I just got back from a trip to Mexico City and besides having a fabulous time with my wife I also learned a few things on this trip.  On our first day in the city we went to the renowned Museum of Anthropology and were dazzled by the talent that was on display. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museo_Nacional_de_Antropología to read more, or go to the museum’s site http://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/)

If the words “museum” or “anthropology” turn you off, here is the “So what” in one paragraph.  A lot of important, even momentous, things happened in the Americas over the past several thousand years, but without a written history we don’t have a very good picture of what did happen.  That’s where anthropology comes in.  By studying what the various cultures left behind (pyramids, murals, calendars, cookware, weapons, food, human remains and more) and also by learning from the modern day inheritors of those cultures, we can get a much better picture and appreciation for all the accomplishments of the past.

What amazes me is the material accomplishments of people who built pyramids, massive stone sculptures, entire ceremonial cities and pilgrimage sites made of stone and yet they didn’t use the wheel or wheeled vehicles, didn’t have domesticated cattle or beasts of burden to do their work for them, who didn’t use steel or alloyed metals in their construction.

I’m also amazed by the social organization and coherence of groups that formed complex civilizations with specialized roles for different people.   Here are some examples:   Hunting and gathering food was not an individual affair-it was a cooperative group endeavor, and some were clearly better at tracking prey or spotting edibles in the wild, others at slaying the prey or avoiding poisonous plants, still others at preparing and utilizing all parts of the food for various community uses.   Cultivating food and agriculture were momentous breakthroughs that brought many benefits to a social group.  In the Americas maize, beans and tubers (potatoes) were important crops that allowed many social groups to develop rich material and religious cultures.  Later civilizations like the Mexica, Mayan and Incan (to name a few) were rich and profuse in talented and specialized roles for its members.  These complex civilizations developed highly sophisticated mathematical, astronomical and calendar systems as well as elaborate religious systems and architectural sites that people are still eager to visit today.

As a final note, each trip I make to Central and South America reminds me of the riches and talent that are still very much in evidence.  It is not simply a feature of the past, but there is a living link and a vibrant display of talent all around this region.  It is a shame that the political order throughout Latin America over the last several hundred years has not allowed for the full development of the rich human talent that you can find there.