Q&A Hero

Q: During the Epiclassic period, the Yucatn may have had a type of shared ruler. The Mayan word for such joint rulership is: A. Chilam Balam B. multepal C. Puuc D. Chenes

Q: The history of the Inca is a long one of orderly succession of the ruling elite, which peacefully expanded the empire through trade and alliances.

Q: The resistance that the Inca were able to mount against the Spanish invaders points to the resilience of an empire built around a divine ruler.

Q: In the northern Yucatn, Mayan inscriptions dating to the Epiclassic period: A. are almost nonexistent B. reveal a wealth of information about individual rulers C. focus on trade and tribute records D. contain primarily historical information

Q: The Inca Empire is known as Tawantinsuyu, which means"Land of High Places."

Q: Today, there are an estimated _____ Maya living in Mexico and Guatemala " the direct descendants of ancient Mesoamericans. A. 100,000 B. 2 million C. 7.5 million D. 60 million

Q: The discovery of the intact tomb of Sipn has given archaeologists a sense of the wealth and violence of Moche society.

Q: MATCHING 2 1) Palace of the Governors 2) Temple of the Warriors 3) Castillo 4) Nunnery Quadrangle 5) Pyramid of the Magician A. Building that resembles Pyramid B at Tula B. Also known as the Temple-Pyramid of Kukulkan C. Elite administrative and residential building at Uxmal D. Uxmal building that corresponds to a Maya cosmogram E. Distinctive elliptical temple-pyramid at Uxmal

Q: The Nasca Lines are deliberate designs made by moving rocks on the desert surface.

Q: MATCHING 1 1) Uxmal 2) Cob 3) Oxkintok 4) Chichn Itz 5) Cihuatn A. Along with Edzn, this is where the Puuc style began B. Major northeastern Yucatn center that controlled salt trade C. Integrated its territory with miles of sacbeob D. Regional capital of western El Salvador from 900 to 1200 E. Lord Chac ruled this center around 900

Q: The site of Chavn de Huntar represents a major turning point in Andean social complexity.

Q: The Staff God is a recurring motif throughout Andean prehistory.

Q: Adaptations in the Yucatn Peninsula from ad 800 to 1000 included: A. an emphasis on divine kingship B. religious practices that centered around the god of war C. integration via sacbeob D. the banning of marine trade routes

Q: The Cotton Preceramic ceremonial center was at Machu Picchu.

Q: The wheel in ancient Mesoamerica: A. was not used, since there was no domesticated beast to pull carts B. was used only by the elites, who drove wheeled vehicles along the numerous sacbeob C. has been found on ritual objects D. has not yet been documented archaeologically

Q: One way to track ancient disease __________. a. involves the study of preserved stomach contents b. is performed on bones only c. uses polymerase chain reaction science d. requires destruction of a large quantity of dental material

Q: The observatory or "Caracol" at Chichn Itz: A. tracked lunar, solar, and planetary cycles B. is so named because of its ability to magnify objects as small as snail shells C. is the location of the city's seafood market D. was used to host feasts of a celestial magnitude

Q: The Sacred Cenote (or Well of Sacrifice) at Chichn Itz: A. is a large sinkhole made sacred by the ancient inhabitants B. also served as an observatory C. was a massive construction project undertaken to provide bathing facilities D. served as an outdoor amphitheater

Q: ________ was a system of knotted strings used by the Inca to record information. a. Inti b. Khipu c. Pago d. Tampu

Q: Ancient Mesoamerican ball courts are best described as: A. diamond-shaped B. H-shaped C. circular D. I-shaped

Q: Which of the following describes roads in the Inca Empire? a. They did not exist. b. They were only passable by llama or alpaca. c. They were used by relay messengers. d. They were symbolic roads for the gods.

Q: The largest ancient ball court in the Americas is found at: A. Chichn Itz B. Pueblo Viejo C. Tenochtitlan D. Copn

Q: In Inca society, feasting and exchanging goods __________. a. was only for the ruler b. played a central role for elites c. was started by Atawallpa d. was always associated with sacrifice

Q: The largest Mesoamerican ball court is found at the site of: A. Labn B. Pueblo Viejo C. Cob D. Chichn Itz

Q: What ceremonial outpost of the Inca Empire is located 600 kilometers north of the capital, Cuzco? a. Tiwanaku b. La Tisa c. Hua"nuco Pampa d. Aguas Caliente

Q: The Mesoamerican ball game: A. was always played for religious reasons B. was probably played solely by elites, since they are the only ones depicted in Mesoamerican art C. may date from the Archaic period D. most often resulted in human sacrifices

Q: This famous Inca royal estate is located at the western end of the Urubamba Valley. a. Machu Picchu b. Hua'nuco Pampa c. Cuzco d. Moche

Q: Archaeologists have concluded that the ball game was a widespread activity in ancient Mesoamerica because: A. there are murals depicting the game at nearly every major Mesoamerican site B. the game is still played today C. there are remains of more than 1,500 ball courts in the culture area D. the Classic Maya constructed figurines in the shape of ball players

Q: The property of the Inca emperor became the property of his descendants, who were known as his __________. a. panaqa b. khipu c. urubamba d. pago

Q: El Castillo, Chichn Itz's quintessential four-sided, four-staircased pyramid, is also known as the: A. Pyramid of the Magician B. Temple Pyramid of Kukulkan C. Temple of the Warriors D. Great Pyramid

Q: More so than any other Mesoamerican site, this Late Classic/Epiclassic center incorporates both Maya and Central Mexican features: A. Teotihuacan B. Cacaxtla C. Cob D. Chichn Itz

Q: Raised field agriculture __________. a. was shown to not be that useful b. was used at Tiwanaku c. did not involve irrigation d. was used only for root crops

Q: The Inca empire fell to a small group of Spaniards under the command of __________. a. Francisco Pizarro b. Francisco Coronado c. Heran Cortez d. Hernando de Soto

Q: Which of the following best characterizes Moche metallurgy? a. Hammers were used to shape artifacts. b. It is known for is strong iron spear points. c. The only material used by the Moche was gold. d. It was only used for utilitarian items.

Q: The economic importance of Chichn Itz derived from its: A. water management for the dry Yucatn Peninsula B. control of obsidian trade C. construction of large temple complexes D. control of salt beds

Q: The Inca Empire was known as __________. a. Tawantinsuyu b. Atawallpa c. Tiwanaku d. Waskhar

Q: The Itz moved into the northern Yucatn during the Epiclassic because: A. a major drought affected their Chontalpa homeland B. the Chontalpa region was under attack from foreign invaders C. they were spurred on by commercial interests D. they wanted to spread the cult of the Feathered Serpent

Q: Political entities that bring together a diverse and heterogeneous group of societies under one ruler are called __________. a. states b. chiefdoms c. coalitions d. empires

Q: The name "Phoenicians of the New World" was given to the ancient Mesoamericans known as the: A. Putn B. Mixteca C. Huasteca D. Itz

Q: The area of the Gulf Coast that served as a central location for merchants is known as: A. the Yucatn B. Chenes C. Puuc D. Chontalpa

Q: In Mesoamerica the most notable "fusion" site (combining Maya and Central Mexican elements) is: A. Chichn Itz B. Cob C. Tula D. El Tajn

Q: Which of the following statements describes the Huaca del Sol? a. It was built of stone cut bricks. b. It had sacrificial victims buried in it. c. It was partly destroyed by the Spanish looking for gold. d. It is found in the highlands of the Andes.

Q: The longest sacbe in Mesoamerica: A. ran from Cob to Yaxun B. was almost 500 miles long C. was constructed during the Postclassic period D. connected Chichn Itz to Cob

Q: Which of the following statements describes Nasca polychrome pottery? a. It was reserved for members of the elite. b. It is found widely distributed around the Nasca area. c. It was traded from Mesoamerica. d. It was not made of clay.

Q: The intact tomb of a Moche elite found at __________ illustrates the wealth of the Moche society. a. Chavn de Huntar b. Nasca c. Cuzco d. Sipn

Q: Cob consolidated its territory by: A. controlling obsidian trade B. controlling water resources C. spreading the cult of the Feathered Serpent D. constructing a system of sacbeob

Q: During the Late Classic, _______ emerged as a regional capital of northeastern Yucatn. A. Chichn Itz B. Tulum C. Uxmal D. Cob

Q: What is the presumed function of the famed Nasca Lines? a. processions or observations b. landing strips for extraterrestrial aircraft c. human sacrifice d. territorial markings

Q: What was the Lanzn? a. the core of the temple at Chavn de Huntar b. the leader of the Nasca c. the raised fields used in the Andean highlands d. the system of knotted string used to keep records

Q: Which of the following statements describes Chavn de Huntar? a. It is a simple village site in the South American rain forest. b. It was the capital of the Inca Empire. c. It was the burial site of theʺLord of Sipn.ʺ d. It is a ceremonial site that documents the beginning of social complexity in the Andes.

Q: The Pyramid of the Magician at Uxmal: A. was built in two stages B. is where shamans lived C. was the residence of Lord Chac D. was constructed during the Formative period

Q: Uxmal's distinctive oval-shaped pyramid is called the: A. Pyramid of the Circle B. Sun Pyramid C. Moon Pyramid D. Pyramid of the Magician

Q: The use of staffs today continues an Andean tradition that __________. a. was borrowed from Amazonian peoples b. is a marker of political office c. is a relatively new phenomena d. was introduced by the Spanish.

Q: The Nunnery Quadrangle at Uxmal: A. is where the vestal virgins lived while they learned how to weave intricate designs B. was thought to resemble a convent by early Spaniards visiting the site C. was the residence for the priestesses that presided over royal ceremonies D. is a misnomer, since these buildings likely functioned as temples

Q: A Cotton Preceramic Period ceremonial center that preceded the Inca was established in the Andes by 900 B.C. at what location? a. Chavn de Huntar b. Moche c. Cuzco d. Nasca

Q: __________ is a Maya myth written after the Spanish conquests.a. The Popol Vuhb. The Epic of Gilgameshc. The Copn Codexd. The Popol Na

Q: Some of Uxmal's greatest monuments were built during the reign of: A. Lord Chac B. King 18-Rabbit C. Lord Jaguar Paw D. Lord Tlaloc

Q: Archaeologists have concluded that during the Epiclassic, Uxmal may have served as a central place for northwestern Yucatn. This deduction is based on: A. its extremely large population, which rivaled that of Teotihuacan B. the several sacbeob leading from it to other sites C. hieroglyphic inscriptions that boast of its conquests D. oral history that has been passed down through the centuries

Q: MATCHING 2 1) Chacmool 2) Tzompantli 3) Coyotlatelco 4) Teuchitln 5) Temascal A. Northwestern Frontier tradition of displaying human skulls on a rack B. Translates to mean "sweat bath" C. Example of the Northwestern Frontier tradition of circular architecture D. Type of pottery that features buff-colored vessels with red designs E. Name for a statue of a reclining male figure

Q: What has excavation at the Templo Mayor revealed?

Q: How did the Aztecs manage to farm the swamplands surrounding Tenochtitln?

Q: MATCHING 1 1) Cacaxtla 2) El Tajn 3) Alta Vista 4) La Quemada 5) Xochicalco A. Northwestern Frontier site with an early skull rack B. Olmeca-Xicalanca site renowned for its murals C. Ceremonial center in the Northwestern Frontier sporting a Column of Halls D. Morelos site built atop five adjacent hilltops, which traded in obsidian E. Gulf lowland site with unique architecture that controlled regional trade

Q: What was the relationship of the Toltec Empire to the Aztec Empire?

Q: Describe the city of Tenochtitln.

Q: After the decline of Monte Albn in the Epiclassic, the site that dominated the Oaxaca Valley from 700 to 1100 was: A. Mitl B. Zaachila C. Jalieza D. San Jos Mogote

Q: What is the Popol Vuh?

Q: During the Late Classic, centers in the Mixteca Alta: A. built vast empires around their hinterlands B. constructed fortified municipalities on the valley floors C. saw their population decline D. moved their residential areas to fortified hilltop locations

Q: Xochicalco fell around 900, most likely because of: A. a volcanic eruption B. the disruption of trade routes C. invasion from the north D. destruction by its own tributary population

Q: Numerous workshops at Xochicalco suggest that the center's main craft activity was: A. obsidian blade production B. the manufacture of shell-necklaces C. the production of Coyotlatelco pottery D. the construction of feather headdresses

Q: What role can geophysics play in archaeological research?

Q: The most famous Late Classic site in Western Morelos, Mexico, is: A. Cholula B. Cacaxtla C. Xochicalco D. Monte Albn

Q: Why has it been difficult to reconstruct the Classic Maya?

Q: The Late Classic site of Cacaxtla in western Puebla is well known for: A. its spectacular murals, which resemble the art of the Maya B. competing with Teotihuacan over the trade of obsidian C. selling "cacaxtli" (backpacks) to the merchant class D. being very well preserved after the eruption of the volcano Popocatpetl

Q: What can human osteology tell us about the ancient world?

Q: What is the importance of the Olmec to the development of Mesoamerican Pre-history?

Q: ________ was a well-fortified site established by the Olmeca-Xicalanca during the Late Classic period. A. Xochicalco B. Cholula C. Cacaxtla D. Cerro Zapotecas

Q: What was Teotihuacn?

Q: Archaeological and historical research has demonstrated that, contrary to popular belief, the Aztec never actually practiced human sacrifice.

Q: The relationship between the sites of Cantona and Teotihuacan: A. was dominated by Teotihuacan, as evidenced by the abundant talud-tablero architecture at Cantona B. may have been one of competition over the trade of obsidian C. was probably centered around trade, as there are many examples of Thin Orange pottery at Cantona D. remains a mystery owing to lack of evidence

Q: Excavations have shown that the Aztec empire contained skilled iron smelters.