Part 2
Klaudia Poprawska #24
Field Notes: Ancient Americas
Anthropology 201-C
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I. Subfield of Anthropology: Archaeology
II. Date of Field Outings: (See Previous Page for Tickets)
A. First Outing: Sunday, September 30, 2018
Start Time: 1:28 PM; End Time: 3:35 PM
B. Second Outing: Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Start Time: 2:42 PM; End Time: 4:03 PM
III. Location Visited: The Ancient Americas (Refer to Previous Pages for Map)
Location Description: The Ancient Americas exhibit, formally referred to as the
Robert R. McCormick Halls of the Ancient Americas, is located on the Main
Level of the Field Museum. It is denoted as Exhibit #2 on the map provided by
the museum. During both outings, I had entered the museum through the north
entrance and had directly proceeded to the exhibition, which is on the left when
you enter.
IV. Pre-Fieldwork Thoughts & Expectations:
After careful thought and consideration of the various exhibits offered by the
Field Museum, I firmly believe that there is a bountiful amount of information to be
gathered in regards to the ancient civilizations that inhabited early America. Throughout
my education, I have taken various U.S. history courses, but most of them have failed to
thoroughly explore the culture and lives of America’s earliest inhabitants; instead, said
history courses had focused on the arrival of Europeans. Unfortunately, as it is widely
known, Europeans brought horrendous disease with them, which resulted in the massive
depopulation of the indigenous people.
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With that said, it is vital that these indigenous people receive the recognition that
they rightfully deserve. I trust that there are endless artifacts to uncover, which will assist
me in exploring the cultures that existed years ago and allow me to compare them to
modern day cultures. After conducting a thorough examination of the various artifacts
exhibited, I hope to grasp a better understanding and ultimately respect for those who
populated the lands prior to European settlement.
V. Observations/Descriptions:
Photo 1: Selfie (Wednesday, September 30, 2018)
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Description: The photo above depicts me out in the field on my first visit to The Ancient
Americas exhibit. This photo was taken immediately at the entrance of the exhibit as to
note the beginning of my journey in acquiring more knowledge on the culture of the
indigenous people of the Americas.
Photo 2: Clovis Spears (11,500-11,000 BC)
Description: Although some may identify the artifacts above as arrowheads, they are
Clovis points. These spear points are viewed as tools, which were often tied to long shafts
in order to hunt. The Clovis people, the creators of said spear points, hunted a variety of
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large animals, such as mammoths during the Ice Age. Each point differs in some way or
form, thus causing one to believe that each point was made and utilized by a different
hunter. Although it is thought that each person had their own spear point, it is likely that
Clovis people hunted in groups because it would take quite a bit of power to take down
such a tremendous animal, such as a mammoth. While people skillfully crafted Clovis
points in North America, people in South America were creating Fishtail points, which
mimic the shape of a fish tail.
Photo 3 & 4: Natural Resources Deliberately Altered & Utilized by Hunter-Gatherers
Photo 4 is on the following page.
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Description: At the end of the Ice Age, individuals in the Americas began to take on a
life as hunter-gatherers. Humans lived in small knit groups where they gathered wild
plants, hunted, and often relocated in order to find necessary resources. On average, 2-3
hours were spent foraging for food a day. Women gathered plants, which provided a large
portion of the family’s caloric intake. In the photos above, various natural resources that
were deliberately altered, are shown; the final products, such as spoons, cutting tools, fish
hooks, etc., aided in everyday life.
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Photo 5: The Domestication of Guinea Pigs
Description: Eventually, people shifted from food foraging to food production, which
resulted in the domestication of plants and animals. A multitude of plant and animal
products seen today are derived from the innovations of ancient indigenous people found
in the Americas, including chili peppers, chocolate (from the cacao tree), cotton, peanuts,
tomatoes, potatoes, turkey, and alpacas. In the photo above, one animal that was
domesticated that I found intriguing were guinea pigs. As stated in the photo, people in
South America viewed guinea pigs as a source of food and they are still consumed in
certain parts of the world today.
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Photo 6: The Domestication of Maize
Description: Perhaps one of the most widely noted domestications was the domestication
of maize, commonly referred to as corn. Indigenous people, specifically the Tehuacan
people, purposefully harvested the seeds from large cobs to plant each season, thus
optimizing the final size of the cobs grown. Although Tehuacan is not the first place
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where maize was domesticated, it is an area with the most evidence of domestication.
Today, scientists have discovered that the origins of maize are rooted in southern Mexico.
Photo 7: Seed Bowls
Description: As indigenous people harvested seeds from a multitude of crops they made
use of an array of vessels, such as the ones depicted above, to store seeds. Farmers would
place heavy flat rocks on top of these vessels to protect their food. As humans do today,
some bowls were used to eat out of. The scratches present on the inside of bowls indicate
wear from the presence of utensils used to eat.
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Photo 8: Grinding Stones
Description: As previously noted, indigenous people used different tools to assist in
many tasks. The tools displayed above are known as grinding stones. Each of the
grinding stones depicted is composed of a different type of rock, which is referred to as
“grades” of stone. Based on the stone used, pueblo people ground corn either into a
coarse, medium, or fine meal. A tremendous amount of labor was put into the creation of
said meal; one hour of grinding only equated to ½ to 4 cups of meal, depending on
grinder’s strength. While one would believe the transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle
to one based upon farming would be seen as a positive progression, there were some
setbacks. For example, since the diets of pueblo farmers were primarily based on corn,
they lacked variety and ultimately led to poor health.
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Photo 9: Selfie (Wednesday, October 31, 2018)
Description: Description: The photo above depicts me out in the field on my second visit
to The Ancient Americas exhibit. This photo was taken prior to entering the part of the
exhibit entitled “Powerful Leaders: A Few Make Decisions for All”.
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Photo 10: All that Glitters is Gold
Description: Central authoritative figures existed throughout various societies, including
societies found in ancient Columbia. Powerful leaders possessed luxurious items made of
redstone, gold, and greenstone in order to portray their rank and authority. Essentially,
valuables were easy indicators of a leader. The face showcased above is not made from
pure gold, but rather an alloy of copper and gold, known as tumbaga. At times, leaders
would trade their valuables with other communities in order to create alliances or gifted
them to their own people to ensure their allegiance.
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Photo 11: Art: A Means of Expression
Description: As we had discussed in class, the creation of various pieces of artwork is an
key indication of the development of culture. The Hopewell, a network of societies
located in the eastern woodlands of North America, made crafts from stone, mica, and
copper. Their pieces often depicted water birds, such as ducks, and raptors, such as owls
and hawks; since these subjects are recurring, they may be part of the Hopewell system of
beliefs. The piece showcased above is a bird constructed from copper featuring a pearl
for the eye. Since said crafts are not thought to be necessary for survival, it is safe to say
that certain individuals specialized in artistry.
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Photo 12: The Zapotec Language
Description: The Zapotec society, which inhabited the Valley of Oaxaca in Mexico,
developed a language primarily composed of symbols. These pictures and symbols,
called glyphs, represented either words or sounds and have been found on stone slabs in
Monte Alban, their capital city. With their established language, they recorded the results
of battles, which exemplifies how Zapotec leaders used their military as a basis for their
power. The symbol above is a rabbit, a hill, and a head underneath the hill, which
indicates that “Rabbit Hill” has been conquered.
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Photo 13: Maya’s Most Valuable Possession: Greenstone
Description: Rulers from different Maya kingdoms emphasized the importance of
creating and maintaining relationships with each other. Evidence of this includes the fact
that greenstone, which include jade and serpentine, has been found in a variety of
locations including the Zapotec territory and Teotihuacan. While jade is commonly found
in Maya lands, the fact that these pieces have been found in other area indicates that they
were traded or gifted in order to form close knit networks. By forming these alliances,
Maya kingdoms were assured that they had help when it came to defending territories or
finding marriage partners for their children.
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Photo 14: Maya’s Track of Time
Description: As previously noted, writing allows for one to express an array of messages,
such the results of combat. The Maya utilized writing as a means to track time. With the
assistance of astronomy, the inhabitants of Mesoamerica were capable of creating a
calendar system. The Maya recorded dates of events by carving glyphs into stone.
Transcribing these pieces of stones (the Maya calendar) reveals key historical details.
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Photo 15: The Link Between Sacrifice and Religion
Description: Sacrifice plays an essential role in the religious beliefs of many people
including those today. Almost all world religions include some form of sacrifice in their
practices. A prime example are the Maya who partook in the practice of bloodletting or
human sacrifice. They believed that the gods needed to be fed with blood, similarly to
how children must be fed with milk. Obsidian blades (as pictured above), bowls, and
incense burners discovered in Belize may have been used in ritual bloodletting
ceremonies.
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Photo 16: Teotihuacan’s Leaders
Description: In modern day, it is evident who the leader of a particular society is.
However, in Teotihuacan, leaders are rarely documented in writing and are more often
than not portrayed with unidentifiable mask-like faces. Due to this, it is thought that
Teotihuacan did not emphasize the importance of a single ruler, rather they had several
people who ruled as a group. In addition to these mask-like faces, some murals depict
numerous Teotihuacan men dressed in ceremonial dresses, however all of them appear to
be the same, therefore there is no clear indication of who is in charge. In regards to
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leaders, the Teotihuacan greatly differ from other societies, such as the Maya, who
clearly distinguish their leaders.
Photo 17: Tributes to the Aztec Emperor
Description: In the Aztec Empire, every community was required to pay tribute or taxes
to their governing ruler. Some tribute items included jewelry, such as lip plugs and ear
spools. Once these tributes were received, the ruler would gift them to brave warriors or
noble citizens, in order to improve relationships. Those who failed to pay tribute or taxes
faced unimaginable consequences, including the destruction of property or even death.
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Final Fieldwork Notes:
In 1492, the first Europeans had arrived in the Americas, which ultimately resulted in the
tragic loss of an innumerable amount of indigenous people. Due to disease, warfare, and
enslavement, these individuals did not only lose their lives (every 3 out of 4 people were killed),
but their culture. While European invasion was undoubtedly horrific, today’s Indigenous people
aim to keep their languages, histories, and cultures alive.
VI. Post-Fieldwork Reflection:
A. Online Background Research & Comparison:
Online Research:
As I browsed numerous online sources addressing ancient America, I had
realized that many of these sites had one thing in common: they were all quite
broad. Each site seemed to initially describe the Ice Age and how hunting in large
groups was vital to surviving the harsh climate and then continued to list a few
societies present before European settlement. One particular article, “Ancient
Migration: Coming to America”, written by Andrew Curry outlines how
archaeologists had believed for quite some time that the Clovis people were the
first Americans; however, new findings had indicated that there may have been an
even earlier group of inhabitants. Overall, each of the sites that I had visited
provided a glimpse into the lives of some ancient civilizations. For one to truly
learn a great deal of information about ancient America, I would recommend that
individuals visited the Field Museum instead.
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Source:
Curry, A. (2012, May 02). Ancient Migration: Coming to America. Retrieved
from
https://www.nature.com/news/ancient-migration-coming-to-america-1.105
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Comparison of Research:
After conducting research on the the ancient inhabitants of America, I
believe that the museum provided a much more comprehensive collection of
information on the topic. In order for an individual to gain an equal amount of
knowledge, one would have to spend hours searching various credible sources for
facts. The Field Museum’s exhibit excellently portrays the cultures present in
ancient America and allows for one to fully immerse themselves in it by
observing the artifacts up close. While online research is quick and easily
accessible, it is without a doubt that the exhibit is a better means of understanding
the lives of indigenous people.
Finals Thoughts:
Prior to conducting my fieldwork, I had expected to retain a great amount
of detail on the lives of the indigenous people of America. Now that I have
finished my observations, I can wholeheartedly conclude that I did, in fact, gain a
better understanding of ancient civilizations present before European settlement.
The exhibit made me aware of societies and their practices that I had never heard
of in the course of my education. For example, I found it extremely fascinating
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that the Zapotec utilized an array of pictures and symbols to denote war results;
hopefully, archaeologists are able to decipher the meanings of more of these
pictures, so that we gain even more valuable knowledge in regards to their
culture! Also, I found that I appreciated the exhibit far more after I had read the
assigned chapters, chapter 9 and 10, in our anthropology textbook, which
correspond to life in ancient America. Acquiring knowledge is such a powerful
tool, but when you see how said information connects to your life, it is far more
meaningful to an individual. In sum, it is safe to say that my fieldwork was
nothing short of amazing and surpassed all of my expectations.
B. Museum Reflection:
After visiting The Ancient Americas exhibition twice, I genuinely believe
that the Field Museum does an adequate job at representing the culture present
amongst the indigenous people of the Americas. Initially, when one walks into the
exhibit, it is dimly lit and large projections of what appears to be the Ice Age is
displayed on the walls. As one continues onward, the exhibit appears to unwind in
a chronological fashion, which I found quite helpful because it allowed me to
build upon the information as I encountered it. The multitude of material artifacts
present allow the viewer to develop an idea of what life truly was like years ago.
As we have discussed, context is exceptionally important; in this situation, each of
the artifacts, from the various pieces of pottery to the array of tools present, all
work together to portray a much greater picture. By analyzing all of the artifacts
in one setting, the viewer has a greater capability of understanding the
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relationship between everything in the exhibit. In addition to the exhibit’s
successful collection of material artifacts, the exhibit contains numerous
interactive displays, such as a stone mano and metate, and signs that I found to be
very descriptive and informative. Although one may look at an artifact and have
no idea of the item’s significance, said signs allow one to gain an abundant
amount of knowledge on the topic, without much confusion. Overall, I greatly
enjoyed visiting The Ancient Americas and hope that the museum continues to
expand the exhibit as new discoveries are made.
C. Primates Reflection:
Undoubtedly, the study of non-human primates has tremendously
aided in our understanding of humans and their behavior. After
considering our class discussions and completing my fieldwork, it is
evident as to why non-human primates are the subjects of studies so often:
they are so greatly similar to humans. By learning about non-human
primates we come to learn more about ourselves. For example, in regards
to locomotion, most primates are quadrupedal, so why is it that humans
are bipedal? These studies allow for one to understand what makes us
distinctly human and how we are much more than just another mammal.
Lastly, examining primates allows us to determine relationships between
our ancestors. We can compare traits present in non-human primates to
traits found in our evolutionary history to see which traits were lost and
which were developed in order to survive. Overall, the study of
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non-human primates is an extraordinary means of understanding humans
and their behavior not only today, but throughout history.