America before European colonization
Architecture, textiles and images form independent systems of knowledge.
Key ideas
The Maya, Mexica, Incas and many other societies created different artistic traditions. Mayan writing and stelae, Mesoamerican feather wares, and Andean textiles reveal different relationships of material, power, and ritual. Monumental ensembles organize movement and collective memory.
Looking deeper
The word "pre-Columbian" is convenient for dating, but defines history through the arrival of Europeans and obscures internal differences. Indigenous cultures continue to exist. Study a specific society and the origins of a subject without describing diverse traditions as a single lost civilization.
Palenque; Machu Picchu; Andean textiles.
Find the work in the museum's official catalog and start with a description of the visible details.Explain why fabric can be as significant a status symbol as a monument.
External educational material or museum catalogue. The above review is not a literal translation of the source.