ANTHROPOLOGY

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF

ANTHROPOLOGY

BY SAMUEL PALMIERI

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INTRODUCTION:

THIS MUESEUM IS THE LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT MUSEUM IN MEXICO. IT WAS INAUGURATED IN 1964 AND DESIGNED BY THE ARCHITECT PEDRO RAMÍREZ VÁZQUEZ. IS LOCATED IN CHAPULTEPEC PARK, MEXICO CITY AND IT SHOWS THE PRE-HISPANIC CIVILIZATIONS AND CONTEMPORANY INDIGENOUS CULTURES.

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AZTEC HALL

THE AZTECS INHABITED CENTRAL MEXICOBEFORE THE SPANISH CONQUEST. AND THEY HAD DIFFERENTS ARTIFACTS:

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THE SUN STONE:

(AZTEC CALENDAR); A MASSIVE BASALT (VOLCANIC ROCK) SCULPTURE REPRESENTING THE AZTEC COSMOS -SIZE: 3.6 METERS -WEIGHT: 24 TONS

COATLICUE STATUE:

A LARGE SCULPTURE OF THE GODDNESS OF FERTILITY AND DEATH, REPRESENTED WITH SNAKE HEADS -SIZE: ABOUT 2.7 METERS -WEIGHT: AROUND 2 TONS

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2-THE MAYAS HALL

THE MAYA CIVILIZATION THRIVED IN SOUTHERN MEXICO, GUATEMALA, BELIZE AND HONDURES FOR A LOT OF CENTURIES. THEY ALSO HAD THEIR DIFFERENTS ARTIFACTS LIKE:

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CHAC GOD SCULPTURE:

BALLGAME ARTIFACTS:

SCULPTURES AND RINGS RELATED TO THE ANCIENT MAYA BALLGAMES, THIS TRADITION WAS A MIX OF SPORT, RITUAL AND POSSIBLY HUMAN SACRIFICE. THEY USED RUBBER BALLS, KIND OF COURTS (POK-TA-POK OR TLACHTLI FIELDS), FOR EXAMPLE THE CHICHÉN ITZÁ, ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS COURTS....

IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE RAIN GOD, OFTEN FOUND ON TEMPLES FACADES IT WAS PLACED AT TEMPLES ENTRANCES OR NEAR ALTARS TO RECIEVE SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS

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3-OAXACA HALL:

THIS ROOM FOCUSES ON THE ZAPOTEC AND MIXTEC CULTURES FROM THE OAXACA REGION, IN THE SOUTHERN MEXICO. THIS HALL SHOWS ARTIFACTS FROM: MONTE, ALBÁN, MITLA AND OTHER ANCIENT SITES LIKE:

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MONTE ALBÁN TOMB 7 TREASURES

DANZANTES:

THEY ARE STONE SCULPTURES FOUND IN MONTE ALBÁN TOO. THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY SHOE HOW THE ZAPOTECS LIVED AND WHAT THEY BELIEVED. THEY WERE FOUND IN THE MAIN PLAZA OF MONTE ALBÁN. THIS ACTIVITY HAS A LOT OF THEORIES: SOME PEOPLE THING THAT THEY WERE DANCERS IN RITUALS AND OTHER PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE WAR PRISIONERS...

ONE OF THE RICHEST ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES IN MESOAMERICA, INCLUDES GOLD TURQUOISE, JADE AND PEARL JEWELRY, MADE BY MIXTEC ARTESANS BUT FOUND IN AN EARLIER ZAPOTEC TOMB SHOWING CULTURAL CONNECTIONS.

conclusion:

these are one of the most important rooms of this amazing museum.

THANK

YOU