Semester:
Spring
Offered:
2024
Prof. Bill Fash
This course provides a broad overview of the archaeology of ancient Mexico and Central America, focusing on the Indigenous cultures of highland Mexico such as the Aztecs and Zapotecs, as well as their predecessors and contemporary descendants. Topics include the origins of food production and early cuisine; development of regional exchange networks; rise of towns, temples, and urbanism; emergence of states and empires; and resilience of Indigenous lifeways through conquest and colonial periods. Peabody Museum collections are incorporated into class discussions and assignments.