ANT 294:  Latin American Archaeology 
Warren Wilson College; Spring Semester, 2002,



Class:  Jensen 202
Time:  TTHFriday2:  8:00-9:20 am
Instructor:  David Moore (email dmoore@warren-wilson.edu)
Office Hours:  Jensen 203 (ext. 2013) or Archaeology Lab (Jensen 207/208), 
MWF1 10:00 am to Noon; TTHF2 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm or by appointment. 
You can also contact me at home before 10:00 pm at 658-3509. 



Course Description
Textbooks and Readings


Course Requirements
Course Schedule




Course Description:>

This course is an introduction to the archaeology of Mesoamerica and South America.  The 
class will study the history of Latin American archaeology and explore the broad range of human
cultural history in these regions.  The class will focus on Formative, Classic and 
Protohistoric cultural expressions with particular emphasis on the rise of complex societies.  
Geographically, we shall focus on the Valley of Mexico, Valley of Oaxaca, the Eastern Lowlands, 
and the Andean region.  We shall also briefly consider the Historic Aztec and Inca 
civilizations.

Textbooks and Readings:

Ancient Mesoamerica: A comparison of change in three regions, by Richard Blanton, 
Stephen Kowalewski, Gary Fineman, Laura Finsten.  .Available in the Bookstore
Peoples of the Andes, by James Richardson.  Available in the Bookstore.
Reserved Reading:  Notebooks with selected reading on reserve in the Library.
Reading assignments are listed in the attached class schedule.  Additional assignments (not 
listed on the syllabus) will be made throughout the semester.  In most cases, the readings will
be available ?On Reserve? at the College Library.

Course Requirements:

1)  Reading Quizzes (25% of class grade). The quizzes may be multiple choice, fill in the 
blank, or short answers. Each student should complete all assigned readings and come to class 
prepared to discuss them constructively on assigned dates.  Reading quizzes take place at the 
beginning of the class period; they may not be taken late and may not be made-up.

2)  Complete mid-term and final exam (cumulative). Exams will cover readings, class 
discussion, and student presentations.  Exam scores will make up 25% of class grade.



3)Research Project (50% of class grade)
Each student will develop an independent research project.  The results of the project will be 
presented in class in a 30-40 minute Power Point presentation.  The results will 
also be submitted as a term paper.

Research Project Tasks


1. Develop topic (preliminary topic statement due in class February 1; final topic 
due February 15.)  10% of Research Project grade

2. Annotated Bibliography:  Each week (usually due on Tuesday classes beginning 
January 29) students shall submit 2 bibliographic references with a one-paragraph 
statement for each source describing the nature of the source and its relevance and utility to 
the research project.  The final bibliography assignment will be due Thursday March 28.  
20% of Research Project grade

3. Research Project Outline:  Students shall submit a complete outline for Term paper along 
with complete bibliography.  Due April 11. 10% of Research Project grade

4. Term Paper: 10-12 page paper due on May 3.  40% of Research Project grade

5. Class presentation.  Student shall make 30-40 minute Power Point 
presentation to class.  One week prior to presentation, student shall prepare appropriate 
reading assignment for the class.  20% of Research Project grade



Course Schedule

*This schedule may change with the addition of class assignments or other 
changes.

January 22:  Introduction to class.  What is Latin American archaeology?  Mesoamerica 
and South America.  

January 24:  Introduction continued.
Reading Assignment:  Complete maps 

January 29:  Peopling of the Americas
Reading Assignment:  Who's on First?  (Reserved Reading)
			The First Americans  (Reserved Reading)
Reading Quiz
Bibliography due.

January 31:  Peopling of the Americas, continued.
Reading Assignment:  Blanton et al; pg. 35-39
			Richardson; pg. 29-39
Reading Quiz

February 1:  Archaic period/preceramic village life
Reading Assignment:  Blanton et al; pg. 35-39
			Richardson; pg. 29-39
Reading Quiz

February 5:  Early Agriculture in Mesoamerica and South America
Reading Assignment:  Price and Feinman; Guila Naquitz Cave, Tehuacan, Guitarrero 
Cave; pg. 236-249. (Reserved Reading)
Reading Quiz
Bibliography due.

February 7:  Early Agriculture in Mesoamerica and South America, continued/Formative
Reading assignment:  Blanton et al; pg. 39-49
			Richardson; pg. 39-45
Feinman and Nicholas. Pg.303-314 (Reserved Reading)
Reading quiz

February 12:  Power Point Workshop (meet in 101 Jensen)
Bibliography due.

February 14:  The Olmec
Reading Assignment:  Price and Feinman; San Lorenzo. Pg. 312-317. (Reserved 
Reading)
Reading quiz

February 15:  Videos:  The origins of Mexican Civilization, Mexican Prehispanic cultures.

February 19:  The Valley of Mexico
Reading assignment:  Price and Feinman; Teotihuacan, pg. 328-333. (Reserved 
Reading)
			Price and Feinman; Tula, pg. 348-349. (Reserved Reading)
Reading quiz
Bibliography due.

February 21:  The Valley of Mexico
Reading assignment: TBA
Reading Quiz

February 26:  The Maya - Video:  Lost Kingdoms of the Maya
Bibliography due.

February 28:  The Maya
Reading assignment:  Price and Feinman; El Mirador, pg. 318-321.  (Reserved 
Reading)
Tikal, Palenque, Chichen Itza;  pg,334-353.(Reserved Reading)
Miller; Imaging Maya Art; 146-149.  (Reserved Reading)
Reading quiz

March 1:  The Maya
Reading assignment:  	Ford; Signatures across the landscape; pg. 507-514.  
(Reserved Reading)
Sabloff; Settlement Patterns and community Organization; pg.351-360.  (Reserved Reading)
Reading Quiz

**Saturday March 2:  Center for Maya Research/George Stuart
Picnic Lunch and Mayan hieroglyphics workshop
Leave Campus 10:30 am

March 5: The Valley of Oaxaca
Reading Assignment:  Blanton et al; pg. 1-34
Reading Quiz
**Complete Bibliography due.

March 7:  The Valley of Oaxaca
Reading Assignment:  Blanton et al; pg. 50-77
Reading Quiz

March 12:  The Valley of Oaxaca
Reading assignment:  Blanton et al; pg. 77-97
Reading quiz
Bibliography due.

March 14:  The Valley of Oaxaca and Midterm Summary
Reading Assignment:  Blanton et al; pg. 97-105
Reading Quiz

March 15:  Midterm Exam

March 19: Spring Break

March 21: Spring Break

March 26:  Film - Mysteries of Peru: Nazca
Reading Assignment:  Aveni; Solving the Mystery of the Nasca Lines. Pg. 77-83.  
(Reserved Reading)
Reading Quiz

March 28:  The Andes
Reading assignment: Chapter 4, Richardson
Reading quiz
Final Complete Bibliography due.

April 2:  The Andes
Reading assignment: Chapter 5, Richardson
Reading quiz

April 4: The Andes
Reading assignment: Chapter 6 & 7, Richardson
Reading quiz

April 5:  The Historic Period Aztecs
Reading assignment:  Price and Feinman; Tenochtitlan. Pg. 354-361.  (Reserved 
Reading)
Smith; Life in the Provinces of the Aztec Empire. Pg. 179-183.  (Reserved Reading)
Reading Quiz.

April 9: The Historic Period Aztecs  Tentative (to be determined) Video?
Research project outline due

April 11:  The Historic Period Incas
Reading assignment: Chapter 8, Richardson
Reading quiz

April 16:  The Historic Period Incas:  Tentative (to be determined) Video?
Reading assignment: TBA
Reading quiz

April 18:  Student Presentation

April 19:  Student Presentation

April 23:  Student Presentation

April 25: Student Presentation

Saturday April 27: Tammie Beane pottery workshop

April 30:  Student Presentation

May 2: Student Presentation

May 3:  Student Presentation
Assignment: Term Paper Due in class

May 7:  Student Presentation

May 9:  Student Presentation

May 14:  Review

May 16:  Final Exam (cumulative)  

May 17: No class




home page