Uncover the fascinating rise and fall of the Maya and Aztec civilizations-spectacular empires with complex cultures that ruled vast stretches of pre-Columbian America. In this comprehensive course taught by the Director of the Maya Exploration Center, you'll witness the enthralling history of these sophisticated societies as you explore their religions, governments, social organizations, arts, engineering, and more.
Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed
Uncover the fascinating rise and fall of the Maya and Aztec civilizations in this comprehensive course taught by the Director of the Maya Exploration Center.
Rated 5 out of
5
by
canstudent from
Outstanding!
An excellent, in depth look into the pre-contact cultures of Mesoamerica, the contact period and echoes of the ancient cultures in the extant indigenous cultures. Dr. Barnhart clearly has a wealth of knowledge about the cultures and is often able to share his first-hand insights as a researcher in the field.
Dr. Barnhart's approach presents the facts in a way that allows and encourages even beginners in the subject to critically think about what the archaeologic evidence tells us about each culture. At times he presents his own ideas about what certain pieces of evidence may mean, but he always clearly tells the audience when he does so and also provides contrary evidence and hypotheses when he does so.
This course has helped me appreciate the complexity of mesoamerican history and it couldn't have been done better!
Date published: 2024-10-06
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Ricky Ticky Tavy from
supremo clase de información.
I really learned a lot about the interesting past of Mexico. I have been to the Yucatan Peninsula but never really thought about the people and their history. The course was lengthy but very much worth it. Professor Barnhard does a great down to earth explanation of the History, Archeology,and the political landscape of Mesoamerica. I recomend this class to all.
Date published: 2024-09-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Bernie K from
Great Course
Professor Barnhart lets us peek into the life and work of an archeologist. In my estimation he presents the facts of Mesoamerica untainted by major 'fee good' theories. The course is very interesting and quite detailed. It is well worth the time spent.
Date published: 2024-05-16
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Juanitaboo from
Love this series!!
I could listen to Dr. Barnhard speak all day, and I do in fact! I have watched this series multiple times and now leave it on as background noise. So entertaining especilly if you have been to the places he speaks of.
Date published: 2024-03-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Godspeede from
Dr. Barnhart is excellent as is this course
As a historian and lecturer myself, I am very appreciative of Dr. Barnhard's mastery of the subject, his organization, his clarity, and the fact that it is all pleasingly punctuated by a dry, subtle wit. Mesoamerica, and the Maya in particular, have long been one of my side interest (a copy of Robert J. Sharer and Loa P. Traxler's "The Ancient Maya, sits next to my bed as go-to reading), and I have found Professor Barnhart especially useful in bringing clarity to the, at times, bewildering chronology and array of cultures in Mesoamerica. As this implies, the course is extremely helpful for both those with a casual interest as well as those seeking a greater professional quest. Highly, highly recommended!
Date published: 2023-12-31
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Guy1 from
Great Series
I enjoyed this enough to watch it twice. I'd love to see follow on lectures - beyond the 7 minute video from a couple years ago - to inform me of the recent discoveries and how they fit in with what we thought we knew.
Date published: 2023-12-31
Rated 5 out of
5
by
TR26 from
This series is mind boggling
I pay for Great Courses subscription through Amazon Prime, and the Edwin Barnhart videos are the ones that got me started. The depth and detail of this series is amazing. I have visited native American museums around North America, and so far all but a few have had only arrowheads from the pre-Columbian times--now I know that archaeologists are penetrated so much further into the real history of the earliest people on this continent. If you like intellect, this series is for you.
Date published: 2023-12-14
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Hiker1973 from
Lots of Fascinating Information
The lecturer is a bit stiff in presenting. I have seen other courses he has produced and he got better! But I appreciate all the information I learned and he also has a great sense of humor.
Date published: 2023-07-24
Overview
About
Dr. Edwin Barnhart is director of the Maya Exploration Center. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin and has over 20 years of experience in North, Central, and South America as an archaeologist, explorer, and instructor. In 1994, Professor Barnhart discovered the ancient city of Maax Na (Spider-Monkey House), a major center of the Classic Maya period in northwestern Belize. In 1998 he was invited by the Mexican government to direct the Palenque Mapping Project, a three-year effort to survey and map the unknown sections of Palenque's ruins. The resultant map has been celebrated as one of the most detailed and accurate ever made of a Maya ruin. In 2003, he became the director of Maya Exploration Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the study of ancient Maya civilization. The center leads study-abroad courses for college students and tours for the general public in the ruins of the ancient Americas, among its other research and educational activities. Professor Barnhart has taught archaeology and anthropology at Southwest Texas State University, and currently teaches University of Texas travel courses for college professors on ancient Andean and Mesoamerican astronomy, mathematics, and culture. Over the last 10 years, he has appeared multiple times on the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, and Japanese NHK Public Television. He has published over a dozen papers and given presentations at eight international conferences.
Trailer
01: The Maya, Aztecs, and Mesoamerica
Survey the geography, cultures, and time span covered in these 48 lectures. Dr. Barnhart discusses the organization of the course and key concepts. Then he takes you on a whirlwind tour of important places, civilizations, and events in Mesoamerica.
31 min
02: Olmec Civilization Emerges
Begin with the Olmecs at the dawn of Mesoamerican civilization. Flourishing from about 1700 BC to 300 BC, the Olmecs represent one of only six cradles of early civilization in world history. Hear how they were discovered, and investigate three sites where they lived....
32 min
03: Olmec Art as the Mother Culture
Delve into Olmec art, searching for clues to who the Olmec were and what preoccupied these builders of Mesoamerica's first great civilization. Explore the mysteries of giant sculpted heads, jaguar carvings, and full-bearded figures depicting men who some think were foreigners from afar....
28 min
04: Olmec Contemporaries
Investigate other cultures that thrived in Mesoamerica at the time of the Olmecs, such as the Zapotecs in the Valley of Oaxaca. Probe intriguing archeological evidence, including artifacts similar to those from Olmec culture, which raise the question of who influenced whom....
33 min
05: Mesoamerican Plants, Cuisine, and Medicine
Learn about the botany of Mesoamerica and how it benefited not just the people of the region but eventually the entire world. From corn and chocolate to vanilla, chili peppers, rubber trees, and other products, the native vegetation has had a profound impact on global diet and culture....
34 min
06: Early Highland Maya-Izapa to Kaminaljuyu
Trace the origin of Maya civilization to a dramatic change in the nature of public monuments. Dr. Barnhart takes you to early Maya highland cities such as Izapa, with its amazing religious carvings, and Kaminaljuyu, which heralded the dawn of the Classic Maya period....
30 min
07: Preclassic Maya Lowlands-El Mirador
Travel to the Peten rainforest in northern Guatemala, where hundreds of Maya settlements lie hidden, including some of the oldest Maya cities ever built. Among the spectacular sites, hear about the discovery and excavation of El Mirador, called the "cradle of Maya civilization." ...
30 min
08: The Popol Vuh-Creation and Hero Twins
In 1701 a Spanish priest fluent in Mayan translated a secret copy of the ancient Maya story of creation, the Popol Vuh. The original has long since disappeared, but the translation survives. Hear this magical story in captivating detail....
33 min
09: The Great City of Teotihuacan
At its height around 400 AD, Teotihuacan was the most populous city in the western hemisphere. Explore this vibrant metropolis, focusing on its still-extant pyramids of the Sun and Moon and the role they played in the violent ritual life of the Classic Maya period....
28 min
10: How the Maya Mastered Mathematics
Study the power of Maya mathematics, which was a positional, base-twenty system that lent itself easily to calculation and the expression of very large numbers. Learn about its use of the zero placeholder, and test your skills solving problems the way the Maya did....
31 min
11: The World's Most Elaborate Calendar
Unlock the secrets of the Maya calendar, which was unlike any other in the world-with nested cycles of time keyed to human, seasonal, and astronomical patterns. Look back to their year zero and the special importance of the number 1,195,640....
33 min
12: Tikal-Aspiring Capital of the Maya World
Chart the rise and fall of Tikal, one of the great Maya cities until it was mysteriously abandoned around 900 AD. Overgrown by jungle, it sat forgotten for a thousand years. Hear about Tikal's tumultuous history and its dramatic rediscovery....
31 min
13: Maya Hieroglyphs-Breaking the Code
Maya hieroglyphs are a beautiful and elaborate writing system, bearing messages that were almost a complete mystery until recent decades. Dr. Barnhart describes the detective work that went into deciphering the script and his own studies with pioneer code-breaker Linda Schele....
32 min
14: Maya Astronomy and Building Orientations
The Maya were expert sky observers. Discover that many of their buildings are oriented to view the rising and setting of celestial bodies, and still others are designed to interact with sunlight, creating tricks of light and shadows. Consider what these alignments may have signified....
32 min
15: The Dresden Codex
Only four ancient Maya books have survived to modern times. Study the most fascinating of these: the Dresden Codex. Focus on its complex calculations of the motions of Venus and the timing of solar eclipses. Also turn to its pages on divination, which defied understanding until Dr. Barnhart contributed a key insight....
31 min
16: Palenque-Jewel in the West
Descend down the secret steps of a Maya pyramid to discover the tomb of Pakal the Great, the most renowned ruler of the city of Palenque. Trace the history of Palenque, which during the 7th century AD excelled in architectural sophistication, hieroglyphic inscriptions, and astronomical knowledge....
31 min
17: Sacred Geometry in Art and Architecture
The Maya had no known unit of linear measure, yet their art and architecture reflect a sophisticated understanding of geometry. Investigate the geometric ratios that the Maya used over and over. Discover how these relate to nature and the practices of other ancient civilizations....
31 min
18: Illuminating Works of Maya Art
Learn about Maya life through their art, studying such works as the fantastic painted murals at Bonampak and the famous sarcophagus lid on the tomb of Pakal. According to a best-selling book, the latter depicts an ancient astronaut on a rocket ship, but Dr. Barnhart decodes its real meaning....
29 min
19: Copan-Jungle Dynasty of the East
Visit Copan, a beautifully preserved city on the edge of the Maya world. This illustrious site has been continuously excavated since the 19th century, and Dr. Barnhart himself did fieldwork helping to unearth tombs of the city's most notable rulers....
33 min
20: Calakmul-The Mighty Snake Kingdom
Maya hieroglyphs tell of a mysterious Snake Kingdom, which long eluded archaeologists. We now know that this powerful city was Calakmul, located in the Peten rainforest of southern Mexico. Learn its long history of warfare with its militant neighbors....
31 min
21: The Mesoamerican Ball Game
Created 3,500 years ago and still played today, the Mesoamerican ball game was the New World's first organized team sport. More than just a game, it reenacted mythology, symbolized war, and pleased the gods. Investigate where it was played, along with its rules and variations....
29 min
22: Enigmatic West Mexico and Shaft Tombs
Survey the cultures that flourished in west Mexico at the time of the Maya. Their distinctive shaft tombs, pottery, metalwork, and other artifacts have intriguing links to South America. Also see how today's Voladores "flying" traditional dance originated centuries ago in this region....
31 min
23: Classic Maya Collapse-Cities Abandoned!
One of history's unsolved mysteries is why many Maya cities were abandoned in the 9th century AD, bringing an end to the Classic period. Examine theories that trace this collapse to war, drought, environmental damage, or volcanic eruption. Then hear Dr. Barnhart's solution to the puzzle....
28 min
24: New Cities of the Terminal Classic-Uxmal
From 800 to 1000 AD, the Maya region went through a transitional phase known as the Terminal Classic. Study the changes that emerged in new Maya cities, which saw innovations in government, religion, art, and architecture. Focus on the remarkable city of Uxmal....
28 min
25: Monte Alban and Zapotec Rule over Oaxaca
Journey to Oaxaca to explore Monte Alban, one of the most beautiful ruins in all of Mesoamerica. Chart the city plan, monuments, and art of this hilltop center of Zapotec civilization, which dominated the Valley of Oaxaca for over a thousand years....
30 min
26: The Mixtec Rise-Gold and Epic Stories
Tomb 7 at Monte Alban is a New World version of Tutankhamun's burial chamber, containing an extraordinary number of gold artifacts. Learn about the Mixtec culture that produced these treasures along with many other impressive objects, including illustrated codices of their history and mythology....
29 min
27: The Great Pyramid of Cholula and El Tajin
More massive than the largest Egyptian pyramid, the Great Pyramid of Cholula was one of the astonishing feats of the Veracruz civilization, which flourished in the modern state of Veracruz during the Terminal Classic period. Focus on two prominent cities of this culture: Cholula and El Tajin....
28 min
28: Cacaxtla Murals and Xochicalco
View the fantastic murals at Cacaxtla in central Mexico, arguably the finest in Mesoamerica. Then look at the famous Temple of the Feathered Serpent in Xochicalco, which, like the Cacaxtla murals, represents the influence of the vanished Teotihuacan and classic Maya cultures....
30 min
29: The Toltecs-Role Models or Myth?
The Aztecs claimed that their civilization descended from the mighty Toltecs. But were the Toltecs as magnificent as the Aztecs believed? Join the hunt for this elusive empire, which was headquartered at the modest town of Tula and spread influential ideas such as the legend of Quetzalcoatl....
32 min
30: Chichen Itza-Maya Capital of the Yucatan
Travel to the best known of all ancient Maya cities: Chichen Itza. Focus on its Toltec-Maya phase, from 1000 to 1200 AD, and the city's striking similarities to Tula. What do these connections imply about the history of Chichen Itza? Dr. Barnhart presents an intriguing theory....
32 min
31: League of Mayapan-Maya New World Order
As Chichen Itza declined, a city named Mayapan rose to power. Mayapan deliberately copied Chichen Itza's monumental buildings and experimented with a more representative form of government. Examine the architecture, social structure, and daily life of this new regional capital....
28 min
32: Mesoamerican Religion
Delve into Mesoamerican religion, tracing the evolution of gods and religious practices from the Olmecs to the Maya and finally to the Aztecs, who are featured in the next section of the course. Learn the names, roles, and origins of the principal deities....
32 min
33: Aztec Origins-Arrival and Rise of the Mexica
How did a vagabond group of wanderers become the most powerful civilization in North America? Survey the history of the Aztecs, looking behind their idealized self-image to discover their likely beginnings and the secret of their political, economic, and military success....
28 min
34: The Aztec Capital of Tenochtitlan
See the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan through the eyes of a visitor during the height of Aztec power, when the city's quality of life was unrivaled virtually anywhere in the world. Modern Mexico City, which is built atop Tenochtitlan, preserves isolated ruins of this grandeur....
30 min
35: Life in the Aztec World
Drawing on contemporary accounts by Spanish soldiers, priests, and literate Aztecs, enter the daily life of a typical Aztec, discovering the culture's social organization, marriage customs, public festivals, and shockingly commonplace rituals of human sacrifice....
32 min
36: How the Aztecs Expanded Their Empire
By the time of European contact, the Aztec empire was the most extensive in Mesoamerican history. Study the Aztecs' methodical approach to conquest and the structure of their empire, which was more like Alexander the Great's than imperial Rome's....
29 min
37: Independent Tarascans-Desert Warriors
Second only to the Aztecs in the extent of their realm were the neighboring Tarascans. Compare their empire and culture to Aztec civilization, and sift through conflicting clues that point to the origin of the Tarascans, who considered themselves newcomers to Mesoamerica....
30 min
38: Paquime-Northernmost Mesoamerican City?
On the frontier between Mesoamerica and the American Southwest stands a mysterious ruin: Paquime, also called Casas Grandes. Was it connected with the Pueblo culture to the north, or with the Aztecs and Tarascans to the south? Dr. Barnhart offers a fascinating hypothesis....
31 min
39: Illuminating Works of Aztec Art
Tour some of the masterpieces of Aztec art, including the Calendar Stone and Stone of Tizoc, which were likely platforms for human sacrifices. Then behold the terrifying Statue of Coatlicue, and pore over the Codex Mendoza, which is a beautifully illustrated history of the Aztec nation....
28 min
40: Tulum-Aztecs at the Ancient Maya Port City
Archaeologists call the last phase of pre-Columbian culture before the arrival of the Spanish the Late Post-Classic period. Get a snapshot of this waning era by visiting the ruins of Tulum, a Maya seaport that hints at a final Aztec incursion into the region....
30 min
41: First Contact with Europe in Mesoamerica
Review the events that brought an improbable expedition led by Christopher Columbus to the New World in search of Japan. Trace Columbus's later contact with Mesoamerica, and follow the arrival of Spanish conquistadors, including Vasco Núñez de Balboa and Hernan Cortes....
28 min
42: The Siege of Tenochtitlan
Cortes's defeat of the Aztec empire was one of the greatest military victories in history. Analyze how the enterprising conquistador managed this coup with just a few hundred Spanish troops, aided by native allies and a secret weapon that even he did not know he had: infectious diseases....
34 min
43: Conquest of the Maya and Landa's Legacy
Once the Aztecs were defeated, the Spanish turned their eyes to the rest of Mesoamerica. Follow the decades of military campaigns needed to subdue the Maya. This conquest included the wholesale destruction of Maya books and ritual objects by the Franciscan monk Diego de Landa....
31 min
44: The Fall of the Last Maya Kingdom-The Itza
Study the fortunes of the last independent Maya kingdom: the Itza. Isolated in the Peten rainforest between two Spanish-dominated areas, the Itza fiercely defended their domain for almost two centuries after the initial Spanish contact. Discover the stratagem that finally vanquished them in 1697....
29 min
45: The Caste Wars of Yucatan
Trace the resistance of the Maya to foreign domination, culminating in the Caste Wars of Yucatan, which pitted native Maya people against the Mexican army and lasted for over half a century, ending in the early 1900s. Although Mexico prevailed, the resistance continues to this day....
31 min
46: Echoes of the Past in Mexico
Explore the many areas where native culture still survives in modern Mexico. Focus on the Zapotec, Huichol, and Nahua peoples (descendants of the Aztecs). Learn that traditions which have survived for thousands of years are now threatened by technologies such as the internet and cable television....
29 min
47: Maya Survival and Revival
Despite centuries of assimilation and persecution, Maya culture still thrives. Investigate its survival in Guatemala, where 80 percent of the population is Maya, living largely in traditional ways. Dr. Barnhart describes his own observations from extensive visits to the country....
29 min
48: Frontiers of Mesoamerican Archeology
Explore the current frontiers of Mesoamerican archaeology, looking ahead to the most promising avenues for future research. Many major cities are known but have yet to be excavated, and countless others are waiting to be discovered. Dr. Barnhart closes by discussing the top three projects on his wish list....
35 min
