University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

.

. Central and South America .

The Aztecs on the Eve of Conquest In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from impoverished nomads to wealthy rulers who controlled all Mexico and drew tribute from the far reaches of Mesoamerica. Well known for their bloody rituals and skill at war, the Aztecs had other qualities that have fascinated people for almost five hundred years.  This illustrated talk includes some of the legends and the history of the Aztecs, their  philosophy, religion, and the way they saw the world.  Translations of Aztec poetry and prose are used to reveal these ancient, complex people-in their own words. Elin Danien Three Keys to the Ancient Maya The ancient Maya, whose civilization flourished in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize over a thousand years ago, have long retained an air of mystery. Difficult terrain, a puzzling writing system, and a lack of historical record have all hampered our understanding of these Rainforest dwellers. In the past ten years, however, archaeologists have made dramatic progress in three areas: the nature of Maya religion and world view, deciphering Mayan hieroglyphs, and evidence for Maya dynastic and military history. This illustrated lecture discusses these key discoveries and the fresh understanding of ancient Maya life that they provide. Elin Danien Not Your Mother's Hot Chocolate: The Amazing Beverage of the Ancient Maya Thousands of years ago, the people of Mesoamerica knew the amazing properties of cacao. This talk discusses some of the remarkable uses of the fruit of the cacao tree: aphrodisiac, analgesic, ritual and status marker are just a few of the values this rare seed held for the inhabitants of ancient Mesoamerica. Temperamental and difficult to grow, cacao nurtured the Maya and after the Conquest, the craze for cacao swept through Europe. The subject of a papal ruling, suspected of fomenting political intrigue, cacao - cocoa - was a topic of mystery, gossip and lovers' quarrels. This talk will delight and surprise you with its revelations. Elin Danien The Past, Present and Future of the Amazon The study of the people of the Amazon basin has always taken place against a background of the exploitation of natural resources. The first missionaries wrote their reports while Spanish ships carried gold and silver back to Europe. Early scientists and explorers were at work at the same time that the rubber boom was sweeping through the Amazon. Today, legal and illegal development of the Amazon moves ahead, while anthropologists and archaeologists continue their studies. Interpretations of prehispanic culture along the rivers of the Amazon are closely related to questions about the future course of development in the region. Anthropologists bear a responsibility to upholding standards of scientific rigor, but they need to understand how interpretations of human culture have consequences outside the university. Reviewing Amazonian history and archaeology helps to understand current events and the possibilities for the future. Mr. John Walker

Amazonia: Emerald Dreams and Golden Delusions From the collapse of the rubber trade in the 19th century to the recent failure of the Jari project, foreign exploits in the Amazon have been characterized by misadventure throughout history. In the past, grandiose plans for commercial development have been spectacular failures. The plundering that takes place today threatens the entire Amazonian ecosystem. Questions this lecture addresses include: What are the shared misconceptions that link the failed ventures of explorers, entrepreneurs, and investors alike? What are the real resources of the rain forest? Why is their commercial potential unexplored? Ms. Ann Guinan

Exploring the Amazon: The William C. Farabee Expedition of 1913 In 1913 the University Museum sent William Farabee to conduct anthropological investigations in the Amazon Basin of Brazil. Farabee traveled west on the Amazon, then branched off to the north to follow tributaries of the great river into uncharted territory on the border between Brazil and British Guiana. Farabee brought back a remarkable record of tribes who had never previously encountered a European. Ms. King will retrace the steps of Farabee’s journey and discuss the people he encountered, using slides of original photographs and archival materials to recreate this important and sometimes amusing chapter in the early history of anthropology.

Hidden Cities of the Rainforest Maya sites, such as Tikal and El Mirador, now enveloped in the dense vegetation of the Peten, Guatemala's jungle province, were once flourishing cities over a thousand years ago. These giants of the rainforest boasted elaborate architecture and large populations in what is now an almost uninhabited area. Through slides, this lecture compares sites such as Tikal, Palenque, and Piedras Negras, and considers smaller settlement to highlight how the ancient Maya made such a successful living in one of the world's most difficult environments. Recent key discoveries that contribute to new understandings of Maya life will also be discussed. Dr. Elin Danien

Three Keys to the Ancient Maya The ancient Maya, whose civilization flourished in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize over a thousand years ago, have long retained an air of mystery. Difficult terrain, a puzzling writing system, and a lack of historical record have all hampered our understanding of these Rainforest dwellers. In the past ten years, however, archaeologists have made dramatic progress in three areas: ancient Mayan farming techniques, deciphering Mayan hieroglyphs, and evidence of the earliest Maya. This illustrated lecture discusses these key discoveries and the fresh understanding of ancient Maya life that they provide. Dr. Elin Danien

+200 Years of Exploration: the History of Maya Archaeology The great Maya cities that lay in ruin from the Yucatan Peninsula to the highlands of Guatemala have been objects of curiosity from the time of the arrival of Europeans in the New World. This illustrated talk will look at the history of scholarly (and sometimes not so scholarly!) inquiry into the nature of ancient Maya life, from the first descriptions of Palenque in the late 1700s, to the Stephens and Catherwood's magnificent accounts, to the contemporar