ANTH 145 PO -Mesoamerican Archaeology

Institution: Pomona

Description: This course covers the archaeology of Precolumbian complex societies like the Olmec, the Maya, and the Aztecs. It provides an introduction to the prehistory of the peoples of Mesoamerica (comprising all of Guatemala and Belize and parts of Mexico, El Salvador, and Honduras) from roughly 2000 BCE into the 16th century CE. It seeks to provide a definition of their common cultural background and to examine the archaeological record for the origins of these various societies and their rise into complex indigenous civilizations that were finally dismantled following contact with the Spanish in the sixteenth century. Emphasis will be placed on the nature of the archaeological interpretation of these native American cultures and on the diachronic and dynamic relationships between highland Mexican and lowland Maya groups. Letter grade only.

Prerequisite(s): Please check course schedule for requirements.

For up-to-date information on current course offerings and details, please refer to the Pitzer class schedule on MyCampus2 Portal.