The Rise of the Maya: Preclassic Brilliance

[@TheWastelander86]

I just found your channel and binged everything over the last few weeks. So stoked for this new video. You're feeding the beast 1491 created!

[@AncientAmericas]

1491 is an amazing book. It helped create me too.

[@noahwinberry2475]

I did the exact same. One of my favorite channels

[@Goyote]

It's a great channel

[@michaelleblanc7283]

@@AncientAmericas Agree . . . entirely not because of all his conclusions but for the brand new world 1491 opens for anyone who reads it and the implications left behind.

[@erickricardoflores8472]

Im salvadorean and Im really proud and thankful for your videos. We in Central America need sources of information about our past. Since it was almost destroyed videos like yours, scientifically grounded are of great need and importance. THANKS and greetings from Heidelberg, Germany.

[@songbird2383]

You couldn’t have uploaded at a better time, this will distract me from my mental breakdown, I sincerely thank you

[@aztaline5593]

Yeah I get you, learning about history helps me somehow too, I hope you get better.

[@AncientAmericas]

Weird that you mention that because making these videos distracts me from my own neglected mental health issues. Hope the video helps. I know the feeling too well.

[@songbird2383]

@@AncientAmericas I’m kinda glad I’m not alone, but hey, careful with that neglecting stuff, I’ve done that in the past, it’s dangerous, anyway I hope you get better :) Also the video is amazing, wonderfully researched and produced Take care!

[@LemonDove]

I’m in the same boat

[@caleballen4721]

Sharing the copium!

[@Connie.T.]

I was never into premodern history before finding this channel last month, and now I can't believe I missed out for so long. Thanks for making this stuff accessible to the average Jane!

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@RecklessInternetting]

I never really appreciated some parts of history until I started scratching the surfaces. Better late than never and welcome to the history nerd club

[@Inlawwetrust10]

You slow

[@alexislaisney3404]

Funny how we still practice human sacrifice with abortion clinics.

[@rhaywitsam8649]

I remember liking every video of this channel when it had only 500-ish subscribers. Now I got this notification and wow, almost 50.000! I'm very happy the engagement was worth it! Another nice video to watch before sleep ☺️

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you for the continued support! It's always nice to see people from those early days still enjoying the content.

[@ryanfitzalan8634]

I spent 3 months in 2012, living in the town surrounding Chichen Itza. While i was there we took a brief trip to a random town not far away, some no-name jungle village. When we approached the village, none of us noticed that there were large hills surrounding us, which we didn't notice because we were Americans and unfamiliar with the local geography. For us, driving by wooded hills isn't unusual. In this village, the locals where doing something that has become very common throughout Latin America. They were clearing and attempting to excavate and rebuild pyramids. The goal of this is to create tourist destinations. When we got out of our van a local took us through the jungle towards a large hill, This was the pyramid they were looking to uncover. We hiked to the top of the "Hill", which was not easy and we stumbled over root torn bricks and rocks. When we got to the top, there was a clearing made by the workers. From there you could see clear across the peninsula, and in the distance, was the Great pyramid of Chichen. It was than i realized, that every hill we passed on the way there, was not a hill. they were all pyramids, covered by the forest. clearly from the top you could see that the area was geographically flat.... like flat flat. yet across the entire horizon, everywhere you looked, big awkward unnatural looking hills, shot straight into the sky, all still covered with forest. I cannot put words to that moment, the ancient societies of central America were absolutely massive. There is still so much to uncover there.

[@rockingchair2807]

Fantastic story. Would much enjoy hearing more. Sorry I'm a year behind.

[@Gekumatz]

Sorry of the lateness, do you know the specific village?what it was called?

[@ryanfitzalan8634]

@@Gekumatz sorry i do not, but it was within a 30-45 minute drive from the little town of Piste. There were many small villages that had locals clearing out Cenotes and building steps to the bottom or attempting to rebuild pyramids, hoping to become a stop for tourists buses someday.

[@Gekumatz]

@Conor Hanley there are no natural hills in the Yucatán, any hills you zee can be presumed cities.

[@oirampeceda2409]

Did you take video or pictures?

[@Luboman411]

I'm half Mayan (grandparents on father's side speak Kaqchiquel) and was born in Guatemala City. In fact, Kaminaljuyu was maybe a mile from where I grew up before I came to the U.S. This is freaking awesome! I've learned some Chinese, but at times I feel the pull of learning the language of my ancestors. The writing seems crazy difficult in comparison to traditional Chinese, however. The fact that syllables in Maya are written sometimes with five or six different laboriously complex symbols that can be smashed into each other, modified into something else, and sometimes hidden, seems incredibly perverse for a written language. Why make it so difficult to write just to assuage the egos of artsy-fartsy scribes? The Chinese were way more disciplined--it's almost always one symbol, one syllable. That kept their writing, though elaborate, very stable for almost 2,000 years. In any case, this was wonderful. I've subscribed! :D

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! I'd think that if you could learn Chinese, Maya writing wouldn't be that hard. The main syllabary isn't as complicated as it looks and that will allow you to write anything in Maya that you want. Another thing that is really cool about Maya writing is that's it gives the writer an extraordinary array ways to write something. It allows for an easy visually poetic element that other scripts really don't have unless you get into super fancy calligraphy. I think it's a wonderful script!

[@Luboman411]

@@AncientAmericas You're welcome! What makes Chinese easy to learn (everything else--pronunciation, tones, memorizing all these characters--is difficult) is the fact that it's very analytic--there are no conjugations of verbs, there are no time tenses. It's just word placed next to another word and you derive meaning from context and ellipsis. Grammar is pretty simple. Doesn't Mayan conjugate verbs and have time tenses, with a more demanding grammar? That can make the writing a bit more complicated than drop-and-stop Chinese.

[@davidmilton5887]

Are you "black" ? The Mayans were "black",and it can't disputed or refuted.

[@kevinzhu6417]

@@davidmilton5887 lol. when someone says they can't be "disputed or refuted" that usually means they're close-minded and refuse to accept anything outside of their own worldview

[@davidmilton5887]

@@kevinzhu6417 I didn't state that I couldn't be refuted. The actual history can't be refuted. You need to read better.

[@deborahtrimble2452]

This is such an amazing site I shared it with the curator of the Native American Museum in Bentonville Arkansas. Thanks for the excellent (and entertaining ) look back!

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@diamondtiara84]

Before checking out this channel, I never bothered learning anything about ancient American history, thinking it would be boring. You sure proved me wrong about that!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! I had the same opinions before I started learning about it.

[@superhappyfuntimeshow]

In January of 2020, just before all the coronavirus mess went down, I did the 6 day hike through the reserve to mirador, nakbe, etc. Those sites were amazing, breathtaking, confusing, fascinating, etc, but what was my favorite part was probably taking the sacbes on the hike. You'd be trudging through the jungle, exhausted and frustrated from the muddy and uneven terrain, and then we'd suddenly hit the remnants of one of the causeways and the hike suddenly got way easier. they're everything you said, high off the ground and super wide... and straight as an arrow. For me, stuff like that really is a testament to how much work went into these places. Sure, the pyramids were giant and passionate projects but those roads are just as immense, and serve maybe even more purpose as they connected everyone, common or ruler, and all the other cities? Plus the remnants of structures were lined all around the roads, everywhere you looked there were buildings that had completely collapsed. The hike to El Mirador is the most amazing thing Ive ever done, id do it again and again and again. And exhausting! that heat and humidity was killer

[@AncientAmericas]

Wow! That's incredible! Thank you for sharing!

[@hubriswonk]

Was this hike managed by an outfitter? Self guided?

[@HighWealder]

Planned to go there a few years ago, but maybe too old now

[@HighWealder]

Thanks for a very interesting update on the Mesoamerica

[@abramjones9091]

I'm very interested in economic history. You talked a bit about the limestone industry as well as the industries in el mirador... which is very informative. It would be great to hear more about such economic factors of the early Americas.

[@AncientAmericas]

When I discuss those sites in more detail, I'll get into the specifics. I promise.

[@abramjones9091]

@@AncientAmericas looking forward to it! Would be interesting to know if there's any details on whether they had planned or market economies as well

[@gustavttt4148]

stone age economics by sahlins, debt by david graeber and some books by karl polanyi probably will be of your interest, then. hope this helps.

[@atlasaltera]

Man, I'm torn. I want you to get to the PNW as soon as possible, but I also want to see you cover all the other Mesoamerican ethno-linguistic groups and cultures. Have you covered the Purepecha yet? Can we get some Lenca and Xinca, or the cool outlier Oto-Manguean and Uto-Aztecan groups in Central America? And yes, Kaminaljuyu also deserves its own episode... And despite the culturally shocking depiction... the San Bartolo murals have this amazing aesthetic...such a command on style, really brought back to life with those modern paintings/renderings. Thank you for this introduction.

[@AncientAmericas]

I tell ya, there's too much to cover and not enough time. I want to do the Purépecha sooner rather than later because that is the most requested episode. I am slowly moving closer to a PNW episode though so hopefully that'll be coming down the tubes. Loved your assessment of the San bartolo murals. They are breathtaking!

[@Scarysmileyxx]

@@AncientAmericas would LOVE a Purépecha video man! Gotta see my ancestry/history in Michoacán 🤎🙏🏽

[@quetzalcueyat]

There's a lot of material out there. I've found book everywhere. Check out Miguel Leon portilla

[@EvilSmonker]

Thank you for getting me into precolumbian american history, I've always loved old world history; but I discounted the americans due to ignorance. Common media portrays them very poorly in my opinion, so I believe you are truly doing a very good thing by creating these videos.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@chapin2864]

It warms my heart to know the history of my ancestors, I was born and raised in Zacapa, Is incredible to know how amazing my ancestors were

[@DreamcastQ]

This channel is the best, I have a bachelor's degree in History of the Americas and love to share these videos around

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@leesenger3094]

I am really fascinated with the content available on your channel! I am incredibly grateful for your research and insights! Having watched it all, I am eagerly awaiting your next release! I wouldn't mind an hour or more of your work in a single episode. Thanks and please keep it up

[@AncientAmericas]

Well then you are in luck because the next one is probably gonna be my longest yet.

[@AncientAmericas]

And thank you!

[@leesenger3094]

@@AncientAmericas Thanks to you for broadening knowledge!

[@GringoLoco]

Very interesting, especially about the limestone stucco, and how discoveries of 3,000 year old cities are still happening! Amazing that the Maya had already developed a writing and calendar system several centuries BC.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! Always lovely to see you! Btw, I still haven't gotten around to watching that video you sent but I plan on watching it soon.

[@NCRonrad]

Zapotec areas have writing and inscriptions going back 6-8k years

[@caleballen4721]

Your enthusiasm and passion shine through your videos. Thanks for the educating work, you're sharing great knowledge!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@Ruedas30686]

I swear this has become one of my favorite channels in all of youtube, thanks for shedding some light to all these fascinating topics, I had heard a bit before about the El Mirador site but never with this level of detail. Keep up the fantastic job mate, you are truly awesome

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you. El Mirador is SUPER interesting. I can't wait to come back to the site in another episode someday.

[@LautaroArgentino]

Great video as always! How much I would love to see how the American continent would look like today had it been less thoroughly colonized.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! You and me both.

[@ethanoliveira5887]

This is by far my favourite history channel on KZbin, already waiting for the next vid!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@evankimori]

Best thing over breakfast. Love your voice, content and explanations. Wish you were my history teacher 2 decades ago.

[@AncientAmericas]

The older I get, the more lacking I realize my education in history was and I'm sure I'm not alone.

[@evankimori]

@@AncientAmericas They did what they could with what they had. The open medium of YT and streaming platforms opens the door to more critique and exposure so we get more bang for buck and the research visibility. In hidsight we get more open channels to learn more with less people shouting at us: THAT'S HOW IT WAS AND THAT'S IT.

[@Andres-uw2kf]

Such a informative video you couldn’t find much elsewhere. Keep up the great work! 🇬🇹🇺🇸

[@bugglemagnum6213]

What country does the first flag belong to? emojis are too small for my eyesigh

[@Shadownail26]

@@bugglemagnum6213 Guatemalan flag

[@hipstainu]

Life is blessed when the new Ancient Americas video drops. Cannot wait for the next one

[@AncientAmericas]

Thanks!

[@daviddeltoro1808]

YES!!!! Been anxiously waiting months for you to cover the ancient Maya again, big maltiox brudda for illuminating my ancestors in such a stylish way to this big KZbin audience. Really hope you cover the classic period next, or maybe some of the detailed glories and conflicts of some specific dynasty/kingdom. Once again GOD-TEIR content.

[@AncientAmericas]

There probably won't be a classic period episode. More likely I'll cover many specific topics from the classic period in their own episodes. Just one episode would not do it justice.

[@daviddeltoro1808]

@@AncientAmericas The bloody rivalry of Tikal vs Calakmul and the betrayal of Tikal by Dos Pilas switching sides to Calakmul would make an AMAZING video with your talent/presentation. There's so much drama in this centuries long conflict. I really really with more historical fiction was written about the classic Maya :-(

[@AncientAmericas]

@@daviddeltoro1808 oh I'm definitely doing that someday! I've had my eye on that story for almost a year now.

[@thecaveofthedead]

Just absolutely astonishing stuff. I'm 45 and grew up with the vague idea that great civilisations arose in the Americas only in the 1st millennium CE. I am so excited to visit Mexico and Guatamala and see some of this stuff first hand. BTW, I checked out your recommended channels, but wondered if you, or other commenters, know of any similar channels that look at pre-colonial African history - that being my continent which suffers from a similarly misleading popular conception of history.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! And yes, I can provide some recommendations. The channels From Nothing and Hometeam History are my African history channels of choice. Both are very well done. Even better, they push out content very frequently so they have a ton of content for you to binge!

[@thecaveofthedead]

@@AncientAmericas Thanks!

[@samsmom1491]

Don't avoid Belize for Maya cities. Lamanai, Caracol, Xunatunich(sp) and a few others. Lamanai and Caracol are two excellent sites. I have not personally been to Caracol yet as it can be a challenge due to very poor road access.

[@CaucAsianSasquatch]

This channel is quickly becoming my favorite.

[@jhidalgo8592]

Same here!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@CaucAsianSasquatch]

@@AncientAmericas you have earned it, I was GreatSkyTroll AntiDrama. The name was causing problems in some chats so I changed it. I do jokes on KZbin now.

[@darthjarjar5309]

I love your vids. Great underrated historical channel about a topic not many KZbin history channels talk about enough.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@MH-ms1dg]

you and HomeTeam History are gems on KZbin

[@AncientAmericas]

Quite the honor to be compared with hometeam history. That channel is amazing.

[@stephaniev3.083]

Woot woot!! A new one! And my favorite topic!! Thank you! 🙏

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@setnom321]

I love this channel so much. The pace of your videos is just perfect. Thanks for the content

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@spacebunny4335]

I love the content on this channel pre columbian America is one of the most intisting time periods and places to me. Thank you for this great channel.

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@christiancano907]

I'm excited about the full Kaminaljuyu episode!

[@AncientAmericas]

So am I!

[@pablofamodou7742]

i’ve been waiting thank you 💛🇲🇽

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@benjaminunger1065]

You have a talent for writing and narrating these episodes! So informative, interesting and funny

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@jdcustoms1982]

You and the History Guy are my favorite channels. Keep it up!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@SILVAG831]

Thank you for providing this knowledge for free! You are doing great things good sir!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@jackturner4917]

Great stuff. Thanks for linking Archaeo Ed. I have listened to all his stuff and it's awesome. His stories are so personal and engaging.

[@AncientAmericas]

Yes he is. I was watching his stuff before I started the channel and he was a big inspiration. Very awesome stuff!

[@damienstanton5907]

I started watching one of your videos, Then I ended up watching every single one, I Love your channel So much, Keep posting PLEASE!!! You deserve a kajillion subs Seriously! Theirs No channel like you! Its just not the same. When I saw you posted I Instantly clicked with a big smile on my face! Thank YOUI

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@Wyvernacular]

Always love seeing these videos pop up, props on the high quality and easy to follow video keep up the great work

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@RecklessInternetting]

Your sarcasm at the chronology section is unwarranted but probably justified. I like chronology but I also like to eat plain french fries and looking at spreadsheets so you're probably right.

[@Prelooker]

Just watched it like you suggested. Thanks! Great overview of the preclassic period! I remember one of the first things I heard about it was that El Mirador had an imprint about the size of Los Angeles and highways as broad as to fit eight modern lanes. That alone blew my mind and kicked me into learning about this period. PS I love that you pronounce Oaxaca like a local. I lived 3 years in Puebla, Mexico, and needed months to learn to say it like they do. Funny game: drive down any highway and try to read aloud the signs with names of places as they fly by. ;D

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@overworlder]

Another eye-opener! Hi from Australia.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@wickedtricksters9535]

Fantastic video! I just got back from El Mirador and I've now I've been bitten by the archaeology bug. It was great to find this video.... Thank you for doing what you do!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@watcherspirit2351]

Thank you for the excellent production and presentation.

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcom!

[@Scarysmileyxx]

love this channel man 🤎🙏🏽

[@AncientAmericas]

Love this comment!

[@jeromemaiquez3108]

a brilliant video about a brilliant period in the history of a brilliant civilization

[@AncientAmericas]

Brilliant!

[@o_o8203]

I did a small paper on the Mirador Basin for my cultural anthropology class. I knew you were going to mention it!

[@AncientAmericas]

I only wish I could have talked more about it. Someday we'll return to El Mirador.

[@209AutoBody]

Another great video!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@TheLuckyluc555]

Great video, i recently found your channel and im gonna watch alot of your previous videos

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@SamwiseOutdoors]

I'm really enjoying your work. It's refreshing to just experience the enthusiasm for the works of indigenous american people from someone who really takes their time to understand and appreciate the incredible accomplishments of these peoples.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@samapriyabasu7887]

What a great channel! So glad to have come across it. And thank you for not framing the achievements and cultures of indigenous Americans in terms of Eurasian empires. One thing that frustrates me about most pop sci narratives (sometimes even from academics) on Native Americans is that it’s always portrayed compared against a Eurasian standard - whether to highlight their achievements, diminish them, or simply as an innocuous but unnecessary reference point. It’s like everything has to be measured against Alexander or Genghis Khan or Muhammad or someone else from Eurasia for its value to be appreciated. Thankfully, there is none of that here: Indigenous Americans discussed on their own terms.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! And yes, I try not to compare old world and new world cultures. It's a poor frame of reference since the circumstances are so different.

[@InfamousAustinT0]

I feel like a collaboration between you and Cogito would make for an awesome video or mini-series.

[@thymelorde1010]

Hey The magic algorithm led me to your channel, but a channel that focuses on the lost (and rediscovered) history of the Americas is something I've been craving.

[@AncientAmericas]

Binge away!

[@FlimsyIndo]

Yes! I really do want to kmow the chronology. Thank you

[@olorin4317]

Oh man, I wish we could LIDAR the world. You do great work. I'd never seen that trippy mural before. No wonder ancient meso and south American art was amazing... They pretty much have the best psychedelic plants that jungles produce.

[@terrywallace5181]

This video, as all your video's, provides loads of interesting information presented in a very entertaining way. Thanks.,

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@reynolds1]

This study is really incredible! Thank you! I thought it wouldn't be updated with El Mirador, but your SURPRISED me! Good work! Next time can we expect the mention of Chalchuapa, El Salvador?

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! I hope so someday.

[@jeraldbaxter3532]

🎶"Take the last sacbay to Nakbey..." I couldn't resist making this obscure, and bad , pun.😉😊

[@AncientAmericas]

Lol

[@dracomadness792]

Our ancestors that lived in the Americas were truly amazing. Constructing to the likes of us modern day people with only (what we know of) primitive tools. It’s still funny to me to hear some people nowadays talk down on us for being primitive and less advance when at the same time period we had the biggest cities, we had the healthiest people, we had a better system than feudalism lmao. Best park, (at least for Choctaw) all you had to do was farm maybe go hunting, and that was the extent to your day. Spend a couple hours doing hard work the rest is up for fun 🤩 If I had the ability to I would definitely time travel back to talk with them and see for myself how did they accomplish everything. My Chata isn’t the best but it’s better than nothing 😁

[@AncientAmericas]

If you ever do figure out time travel, take me with!

[@dracomadness792]

@@AncientAmericas lmao I will definitely try 😁

[@ddurlon]

Hope you cover the pre colombian history of the caribbean too! Much love

[@AncientAmericas]

You and me both!

[@bomaracev]

Kaminaljuyu is a great site. I visited back in 2010. My only correction is that it's actually right in the city now. My ex's family lived right down the street from it. Looking forward to your video about it!

[@SLBLADE]

Hi buddy, great work. Thanks for sharing this. I've been finding ancient astronaut helmets and artifacts on my channel. Awesome stuff buddy ✌️😎

[@angryatheist]

Thanks for another great video , ;)

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@patricktracy1966]

Great video, fascinating stuff. El Mirador is not in a "basin" from a geographical perspective. But it is a convenient term to refer to the group of sites in that area.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thanks! That is correct. I thought about clarifying that but if figure we'll be back there later.

[@hozonov7995]

Just wanted to say your channel is amazing. I'm from South America and we really spend way more History classes talking about Rome and Greece than American cultures. I mean we kinda know Mayans existed and they had a calendar and stuff, but not really how advanced their cultures were. It's always like yeah there were the Mayas, Aztecs and Incas, all of that very fast and rushed so we can get to the Spanish colonization quickly. Well I kinda hope that's only in my country and not in Peru, Guatemala or Mexico. Anyway, fantastic work. Thank you.

[@AncientAmericas]

Nah, it's the same in the United States. Thank you for you kind words!

[@suprisex4999]

Please go more in-depth in the history!!! This is awesome

[@AncientAmericas]

Check out the subsequent Maya episodes. We go real in depth for those too.

[@madderhat5852]

Thank you for another great and informative video. I am willing to go on an extended lavishly crowd-funded research trip for more information. Just give my first two months stipend to my driver when I send them around.

[@jtmcgee]

I always enjoy and get knowledge from your videos. TY

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@MrMattDeese]

I love your work, man. Keep it up!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@EricM-gm5wz]

6:13 I don’t why, but some Mayan art really has a Japanese look sometimes. Love your channel, and thank you for making this channel about overlooked Native American history.

[@polar-bear-boyfriend3436]

This is really interesting! I didn't know that monumental construction went that far back. Your videos have always been very well made and informative! Thanks for this! If you don't mind a suggestion, I think it would make your videos more interesting and informative if you used more textured maps, like maps that show topography, or terrain features, or biomes. Like when you talk about the lowlands and highlands, or woodland areas, I wanted to see more of their geographic extent. It helps in understanding and imagining what these places and cultures look like if they can be placed in a geographic context.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! I sometimes do use textured maps, particularly for the Andean topics but those elements add a lot of time. I'll see what I can do going forward! Appreciate the feedback!

[@ecta9604]

Would you ever consider doing a video on the possible development of Camas agriculture and wool-dog livestock amongst the Salish people of the Pacific Northwest? It’s a super fascinating topic that’s been delved into more and more over the past decade or so, but a number of papers have only just come through review in the last couple of years.

[@AncientAmericas]

It's definitely on the radar!

[@rowankorvaholm7449]

I can forward scholarly reading material on the subject! I'm passionate about the ethnobotany of PNW indigenous

[@AncientAmericas]

@@rowankorvaholm7449 yes please! Shoot it to the email address listed on my channel page!

[@portalthefella]

awesome uploads!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@huahindan]

Thanks for this!

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@RP-mm9ie]

Great video

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@Z3nHolEminD]

plentifully enjoyed

[@samuelbrucker7189]

Such an amazing job love sll your videos

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@mrs.force-kihn118]

Nice vid brah. Like it

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@ericksaenz2725]

I am from Guatemala. I habe to Say thanks

[@mitzilinn]

Love your presentations. Cover the Zapotecs. ❤️✌️

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@rsmapping8539]

Amazing video, I'm really enjoying your channel! Do you plan to cover more pre-cabraline history of Brazil? It's kinda hard to find accessible information about it, and your video about Marajoara culture was very good

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you. As long as I have good sources to work with, the answer is yes.

[@juanherrera1055]

Ancient Americas is doing nothing but creating a Mesoamerican renaissance, were true knowledge takes over centuries of false history made up by non-natives to ridicule those who build such astonishing civilizations. Thank you for all your efforts in eliminating any ignorance and prejudice done by such fallaciousness.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! I'm just presenting history I love and if it inspires others, that's terrific!

[@chacmool2581]

8:42 Kaminaljuyú may have been outside Guatemala City a century ago. Today it is within the city. I should know for a played in that area as a kid growing up in Guatemala City almost half a century ago.

[@mmcsarte]

Love the content!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@historyinterlock7173]

Brilliant stuff. Do the moche of the preuvian coast

[@AncientAmericas]

They are currently slated for next year!

[@mcsjenkins1]

The king has returned in our time of need

[@AncientAmericas]

Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated!

[@jorgemelgoza4469]

Awesome content! You should do an episode on the Purepecha

[@AncientAmericas]

That is probably the most requested episode. I'm hoping to cover them next year.

[@dennisrydgren]

Fantastic video - pedagogic 🤠

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@devinsmith4790]

Hope to see more videos on mesoamerican cultures soon, especially the Zapotec and Mixec since they seem lesser known.

[@AncientAmericas]

Well brace yourself because a pretty underappreciated culture is getting highlighted in the next episode.

[@shalis16]

Absolutely loved the video! Awesome to see this period of Mesoamerican history covered in such detail. As on one of your previous videos (about the decipherment of Maya writing), I’d love to give some more insights and clarifications. While it was long thought that the genesis of Maya culture lay in the Highlands, research during the past few decades has indicated that one should not look at a single place of birth. Instead, there are several areas in the Maya world with very early development. Other examples, besides the ones you already mentioned, include sites in Belize, such as Cuello, Blackman Eddy and Cahal Pech, with dates of significant development going back to at least 1000 BCE. Even the Northern Lowlands appear to have had early stages of development in the Middle Preclassic. Also, before the Mamon ceramic sphere became widespread in the late Middle Preclassic, many of the areas had their own ceramic spheres, some even site-specific. Uncovering the early developments of Maya writing has been an ongoing puzzle, with new discoveries occurring far and few in between. What had long been assumed as the oldest tradition can be found at sites such as Kaminaljuyu and El Portón in Guatemala and Chalchuapa in El Salvador. Inscriptions here have been tentatively dated to around 300-200 BCE. The Southern-Lowland tradition was initially thought to be younger. A small number of inscriptions have been found at sites such as El Mirador and San Bartolo that yielded dates of no earlier than 150 BCE. Yet, as you mentioned, the painted hieroglyphic inscription at San Bartolo has been securely dated to around 300-200 BCE. Careful analyses in recent times by Takeshi Inomata and Lucia Henderson (2016) have pushed the development of Highland sites and the age of many of the inscribed monuments forward a century or more, making them younger than many of the inscriptions from the Southern Lowlands. Furthermore, the few breakthroughs in the decipherment of some of the Preclassic glyphs (such as the glyphs for /AJAW/, /MAM/ and possibly /TZUTZ/, among others) have shown the inscriptions to be in an ancestral form of Ch’olan, spoken in the central Maya area, similar to the inscriptions from the Classic period. Even at the Highland sites, where languages other than those from the Ch’olan-Tzeltalan branch were spoken, Ch’olan words have been found in the glyphs (see works by David Mora-Marin for example). This in turn strongly supports the idea that Maya writing indeed had its origin in the Southern Lowlands, and subsequently made its way into the Highlands. Note: there is an awesome presentation here on KZbin by Marc Zender, who talks about this and the later adoption of Southern Lowland writing in the Northern Lowlands. Another hotly debated feature is that of the decorated reservoirs at El Mirador, at 22:20 in your video. The leading archaeologist at the site, Dr. Richard Hansen, believes the two swimming figures to be the hero twins, based on the right figure carrying an effigy head on its back, presumably with the number one on its head, hence referring to twins’ father Hun Hunahpu (the Postclassic K’iche Maya name of the Maize God). However, several archaeologist oppose this view and instead see the swimmers as god impersonators, as both of them wear headdresses clearly in the shape of Chaahk, the Maya storm god; a feature not seen on any depiction of the Hero Twins in the Classic and later periods. I might add more stuff later, but for now I’ll leave it at this.

[@AncientAmericas]

This is all great information! Thank you!

[@samsmom1491]

Excellent info here, btw. I didn't want you to think I'm complaining without appreciating your video. This area of the world is frequently overlooked by historians. The predominant practice of human sacrifice in ancient religion so prevalent in Central and South America has unfortunately caused an almost distast of it's cultures. Some of these Pyramid complexes rival those of Egypt.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! No worries about the feedback. I am not the infallible authority on these topics and have been corrected many times.

[@sergueiignacinskybenitovic3025]

The video the whole Humanity needed. God bless you. I love you.

[@AncientAmericas]

Aw, thanks!

[@Toscanilda]

This channel is absolutely amazing!!! I can't believe how much the cientific perception of these civilizations have evolved over the last decades! It's so freaking AWESOME to know more about the history of our ancestors and our people from a view point that's one little step further away from a colonizer's point of view, this is really awesome. Could you elaborate more on south american civilizations? PS: The narrator's enthusiasm is contageous lol

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@LuisRamirez-vv4dk]

Great video. It's very unfortunate most of kaminal juyu has been destroyed. It would be great if you did an entire show on the site. The San Bartolo murals are awesome.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! I'd like to return to Kaminaljuyu in another episode because it's got a really fascinating history but you are correct that there's sadly not much left of it to show.

[@biggloop7015]

I'm so glad I found your channel ugh

[@AncientAmericas]

I'm glad you found it too!

[@sierrrrrrrra]

keep up the great work :D

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@LalaBug]

Amazing 🤩

[@centipede9467]

God your videos are so fucking amazing bro! As an American I love the histories of the Americas and their native peoples and feel they are not given nearly enough attention worldwide. Could you please do a video on the history of nomadic peoples in the great plains next?

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! The plains people will get an episode in due time.

[@katmannsson]

I wont lie I absolutely thought you said "Five Periods, Preclassic, Classic, and Post Classic" and had to back it up XD