HISTORY 347 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Sidney Mintz, Ecological Niche, Vibraphone
Document Summary
Upstreaming - using contemporary materials to think of the past. Subsistence and security are essential for a community to survive. Ideology is a concept when it comes to gaining power, who do we need to give prayers to stop natural disasters or pray to gain rain, etc. General cosmovision - blood must be shed to the warrior gods, which created a strong, scary empire (aztec/imperial power) Did not give small amounts of blood during ritual, but instead executed prisoners of war to soak the soil in blood. Ecological niche - any given physical space, what are the potentials to support human life. Example: a mountain top offers nothing to sustain human life, but this would be the dwelling place for the gods. It is 15,000 feet up and flat, but not great for agriculture. The grass between the rocks could be used for animals. Then, the animals could be used for their fiber and meat.
