2 America before 1330 I

This lecture will introduce the first civilizations of Mesoamerica, the Olmec, Teotihuacan, and Maya. These civilizations shared a cosmological understanding of creation and a Cosmic Ballgame to celebrate it. Human sacrifice and bloodletting rituals were seen as necessary to maintain the elite's hold on power and to satiate the gods who had a blood lust. From the Olmecs, larger and larger cities were built that included palaces, ball courts, temples and large causeways.