Cosmology and Power: Indigenous Americas (1000 BCE–1980 CE)

Shamanism

Religious practice where a practitioner aids the community by entering a trance state to communicate with the spirit world.

Axis Mundi

The concept of a 'world center' connecting the heavens, the earth, and the underworld.

Reciprocity

The obligation to give back to the earth or the gods to ensure agricultural fertility and cosmic balance.

Dualism

A worldview especially common in Andean art that sees the universe as divided into two opposing but complementary forces.

Chavín de Huántar

A major pilgrimage site in the Northern Highlands of Peru, significant for its religious unification of people.

Lanzón Stela

A 15-foot notched wedge-shaped stone representing the Smiling God, acting as an oracle and connecting earth and heavens.

Contour Rivalry

An artistic technique where an image can be interpreted multiple ways depending on how it is viewed.

Qorikancha

The most sacred temple in Cusco, originally covered in sheet gold and dedicated to Inti, the Sun God.

Ashlar Masonry

A technique of stonecutting where stones are carved to fit together perfectly without mortar.

Saqsa Waman

A fortress in Cusco that represents the head of the city laid out in the shape of a puma.

Maize Cobs

Inka art made of gold and silver alloys representing vast agricultural resources.

Intihuatana Stone

A ritual stone used by the Inka to track the sun's movement, demonstrating their connection to astronomy.

All-T’oqapu Tunic

An Inka tunic made of camelid fiber and cotton, featuring designs that indicated status and lineage.

Yaxchilán

An ancient Maya city known for its distinct architectural features like roof combs and corbel arches.

Lintel 25, Structure 23

A Maya lintel depicting Lady Xook performing a bloodletting ritual to maintain royal power.

Templo Mayor

The main temple of the Aztec in Tenochtitlan, characterized by twin pyramids and superimposition.

Coyolxauhqui Stone

A stone depicting the dismembered body of the Moon Goddess, significant for its mythological context.

Calendar Stone (Sun Stone)

An Aztec stone depicting the history of the world through Five Suns, representing the need for human sacrifice.

Ruler’s Feather Headdress

An Aztec ceremonial object made of feathers that symbolize power and prestige.

Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings

Ancestral Puebloan dwellings built into cliffs for thermal regulation and defense.

Great Serpent Mound

An effigy mound in Ohio aligned with celestial events, significant for spiritual purposes.

Bandolier Bag

A prestige object created by Lenape women, originally using porcupine quills and later made with glass beads.

Transformation Mask

A Kwakwaka’wakw mask used in potlatch ceremonies, showcasing animals and ancestors.

Painted Elk Hide

Artwork created by Cotsiogo for tourists, blending history and nostalgia on elk hide.

Black-on-black Ceramic Vessel

A Puebloan ceramic piece by Maria Martínez that transformed utilitarian pottery into fine art.

Pilgrimage Site

A location that attracts followers for religious purposes, often involving travel and ritual.

Kivas

Circular, subterranean rooms in Puebloan architecture used for spiritual ceremonies.

Effigy Mound

An earthwork mound constructed in the shape of an animal, used for ceremonial rather than burial purposes.

Quipu

Knot-records used by the Andean cultures for record-keeping instead of a written script.

Superimposition

The architectural practice of building new layers over existing structures, commonly seen in Mesoamerican temples.

Bloodletting

A ritual practice in Mesoamerican cultures meant to open portals to the Otherworld and maintain power.

Metallurgy

The art of working with metals, particularly evident in the gold and silver artifacts of the Inka.

Terracing

An agricultural practice used in Machu Picchu to farm on steep slopes and manage water runoff.

Puma Shape

The layout of Cusco city symbolizing royal power and Inka authority.

Potlatch

A ceremonial event among Northwest Coast tribes involving gift-giving and status validation.

Forms of Dualism

The concept of two opposing forces coexisting in balance, prominent in Andean and Mesoamerican belief systems.

Stonemasonry

The craft of creating structures from rocks and stones, highlighted in Inka architecture.

Cultural Symbolism

The use of specific imagery or materials to represent broader cultural beliefs and values.

Quetzal Bird

A bird considered sacred by the Aztec, whose feathers were used in ceremonial objects.

Huitzilopochtli

The Aztec god of Sun and War, central to the rituals conducted at the Templo Mayor.

Lightning Representation

Symbolic representation, as seen in the zig-zag structure of Saqsa Waman, illustrating powerful natural forces.