ANTH 3250 - Ancient Civilizations of the Mexican Highlands

Goals: To directly familiarize students with the ancient civilizations of central Mesoamerica as well as with the history and present-day conditions of the peoples of central Mexico. At sites such as Teotihuacan, Tula, El Tajin, Xochicalco, Monte Alban, and Mexico/Tenochtitlan students will have an opportunity to see firsthand the large archaeological sites that testify to the emergence of the varied ancient civilizations of the Mexican highlands ranging from the Olmec—the suggested “parent” culture of Mesoamerica— to that of later Teotihuacan, the Totonac, Zapotec, Mixtec, Toltec, and finally Aztec cultures.

Content: Using on-site visits to archaeological and historical sites, museums, and modern Mexican highland indigenous communities, students become acquainted with the prehistory, history, and the rural-to-urban ethnographic spectrum of the cultures of central Mexico. Students are confronted by a variety of alternative explanations and issue-oriented perspectives that deal specifically with the central area of Mesoamerica.
Taught: Alternate years, extended spring term in central Mexico.