this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2024
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I've been really interested in pre-colonial american history recently amongst other ancient societies. I even wrote an essay recently on the origins and meaning of the cave motif in Olmec altar thrones. In short, I believe it materially comes from the fact that the Olmecs had only relatively recently left cave dwellings and temporary housings to form the first cities in the Americas. However it also served the purpose of legitimizing the power of the Olmec rulers as caves were very religiously significant. Other mesoamerican mythologies viewed caves as a place that is close to Xibalba, the Mayan form of underworld. Xibalba was viewed as a place like earth that resided within the primordial sea through which the middle world (viewed as a creature drifting in the primordial sea) floats. Xibalba was full of people and creatures which could be communicated with and even bargained with. The shaman-rulers of Olmec society would likely consume hallucinogens and/or deliriants like Datura and then either enter or sit at the entrance of the cave to communicate with Xibalba. Knowing the effects of Datura and plants like it, this had to have been an incredibly unpleasant and probably terrifying experience. I am doubtless that the feat was considered brave. Anywho, the Olmec rulers would have a cave carved at the front and center of their throne, often with someone standing in front of it or exiting it. Fun fact: Sometimes, likely after or slightly before the death of that ruler, their throne would be turned on its side so that it is vertical and carved into what may be the face of that ruler. You can still see the scar of the cave carving on the side of the head for some of them. Here's some pictures!
pics
I also love the Incans but I know less about them. Their textiles are wonderful though.
pics
That’s really interesting, is it just a hobby, or your day job also?
Just a hobby really but I am taking an art history class and thats why I wrote the essay. Wish I could get paid a decent living to write about it though
How did you get into that? This isn’t a very common hobby!
Honestly it was a natural progression. I got into marxism which means I got into history. So I binged a lot of history youtube and found I really enjoyed pre-colonial American history, especially the Maya. For a time I scratched that itch with youtube videos, podcast episodes, and documentaries but eventually I came to a point where videos were repeating themselves and I wasn't learning much new. Now, I am a physics major so I read a lot of textbooks and a lot of research papers so I am used to sites like JSTOR and have access to them through my school. So now I spend some of my free time reading about these cultures.
Plenty of alternative sites if you don't have access though ;)
I'm a sucker for anything non-European in history and folklore. (I don't dislike the European stuff, just that I've been exposed to it all my life so it feels "ordinary".)
Me too! The unfamiliarity is exactly why I find pre-colonial history so fascinating.
Living in China my own time sink for this kind of stuff is obviously Chinese. 🤣 But before I came to China I was always intrigued by the central American civilizations.