Archaeology by Prau123 – Page 460 – Main Forum

Prau123 · 2020-04-23T00:56:31Z

Here's an update on some of the new discoveries in recent years in the Mesoamerican region. Tonina - Considered the new tallest structure in Mesoamerica. It's debatable since El Mirador is actually 172 meters tall. The largest structure is still Cholula. There are still several areas in the El Mirador Basin that needs to be excavated and measured. There are 61,000 plus sites that were scanned a few years ago and that was only a mere portion of the El Mirador Basin. 15 facts about the Maya Civilization 1. THEIR PYRAMIDS AND CITIES ARE STILL BEING DISCOVERED.It’s amazing to think that something as large as a pyramid could elude archaeologists today. But it was only a few years ago that a Maya pyramid more than 1000 years old was discovered at Toniná in the Mexican state of Chiapas. It had been hidden under what was believed to be a natural hill. In 2015, researchers said this newfound monument was actually Mexico’s tallest pyramid at 246 feet (75 meters) in height, surpassing the 213-foot Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan. The ruins of two Maya cities concealed by thick vegetation were also recently discovered in Mexico’s state of Campeche. Tonina Picture They also found El Palmar and Angamuco a few years ago also. El Palmar - El Palmar is 40 to 70 times larger than previously acknowledged. It’s 40 times larger than we thought it was,” Garrison says. “This is now this huge city that would have been a rival to Tikal An early city called El Palmar seemed now to be 70 times larger than we had suspected, with raised fields for agriculture. An “isolated” royal palace had an extensive swath of settlement extending a kilometer or more. Angamuco - Angamuco had as many buildings as Manhattan city. A new laser-mapping technology, called lidar, has been used to confirm a truly mind-blowing ancient city buried in western Mexico. Called Angamuco, researchers say that it has about 40,000 buildings. This is around the same amount of building foundations as there are in Manhattan, New York. Whoa! El Mirador - Articles: Videos:

The most precious gemstone in Olmec culture was jade (specifically jadeite). Rather than gold, which was not yet used for value, jade was the ultimate symbol of wealth, power, and the divine in ancient Mesoamerica. The stone symbolized fertility, regeneration, and supreme sacred power. Artisans expertly carved the stone into fine figurines, intricately detailed ceremonial axes (celts), votive figures, ear spools, and iconic were-jaguar face masks, and jewelry, as well as placed as offerings in freshwater springs.

Because of the intense labor required to carve it and its deep spiritual significance, finished jade objects were reserved for the elite and used as ceremonial offerings. Because jadeite cannot be carved with simple metal tools, Olmec lapidaries spent countless hours using abrasive sands and cords to shape the stone. Because it had to be acquired via long-distance trade, it became the ultimate symbol of wealth, divine power, and status for the Olmec elite. Jades were worn by rulers and traded among elites to solidify alliances.

Kunz Axe

The Olmecs particularly prized a rare, vibrant, translucent blue-green variety of jadeite known as "Olmec Blue".

Why Jade Was So Precious:

Symbol of Life: The gemstone's brilliant colors were closely tied to life-giving water, rainfall, the sky, agricultural renewal and young maize shoots. Because its rich colors mimicked fresh green maize shoots (corn), the region's staple food and flowing water, it was fundamentally tied to the very essence of life, sustenance, and rebirth.

Ritual Significance: Olmec artisans crafted it into celts (ax heads), ceremonial masks, and figurines to be used as offerings in shrines and burials.

Extreme Hardness: Jade is incredibly difficult to carve without metal tools. The Olmecs' ability to masterfully cut and polish the stone demonstrated advanced lapidary skills and elite craftsmanship.

Jade (specifically jadeite) was the most precious and highly valued gemstone in the Olmec culture. Deemed far more valuable than gold, this stone held immense economic, social, and spiritual significance as a supreme symbol of cosmic power.

The Ultimate Luxury: "Olmec Blue"

While the Olmecs utilized various shades of greenstone, their most prized variety was a rare, translucent, blue-to-greenish-blue jadeite today known as "Olmec Blue".

The Source: All Mesoamerican jadeite was acquired through grueling long-distance trade networks from a single geological region: the Motagua River Valley in modern-day Guatemala.

Craftsmanship: Because jadeite is incredibly hard, Olmec lapidaries had to spend hundreds of hours masterfully shaping, drilling, and polishing the stone using abrasives like quartz sand to achieve a mirror-like shine.

Sacred Symbolism

To the Olmec "mother culture," the gemstone was deeply intertwined with their religious worldview:

Life and Abundance: The striking colors of jade were directly associated with water and maize shoots, symbolizing fertility, agricultural sustenance, and regeneration.

The Afterlife: Because the stone represented enduring life, the Olmecs often placed a small piece of jade inside the mouth of the deceased to ensure spiritual continuity.

Elite Regalia: Rulers and elites commissioned exceptional artists to carve jade into ceremonial axes (celts), figurines, realistic masks, and jewelry to visually assert their divine authority and wealth.

While jade holds the top spot, the Olmecs also valued other greenstones such as serpentine and aventurine (green quartz), as well as other minerals like hematite and polished iron-ores like ilmenite and magnetite, which they fashioned into mirrors and beads.

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