierarchies, as well as in their epistemologies and ontologies, ...
How was the Mesoamerican world made?
The Mesoamerican world was made or structured to reflect their cosmovision. Societies were organized around huge, urban ceremonial centers, which were in turn constructed to reflect the cosmos through architecture, placement with relation to celestial bodies, and artwork.
What did Mesoamericans see as axis mundi?
Mesoamericans, who viewed their landscape in terms of cardinal directions, saw these urban centers as axis mundi, places where divine power reaches the earth, and is diffused from there. These centers held ritual events that gave people access to “making” or generating a world that aligned with cosmovision.
What are the characteristics of the Olmec colossal heads?
All of the Olmec colossal heads depict mature men with flat noses and fleshy cheeks; the eyes tend to be slightly crossed. The general physical characteristics of the heads are of a type that is still common among people in the Olmec region in modern times.
Where did the Olmec civilization originate?
The Olmec civilization developed in the lowlands of southeastern Mexico between 1500 and 400 BC. The Olmec heartland lies on the Gulf Coast of Mexico within the states of Veracruz and Tabasco, an area measuring approximately 275 kilometres (171 mi) east to west and extending about 100 kilometres (62 mi) inland from the coast. The Olmecs are regarded as the first civilization to develop in Mesoamerica and the Olmec heartland is one of six cradles of civilization worldwide, the others being the Norte Chico culture of South America, the Erlitou culture of China's Yellow River, the Indus Valley Civilization of the Indian subcontinent, the civilization of ancient Egypt in Africa, and the Sumerian civilization of ancient Iraq. Of these, only the Olmec civilization developed in a lowland tropical forest setting.
How long have colossal heads been around?
The heads from Tres Zapotes had been moved from their original context before they were investigated by archaeologists and the heads from La Venta were found partially exposed on the modern ground surface. The period of production of the colossal heads is therefore unknown, as is whether it spanned a century or a millennium. Estimates of the time span during which colossal heads were produced vary from 50 to 200 years. The San Lorenzo heads are believed to be the oldest, and are the most skillfully executed. All of the stone heads have been assigned to the Preclassic period of Mesoamerican chronology, generally to the Early Preclassic (1500–1000 BC), although the two Tres Zapotes heads and the La Cobata Head are attributed to the Middle Preclassic (1000–400 BC).
Why are Olmec masks called Olmec masks?
Together with these, of particular relevance to the colossal heads are the "Olmec-style masks" in stone, so called because none have yet been excavated in circumstances that allow the proper archaeological identification of an Olmec context.
How tall is the La Venta Monument?
The monument weighs almost 20 tons. The Olmec colossal heads are stone representations of human heads sculpted from large basalt boulders. They range in height from 1.17 to 3.4 metres (3.8 to 11.2 ft). The heads date from at least 900 BC ...
How far did the Olmec monuments travel?
Given that the extremely large slabs of stone used in their production were transported over large distances ( over 150 kilometres (93 mi)), requiring a great deal of human effort and resources, it is thought that the monuments represent portraits of powerful individual Olmec rulers.
How long did it take to make colossal heads?
Estimates of the time span during which colossal heads were produced vary from 50 to 200 years. The San Lorenzo heads are believed to be the oldest, and are the most skillfully executed.
Escultura
En el arte olmeca la figura es muy abundante. Los especialistas analizan cada parte de la obra para comprender su significado general. Se puede ver, considerando la multitud de piezas arqueológicas encontradas hasta la fecha, que la figura humana es el tema principal del arte olmeca.
Arte y escritura
La escritura olmeca no es un arte en el sentido literal, pero es normal desarrollar un párrafo para comprender el lenguaje de los signos que es una forma de escritura artística que cubre un pensamiento que cae principalmente dentro del dominio religioso y del campo sociopolítico. [ M 16 ] Se ha especulado mucho sobre si los olmecas fueron la primera cultura en el continente americano que creó el número cero.
What did the Olmecs do?
Among other "firsts", the Olmec appeared to practice ritual bloodletting and played the Mesoamerican ballgame, hallmarks of nearly all subsequent Mesoamerican societies. The aspect of the Olmecs most familiar now is their artwork, particularly the aptly named " colossal heads ".
When did the Olmecs start?
The Olmecs flourished during Mesoamerica 's formative period, dating roughly from as early as 1500 BCE to about 400 BCE. Pre-Olmec cultures had flourished since about 2500 BCE, but by 1600–1500 BCE, early Olmec culture had emerged, centered on the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán site near the coast in southeast Veracruz.
What are Olmec artists known for?
Olmec artists are known for both monumental and miniature portrayals of what are assumed to be persons of authority-from six-ton heads sculptures to figurines. The Olmecs ( / ˈɒlmɛks, ˈoʊl -/) were the earliest known major Mesoamerican civilization.
Why are Olmecs considered to be the first Mesoamerican civilization?
Partly because the Olmecs developed the first Mesoamerican civilization, and partly because little is known of them compared to, for example, the Maya or Aztec, a number of Olmec alternative origin speculations have been put forth. Although several of these speculations, particularly the theory that the Olmecs were of African origin popularized by Ivan Van Sertima's book They Came Before Columbus, have become well known within popular culture. They are not considered credible by the vast majority of Mesoamerican researchers and scientists, who discard it as pop-culture pseudo-science.
What caused the extinction of the Olmec culture?
Between 400 and 350 BCE, the population in the eastern half of the Olmec heartland dropped precipitously, and the area was sparsely inhabited until the 19th century. According to archaeologists, this depopulation was probably the result of "very serious environmental changes that rendered the region unsuited for large groups of farmers", in particular changes to the riverine environment that the Olmec depended upon for agriculture, hunting and gathering, and transportation. These changes may have been triggered by tectonic upheavals or subsidence, or the siltation of rivers due to agricultural practices.
What are the helmeted heads of the Olmec civilization?
The most recognized aspect of the Olmec civilization are the enormous helmeted heads. As no known pre-Columbian text explains them, these impressive monuments have been the subject of much speculation. Once theorized to be ballplayers, it is now generally accepted that these heads are portraits of rulers, perhaps dressed as ballplayers. Infused with individuality, no two heads are alike and the helmet-like headdresses are adorned with distinctive elements, suggesting personal or group symbols. Some have also speculated that Mesoamerican people believed that the soul, along with all of one's experiences and emotions, was contained inside the head.
What is the Olmec culture?
The Olmec culture was first defined as an art style , and this continues to be the hallmark of the culture. Wrought in a large number of media – jade, clay, basalt, and greenstone among others – much Olmec art, such as The Wrestler, is naturalistic. Other art expresses fantastic anthropomorphic creatures, often highly stylized, using an iconography reflective of a religious meaning. Common motifs include downturned mouths and a cleft head, both of which are seen in representations of werejaguars. In addition to making human and human-like subjects, Olmec artisans were adept at animal portrayals.
Definición
- Una cosmovisión es el conjunto de opiniones y creencias que conforman la imagen o concepto general del mundo que tiene una persona, época o cultura, a partir de la cual interpreta su propia naturaleza y la de todo lo existente. Una cosmovisión define nociones comunes, que se aplican a todos los campos de la vida, desde la política, la economía o la...
Principales Tipos de Weltanschauungen según Wilhelm Dilthey
- Wilhelm Dilthey desarrolla una tipología de los tres básicos Weltanschauungen o cosmovisiones, a la que considera "típico" (comparable a la noción de "tipos ideales" de Max Weber) y las formas contradictorias de concebir la relación del ser humano con la naturaleza. 1. En el naturalismo, representado por epicúreosde todo tiempo y lugar, el ser humano se ve a sí mismo como deter…
Weltanschauung en Literatura
- El término Weltanschauung es empleado por los expertos en literatura para hablar de cosmovisión. Es preferido por algunos ya que es de origen alemán y la lengua alemana tiene más facilidad para crear palabras que designen conceptos abstractos o filosóficos que el español[cita requerida]. Por eso se puede decir que Weltanschauungy cosmovisión son sinónim…
Cosmovisión Y Aporías
- Hasta el presente (Julio 2021) las cosmovisiones suelen encontrar como objeciones a las paradojas y más aún a las aporías.
La Cosmovisión Desvelada por La Neurociencia
- El filósofo, psiquiatra y luego psicoanalista Lacan asevera que todo sujeto o $ "no habla sino que es hablado" , esta explicación que para muchos resulta polémica (especialmente en cuanto ataca a sus individualismos y egos) es un preanuncio de la explicación neurocientífica de lo que se "piensa" o mejor dicho de los pensamientos[n. 2] que se reproducen ideológicamente y cosmovi…
Véase también
- Costumbre
- Episteme (en especial la noción de episteme a partir de Foucault)
- Paradigma (en especial el paradigma epistemológico de Thomas Kuhn).
- Imago mundi (aunque una imago mundi[o, imagen del mundo, representación del mundo] no se traduce exactamente como cosmovisión mantiene varios puntos en común en varias ace…
- Costumbre
- Episteme (en especial la noción de episteme a partir de Foucault)
- Paradigma (en especial el paradigma epistemológico de Thomas Kuhn).
- Imago mundi (aunque una imago mundi[o, imagen del mundo, representación del mundo] no se traduce exactamente como cosmovisión mantiene varios puntos en común en varias acepciones).
Referencias
- Bibliografía
1. Dilthey, W. (1914). «Einleitung in die Geisteswissenschaften. Versuch einer Grundlegung für das Studium der Gesellschaft und der Geschichte». Leinen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. ISBN 3-525-30301-7.
Notas
- ↑ Por ejemplo: las religiones budistas o buddhistas propiamente dichas consideran al cosmos como algo increado ya que en el budismo original parece no haberse creído en un Dis Creador, Siddharta Ga...
- ↑ Aquí resulta válido rescatar la clara división conceptual que hace Wilfred Bion entre pensar y pensamientos,
Serpiente Emplumada
El Jaguar
- Los olmecas tallaron distintivas figuras humanas en piedra, algunas de tamaño monumental. Piezas más pequeñas fueron talladas en fino jade, incluyendo muchas figuras humanas con fuertes rasgos de jaguares. El jaguar era un depredador nativo en el área. Dos conjuntos de esculturas de gran tamaño y una de menor tamaño (muy erosionada) han sido interpretadas co…
Hombre de La Cosecha
- El hombre de la cosechaes una figura de la fertilidad en la mitología mesoamericana. Entre los olmecas, los dioses son representados a menudo con una distintiva hendidura en la frente, quizás identificando esta característica como divinos. El hombre de la cosecha era un hombre o un muchacho humano que eligió dar su vida de modo que su gente pudiera producir el alimento. El …
Dios de La Lluvia
- El dios de la lluvia[4] aparece frecuentemente en la mitología de otras civilizaciones mesoamericanas. Invariablemente el espíritu de la lluvia es masculino, aunque pueda tener una esposa que comparta autoridad sobre las aguas. Frecuentemente se percibe como un niño o un joven, algunas veces como un enano. También puede ser descrito como un poderoso dios de la …
Referencias
- Bierhorst, John. The Mythology of Mexico and Central America, William Morrow (1990). ISBN 0-688-11280-3.
- Coe, M.D. "Olmec Jaguars and Olmec Kings." In E.P. Benson (ed), The Cult of the Feline. Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks (1972): pp. 1-12.
- Coe, M.D. México: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. London: Thames and Hudson (2002): pp. …
- Bierhorst, John. The Mythology of Mexico and Central America, William Morrow (1990). ISBN 0-688-11280-3.
- Coe, M.D. "Olmec Jaguars and Olmec Kings." In E.P. Benson (ed), The Cult of the Feline. Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks (1972): pp. 1-12.
- Coe, M.D. México: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. London: Thames and Hudson (2002): pp. 64, 75-76.
- Luckert, Karl W. Olmec Religion: A Key to Middle America and Beyond. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, (1976). ISBN 0-8061-1298-0.
Olmec Civilization
Dating
- The colossal heads cannot be precisely dated. However, the San Lorenzo heads were buried by 900 BC, indicating that their period of manufacture and use was earlier still. The heads from Tres Zapotes had been moved from their original context before they were investigated by archaeologists and the heads from La Venta were found partially exposed on the modern groun…
Characteristics
- Olmec colossal heads vary in height from 1.47 to 3.4 metres (4.8 to 11.2 ft) and weigh between 6 and 50 tons. All of the Olmec colossal heads depict mature men with flat noses and fleshy cheeks; the eyes tend to be slightly crossed. The general physical characteristics of the heads are of a type that is still common among people in the Olmec region in modern times. The backs of t…
Manufacture
- The production of each colossal head must have been carefully planned, given the effort required to ensure the necessary resources were available; it seems likely that only the more powerful Olmec rulers were able to mobilise such resources. The workforce would have included sculptors, labourers, overseers, boatmen, woodworkers and other artisans producing the tools to make an…
Known Monuments
- Seventeen confirmed examples are known. An additional monument, at Takalik Abaj in Guatemala, is a throne that may have been carved from a colossal head. This is the only known example outside of the Olmec heartland on the Gulf Coast of Mexico. Possible fragments of additional colossal heads have been recovered at San Lorenzo and at San Fernando in Tabasco…
Collections
- All of the 17 confirmed colossal heads remain in Mexico. Two heads from San Lorenzo are on permanent display at the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City. Seven of the San Lorenzo heads are on display in the Museo de Antropología de Xalapa. Five of them are in Sala 1, one is in Sala 2, and one is in Patio 1. The remaining San Lorenzo head is in the Museo Comunit…
See Also