Gods, Blood, and Butterflies: An Analysis of Mesoamerican Culture
| Humanities Course | |
|---|---|
| Course Code | MESO |
| Years Of Operation | 2009 |
| Sites Offered | TEC |
Course Description
From the CTY Course Catalog (2009):
“Zan nompehua noncuica—Aya!—acohui ye noconehua in tan ca ye icuic in ipalnemohua. Yayahue Ohuaya ohuaya.” (I begin to sing, I elevate to the heights the song to Him by All Who Who Live. Yayahue, ohuaya, ohuaya!)
So begins a famous poem of Nezahualcoyotl, the Poet-King of Texcoco that perished some 50-odd years before the European arrival. In a land that defied the descriptive powers of Europeans, civilizations such as the Maya, the Olmec, the Zapotec, the Mixtec and, of course the Aztec, prospered and transformed themselves into myth. This course examines not only the main indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica during the pre-Columbian period but also attempts to explain the outstanding social, political, religious, artistic, scientific, and engineering feats that characterized these peoples’ sojourn into history. Historically, it includes the times before and after the Spanish conquest of Mexico and the Southwestern US. It will deconstruct the model of colonization developed by 16th century Spain in the Americas and the emerging societies that shaped the Independent nations in the contemporary world stage. Both primary sources and video documentaries will present outstanding archeological sites, while the course will provide a thorough analysis of Pre-Hispanic America’s most daring and intriguing societies that bathed their temples with the blood of countless humans and yet could sing in elaborate poems about the colors of the butterflies.
