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Chapter 14

Native-American Art Before 1300 CE

Book Version 18
By Boundless
Boundless Art History
Art History
by Boundless
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Section 1
The New World
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The New World

Indigenous visual arts traditions in the Americas span thousands of years, representing cultures from Mesoamerica to the Arctic.

Section 2
Mesoamerica
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Cultures of Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica was dominated by 3 cultures in the Pre-Classical (up to 200CE) to Post-Classical periods (circa 1580 CE): the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec.

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Colossal Heads of the Olmec

The Olmec culture of the Gulf Coast of Mexico produced the first major Mesoamerican art, and is particularly known for the creation of colossal stone heads.

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Teotihuacan

At its height, Teotihuacan had a population of 200,000, was a primary center of commerce and manufacturing, and was one of the largest cities in the world. 

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Art of the Maya

Mayan art includes a wide variety of objects, commissioned by rulers, that depict scenes of both elite and everyday society. 

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Ceramcis of the Veracruz

The production of ceramic figurines are a hallmark of Classic Veracruz art. The Veracruz people produced a variety of these small clay figures in multiple areas around the modern state of Veracruz, Mexico.

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Codices of the Mixtec

Mixtec culture had a unique and complex writing system that used characters and pictures to represent complete words and ideas instead of syllables or sounds. They made codices to document important historical events in their society. 

Section 3
South America
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Ceramics in Early South America

The ceramic objects of the Paracas, Nazca, and Moche communities of Peru are varied in artistic forms and were important cultural artifacts. Likewise, the Tiwanaku and Waki people of Bolivia and their contemporaries, the Wari people of Peru all produced pottery that was multifaceted in both aesthetics and utility. 

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Architecture in Early South America

Chavín de Huántar and Tiwanaku were important ceremonial centers in pre-Inca South America.

Section 4
North America
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The Southwest

Southwestern indigenous cultures have produced a variety of architectural, artisinal, and ritual art forms for centuries.

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Inuit Art

Inuit art refers to artwork produced by the people of the Arctic, or Inuit people, who were previously known as Eskimos.

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Woodlands in the East

Eastern Woodland cultures are known for their production of a variety of art forms, from pottery to substantial earthen mounds for burial.

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Japan Before 1333 CE
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Chapter 14
Native-American Art Before 1300 CE
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Africa Before 1800 CE
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