the ancient Maya Ant 409/509 Instructor: Dr. Lisa LeCount Class Information llecount@tenhoor.as.ua.edu Spring 2011 Office: 25D ten Hoor Hall Section 001 Office Hours: MW 1-3 & by appt. TR 9:30-10:45 PM Phone #: 348-3733 22 ten Hoor Hall Course Description: This class is an advanced course on the ancient Maya civilization of Mesoamerica. It is not simply a presentation of culture history, but rather a discussion of current theories pertaining to the rise and organization of Maya states, the lowland collapse, and the subsequent Postclassic florescence in the Yucatan peninsula. Explanations of culture change and continuity will be explored by reading archaeological, ethnohistoric, and ethnographic texts. Course Objectives & Student Learning Outcomes: At the end of this course students should be able to: recount the historical development of ancient Maya civilization. comprehend current debates in the field of Mesoamerican archaeology. document interpretations of the ancient Maya lifeways with archaeological data. Texts: Ancient Maya, The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization. Arthur Demarest. 2004. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Weekly readings are posted on the E-Learning website for this course. Prerequisities: This is not an introductory archaeology course. Prerequisites for a 400-level course are 12 hours in anthropology, graduate standing, or permission of the instructor. In addition, all students are required to have taken ANT107 "Introduction to Archaeology" or ANT103 Great Discoveries in Archaeology. Course Requirements: 1) Exams: There are two take-home exams each worth 25% of your grade (for a total of 50% of the grade). They are composed of essay questions covering materials presented in lectures, readings, and films. Your answers will require citations and a bibliography. To receive an A, you must conduct additional library research and cite at least two new journal articles or book chapters (not other textbooks or web sources). Good answers must include archaeological data that support interpretations. Exams are due at the start of class on the required day (see syllabus). Late Midterm papers will be debited 5 points per day; there will be no late finals. 2) Term paper: The term paper is a 10-page critique of the movie Apocalypto worth 25% of your grade. See schedule below for deadline; later in the semester, there will be a handout concerning manuscript style, organization, and grading rubric. Your critique must include citations and a bibliography. Papers should be emailed by midnight of the due date (see below). 3) Quizzes: Quizzes are worth 25 % of the grade and cover weekly readings. Required readings are on the E- learning website for this course. Notes can be used; however, quizzes are not open-book. Come prepared every Thursday to take a quiz. Graduate students must read additional articles per week and submit 2-pages summaries of each (due Thursday before class) covering pertinent ideas and data presented in the article or book chapter. If undergraduates miss a quiz, they must submit a two page summary of the article within a week.
Important Due Dates: Midterm Final Apocalypto Term Papers Tues., March 8 th, take home questions due at the start of class Tues., May 3rd, take home questions due to me in my office 8-10:30 am Thur., March 8 th, due at the start of class Grading: All written materials are evaluated for content, grammar, organization and style. Content will be evaluated based on the degree to which the student presents 1) current models or hypotheses, 2) factual information, and 3) additional information from library sources. An evaluation of grammar includes not only the basics like spelling mistakes and poor grammar, but also awkward sentence structure. Organization concerns the construction of a logical argument, including the use of a thesis statement, section headings, and topic sentences. A good paper presents a thesis statement in the first pages of the paper, followed by evidence to support this statement, and a conclusion that interprets and critiques this material. Finally, style is all about effective presentation. As anthropology majors you should begin to develop a professional writing style. Too many superfluous or tangential words, phrases, or sentences detract from your argument, as does the use of vernacular speech. The Fine-Print: Attendance is mandatory: Attendance is mandatory and recorded via signature on a Sign-In sheet. Failure to attend class regularly will result in a failing grade. If because of other extra-curricular commitments, a student cannot regularly attend all meetings then this course should be dropped and rescheduled when there are not conflicts. Make-up policy: No make-up tests will be allowed unless a valid excuse is given. Arrangements must be made in advance. In case of illness, a doctor s note must be presented to arrange for a make-up test. The midterm exam must be taken within one week of the regularly scheduled test. There are no Final Exam make-ups; likewise there are no make-ups for the term paper since it is scheduled in advance. Five points per class day is debited for late written assignments. If a student misses a quiz, summaries (500 words) of each article are required one week later. This summary will count the same as a quiz, but it will be graded like a paper. Acts of Dishonesty: All acts of dishonesty constitute academic misconduct. This includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information, misrepresentations, and abetting of any of the above. The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event that academic misconduct occurs. Students should refer to the Student Affairs Handbook, which can be obtained in the Office of Student Life and Services in the Ferguson Center. Plagiarism is simply representing the words of another as one's own. Here are some examples: 1) downloading from the web a term paper or buying a term paper. 2) failing to give proper credit to the source of an idea (see citation guidelines) 3) copying extensive passages without attribution 4) inserting someone else's phrases or sentences, with small changes, into your own prose 5) forgetting to supply a set of quotation markers. Nondiscrimination Notice: It is the student's responsibility to deliver accommodation letters to me if the student is requesting accommodations, and to discuss the methods for providing the requested academic adjustments. I will oblige as best I can to provide reasonable academic adjustments. For more information call the Office of Disability Services at 348-5175 or visit their website at www.sa.ua.edu/ctl/. Jan. 13 (R): Introduction to the course Topics and Readings Jan. 18 (T): Environment and culture Background reading: Chapter 2
Jan. 20 (R): The Earliest Maya: Early and Middle Formative Periods Background reading: Chapter 4 Quiz 1: Hammond, Norman 2000 The Origins of Maya Civilization: The Beginnings of Village Life. In Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest, edited by Nikolai Grube, pp. 35-47. Konemann, Germany. Jan. 25 (T): Preclassic Subsistence and Settlement Background reading: Chapter 6 Jan. 27 (R): The First Maya Cities of the Late Preclassic: Tikal, Nakbe, and El Mirador Quiz 2: Hansen, Richard D. 2000 The First Cities: The Beginnings of Urbanization and State Formation in the Maya Lowlands. In Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest, edited by Nikolai Grube, pp. 51-64. Konemann, Germany. Feb. 1 (T): San Bartolo Murals (www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3401/03.html) Feb. 3 (R): Models for the Rise of Maya Kingdoms Quiz 3: Schele, Linda, and David Freidel 1990 Cerros: The Coming of Kings. In A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya, pp. 96-129. Quill William Morrow, New York. Feb. 8 (T): Maya Writing and Art Feb. 10 (R): Epigraphic Studies Quiz 4: Grube, Nikolai 2000 Hieroglyphs: The Gateway to History. In Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest, edited by Nikolai Grube, pp. 115-129. Konemann, Germany. Marcus, J. 1992 Truth, Propaganda, and Noble Speech. In Mesoamerican Writing Systems, pp. 3-16. Princeton University Press, New Jersey. Feb. 15 (T): Ancient Maya Religion: Sacred Realms Background reading: 8 Feb. 17 (R): The Popol Vuh Film Feb. 22 (T): Great Spirits and Sacred Landscapes Feb. 24 (R): Classic Maya Gods Quiz 5: Taube, Karl 2000 The Classic Maya Gods. In Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest, edited by Nikolai Grube, pp. 263-277. Konemann, Germany. Midterm test questions distributed
Mar. 1 (T): Classic Maya Royalty, Elites and Commoners Mar. 3 (R): Mar. 24 (R): Courtly Life Quiz 6: Harrison, Peter D. 2003 Palaces of the Royal Court at Tikal. In Maya Palaces and Elite Residences: An Interdisciplinary Approach, edited by Jessica Joyce Christie, pp. 98-119. University of Texas Press, Austin. Mar. 8 (T): Study Break for Midterm Mar. 10 (R): Midterms due in class Mar. 15 and 17 Spring Break Mar. 22 (T): Classic Maya economics Background reading: Chapter 7 Mar. 24 (R): Crafting Case Study Quiz 7: Inomata, Takeshi 2007 Knowledge and Belief in Artistic Production by Classic Maya Elites. Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association 17 (1):129-141. Mar. 29 (T): Classic Maya Political Organization Background reading: Chapter 9 Mar. 31 (R): A Plethora of States and Models Quiz 8: Marcus, Joyce 1992 Dynamic Cycles of Mesoamerican States. National Geographic Research and Exploration 8(4):392-411. Apr. 5 (T): The Collapse of Southern Maya Civilization Background reading: Chapter 10 Apr. 7 (R): Dos Pilas Case Study Quiz 9: Palka, Joel W. 1997 Reconstructing Classic Maya Socioeconomic Differentiation and the Collapse at Dos Pilas, Peten, Guatemala. Ancient Mesoamerica 8:293-306. Apr. 12 (T): Postclassic Reconfiguration Background reading: Chapter 11 Apocalypto (Show time TBA) Apr. 14 (R): The Rise and Fall of Chichen Itza Quiz 10: Masson, Marilyn
2000 The Dynamics of Maturing Statehood in Postclassic Maya Civilization. In Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest, edited by Nikolai Grube, pp. 341-353. Konemann, Germany. Apr. 19 (T): Apocolypto research time Apr. 21 (R): Apocolypto paper due in class Apr. 26 (T): Deadweek: final exam questions handed-out Apr. 28 (R): Deadweek May 03 (T): Final 8-10:30: final exam is due in class. Writing Guidelines for Take Home Tests and Apocolypto Essay 1. Use anthropological terms in your writing. This practice communicates your authority on the subject and facilitates communication with other anthropologists. 2. State your ideas completely and clearly. Do not assume that "after all, the reader knows what I mean." The reader cannot assume to know what you know, nor can you assume that she/he knows everything. 3. Avoid judgmental terms. For example, describing the beliefs of an ancient culture as "primitive" not only constitutes a possibly unwarranted value-judgment, but indicates that you do not understand the basic perspective of anthropology. 4. Avoid sweeping generalizations. This course is about learning the details of ancient lifeways, not about creating grand theories. 5. Use archaeological data to support your statements. Evidence derives from your readings and lectures, as well as additional sources. Unsubstantiated statements can be easily refuted. 5. Utilize concepts and substantive information from readings. Ignoring such ideas and data, especially when they directly pertain to the subject you are writing about, will lower your grade. 6. Avoid tangential comments or concepts. Side issues related to the main themes of the assigned readings can be integrated into your papers if they are of sufficient interest or importance, but should not be given the major emphasis. 7. Seek professional help. Students wishing to receive writing instruction beyond what is provided by the instructor may contact the Writing Center for assistance (348-5049) or visit 322 Lloyd Hall. Hours of operation, January 11-April 30: 8-6 Monday-Thursday; 8-3 Friday; 1-6 Sunday. Drop-in tutoring is also available in the Ferg Starbucks from 6-8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday. 8. Edit and rewrite. When you think you have finished your paper, read it aloud carefully to yourself then make changes to rid it of awkwardness, confusion and redundancy. Do not wait until the last minute to write. Remember, the three secrets to good writing are: rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite. Organization of Papers 1. All assignments must be printed out as hard copy documents and given to be personally. Only under prearranged conditions may you email them to me. Documents must include separate title and bibliographic pages and should be stapled together. Do not place in a decorative cover. 2. Double space with 1 inch margins on all sides. Use a standard font, such as Courier or Times New Roman, and size (11 or 12 pitch).
3. Pages are numbered consecutively, starting with the first text page (title page is not numbered nor counted as part of text). See assignment handout for specific number of pages required. 4. Title page. In the middle of the title page provide the following information: name, CWID, class name and number, date, and paper title (i.e. Maya Paper: First Draft; Maya Paper: Final Draft; Comparative Aztec and Inca Paper). 5. Section headings. These are recommended to organize information. Style of the section headings is discretionary, but never begin a paper with the heading "Introduction". 6. Quotations are not allowed. Cut-and paste authorship is not acceptable. Strive to say in your own words important concepts from the reading. 7. Plagiarism. Avoid repeating words and phrases taken from books and articles written by others. Writers may paraphrase what someone else has written, but give full credit to the writer whose ideas you are summarizing. Phrases like "according to John Smith (1983:23)," and "Smith (1983:23) suggests" should always accompany a paraphrase of another writer's material. 8. Internally citations are required. See the style guide below for instructions. 9. Paper length can deviate a half page from the required length in either direction, if necessary. Papers shorter or longer than this will be penalized. 10. Bibliography page(s). The bibliography starts on a separate page from the text. At the top of the bibliography page, provide a heading entitled References Cited. See style guide for format. 11. No footnotes. Footnotes, as citations, are not standard practice in anthropology; therefore, you should learn how to cite the way anthropologists cite. Any idea placed in footnotes, as text, should be relevant enough to be said in the main body of the paper. Anthropology is not like history or English, both of which hide tangential information in footnotes. Reference Guidelines Citations and citation style. Your paper must contain internal citations. Internal citations are required when you use someone else s data or exact words. In Anthropology, citations include three sets of information: author's last name, date of publication, and page number(s). Here are examples of when, where, and how to cite in American Antiquity citation style. Not using this style will result in a lower grade. 1. Cite the source after the author s name. For example: Robin Dennell (1983) argues that the development of food production in southeast Europe went through three phases: incipient, transformational, and mature. 2. Cite the page number where data that is not considered general knowledge for archaeologists can be found. For example: Unlike other early Ecuadorian sites, Valdivia maize cobs are less than 2 inches (20 mm) long and lack the ability to disperse their kernels naturally, a clear sign of full domestication (Killion 992:41). 3. If the source was written by more than two people, then use et al. :
K inich Yax K uk Mo founded a long-lived dynastic lineage at Copan, a mytho-historical fact celebrated on Altar Q some 350 years later (Schele et al. 1993). 4. If more than one source can be attributed to an idea, then use this convention: Recent research has revealed that the emergence of social stratification can be traced back to the Late Preclassic period at sites such as Cuello (Freidel 1977, 1978, 1979; Freidel and Schele 1988) and El Mirador (Dahlin 1984; Demarest and Fowler 1984; Hansen 1984; Matheny 1980). Bibliographic style. The bibliography follows the text on a separate page. Use the following bibliographic style. To master this style use format tab, paragraph, and hanging by.25 in Microsoft Word. Citation style for books: Blanton, R., S. Kowalewski, G. Feinman, and J. Appel 1993 Ancient Mesoamerica: A Comparison of Change in Three Regions. Academic Press, New York. Citation style for journal articles: Blanton, R., G. Feinman, S. Kowalewski, and P. Peregrine 1996 A Dual-Processual Theory for the Evolution of Mesoamerican Civilization. Current Anthropology 37: 1-14. Citation style for edited volumes: Brumfiel, E. 1987 Elite and Utilitarian Crafts in the Aztec State. In Specialization, Exchange, and Complex Societies, edited by E. M. Brumfiel and T. K. Earle, pp. 102-118. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. For more information see citations and bibliographic styles starting on page 22 of the following website organized by the Society for American Archaeology. http://www.saa.org/publications/styleguide/styleguide.pdf Library References: To find additional primary references (not textbooks or magazines) about your topic, first start with the assigned readings. Find a passage in the readings which pertains to your particular question and look for a citation. Citations are found in the body of the text, such as (Braidwood 1982) or (Ellis et al. 1990), and refer to the primary sources listed in the bibliography. Primary sources are books and journals that are reviewed by scholars and contain original research and illustrations, and background information on the topic. Once you have located one primary source the authors will refer you to others. Second, there are textbooks and primary sources on the ancient Maya reserved in the Gorgas Library. Textbooks are not primary sources. Web references are not appropriate for exams. I do not accept internet websites as valid sources of information. Use of internet sources will lower your grade. This is not true about the Apocolypto essay, which must include website references. Citation for websites Boot, Erik 2002 A Preliminary Classic Maya-English/English-Classic Maya Vocabulary of Hieroglyphic Readings. http://www.mesoweb.com/resources/vocabulary/vocabulary.pdf. Accessed 20 May 2009.