Evidences of Science and Technology during Pre-Columbian Times.pptx

This presentation highlights the evidence of s&t during the pre-columbian times.

1. Evidences of Science and Technology during Pre-Columbian Times 1500 B.C.-A.D. 1500 in the new world

2. Learning Outcomes At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to: Described the development of Science and Technology made by the Olmec, Mayans, Inca and Aztecs; Explicated and recognized the significance of the contribution of Olmecs, Mayans, Aztecs and Inca in the development of science and technology.

3. Olmec Civilization Location The first great Mesoamerican civilization. They thrived along Southern gulf coast of Mexico, mainly in the present-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco, from about 1200 to 400 B.C. Culture was greatly influential on later societies, such as the Maya and the Aztec.

4. Olmec Civilization Science and Technology Development The name “Olmec” means “rubber people” in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztec. The term “rubber people” refers to the ancient practice, spanning from ancient Olmecs to Aztecs, of extracting latex from Castilla elastica , a rubber tree in the area. The juice of a local vine, Ipomoea alba , was then mixed with this latex to create a rubber as early as 1600 BCE.

5. Olmec Civilization Science and Technology Development Olmecs constructed permanent city-temple complexes at San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan, La Venta , Tres Zapotes, and Laguna de los Cerros . The principal architectural structure found in La Venta ruins was the vast clay pyramid decorated with elaborate carvings. Common among places is the colossal heads that is made from basalt which symbolizes thrones. There are also monuments and other major pieces of Olmec art such as mask and figurines.

6. Olmec Civilization Science and Technology Development Olmecs are known to cultivate cocoa, rubber, and salt. It is also observed that they are using an elaborate water and drainage system. They manufacture chocolate drinks. There are evidences that suggest the Olmec practiced human sacrifice and cannibalism; The calendar used in Mexico may also have originated from the Olmec. They also studied astronomy since they are obsessed with the timing of religious ritual. Animal gods were features of Olmec culture. Olmec traded goods such as obsidian, ceramics, jade, serpentine, mica, rubber, potter, feathers and polished mirrors of limenite and magnetite. La Venta went into decline around 400 B.C. and the Olmec civilization vanished along with it.

7. Maya Civilization Location The ancient Mayans are a diverse group of indigenous people who lived in parts of present-day Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. It is regarded as one of the most important pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures. The Mayas are credited with a number of remarkable scientific achievements in various scientific fields such as astronomy, engineering, medicine, and mathematics.

8. Maya Civilization Science and Technology Development The Mayan not only made the great progress in agriculture, but also made a big break in technology. The architectural and engineering skills were manifested in the grandeur of their tall pyramids of limestone, with small temples on the top constructed like an arch supported by two side walls bridged by a row of flat stones and ornamented by steeples or roof combs. They are usually made of cherts, obsidian, silicified limestone, and jade.

9. Maya Civilization As far as astronomy was concerned, they tracked the movement of the stars and planets across the sky, and were able to accurately predict celestial events such as eclipses. To the Mayan, Venus was the most important astronomical object. The Mayans also discovered an accurate calendar. The ritual calendar that developed in Mesoamerica used a count of 260 days. This calendar gave each day a name, much more like our days of the week. There are 20 day names, represented by their respective symbols.

10. Maya Civilization The written language of the Mayan was made up of about 800 glyphs, or symbols. Each one represented a word or a syllable, and could be combined with the others in an almost infinite number of ways. As a result, there are three or four different ways to write almost every word in Mayan language. The Mayans were also talented in building elaborate temples and great cities without the essential tools like metal. It is believed that Mayans were producing rubber products.

11. Aztec Civilization Location The Aztecs established their city of Tenochtitlan, a present day Mexico City in 1325 A.D. The Aztecs are best known as a violent people who expanded their empire through worthless warfare. They also had a reputation of making human sacrifices in elaborate rituals that often involved the removal of beating hearts, to appease many gods. They practiced a highly organized system of government and a language-Nahuatl

12. Aztec Civilization Science and Technology Development The advances demonstrated in the Aztec technology are so remarkable that they are still looked upon adoringly to this day. Just a few of the Aztec accomplishments have been the development of mathematics, the canoe, the highly specialized Aztec calendar, and remarkably helpful forms of medicine. Aztec tools were made with obsidian and chert. Near the time they were overcome by Spanish conquistadors, advances in Aztec technology led to the experimentation of making tools with copper. Axe blades, bows and arrows were being made with either stone or copper . Aztec technology was so advanced that they even made drills which were made of reed or bone.

13. Aztec Civilization Aztec technology were familiar with the wheel. The wheel, however was only used in toys. Aztecs developed dugout canoes with which they transported themselves and their goods throughout the may canals, lakes, and waterways found in the Valley of Mexico. The Aztecs were very advanced scientific thinkers and mathematics. The Aztec number system was far more advanced than other cultures at the time.

14. Aztec Civilization Aztec Astronomy was also an important component of their calendar, which reflected heavily on their gods. The Aztecs were also advanced in the development of medicine. In fact, Aztec medicine was found in may forms, such as ointment, drinks, and salves. This spectacular area of Aztec technology has been recorded in the Badianus Manusript , which was created by Aztec artists in 1552.

15. Inca Civilization Location Flourished in the Andean region of South America from the early 15 th century A.D. up until its conquest by the Spaniards in the 1530s. One of the Inca civilization’s most famous surviving archeological sites is Machu Picchu , which was built as a retreat place for an Incan emperor. The Incas called their empire Tawantinsuyu , the “Land of the Four Corners,” and its official language was Quenchua ; it was the largest empire in pre-Colombian America. The Inca Empire originated at the city of Cuzco in what is today Peru. To support this empire, a system of roads stretched to almost 25,000 miles.

16. Inca Civilization Science and Technology Development They are rich in maize (corn) and dried llama, cocoa leaves and alcohol; other consumable goods include sweet potatoes, quinoa , beans and chili peppers. Cocoa leaves were used in moderate amounts to lessen hunger and pain during work, but were mostly used for religious and health purposes as well as during surgeries as an anesthetic. Mummification of individuals was an important part of Inca funerary rites. November is described as being the “month of carrying the dead”, a time when people would try to feed the mummies of their ancestors.

17. Inca Civilization Striking artistry were its textiles; finest grade of cloth was called cumpi , being reserved for the emperor and nobility. Clothes were woven out of wool from dried llamas and alpaca or vicuma wool and cotton. Objects were made out gold and silver. Inca stone-working was also considered to be very fine. Their craftsmen fitted building stones together perfectly without using any mortar, such that an object as thin as razor blade could not be inserted between the stones. Inca calendars were strongly tied to astronomy. The Inca calendar was essentially lunisolar , as two calendars were maintained in parallel, one solar and one lunar . Twelve lunar months fall 11 days short of a full 365-day solar year. Equinoxes, solstices, and Venus cycles are observed.

18. Inca Civilization The Inca used assemblages of knotted strings, known as Quipu , used as mnemonic devices or to record numerical data and also believed to record history and literature. The Inca made many discoveries in medicine. They performed successful skull surgeries, which involved cutting holes in the skull in order to alleviate fluid buildup and inflammation caused by head wounds.

19. Inca Civilization Physical measures employed by the Inca were based upon human body parts. Fingers, the distance between thumb to forefinger, palms, cubits, and wingspans were among those units used. The most basic unit of distance was thatkiy or thatki , or one pace. The Inca weaponry included: Bronze or bone-tipped spears; Two-handed wooden swords with serrated edges; Clubs with stone and spiked metal heads; Woolen slings and stones; Stone or copper headed battle-exes; Bolas (stones fastened to lengths of cord).

20. Check your understanding! Olmec Civilization Mayan Civilization Aztec Civilization Inca Civilization Present day Location Agriculture Astronomy/ Calendars Tools and Weapons Medicine Other scientific Development

21. Check your undertaking! Answer the following questions briefly Identify one technology that had remarkable impact on the life of people during Pre Columbian time in all civilization. What are the means of livelihood and survival of the people during that time? Most of the civilization at that time believed in polytheism, explain the implication of this practice to the life of people.