• Features
  • Books
  • Teaching
  • Digital & Film
  • Blog
  • IHS
  • Texas
  • Spotlight
  • About

The past is never dead. It's not even past

Not Even Past

Episode 64: Monumental Sculpture of Preclassic Mesoamerica

The Preclassic period of Mesoamerican history (1500 BC – 200 AD) has left fascinating historical clues about what life was like in the form of monumental sculptures hewn out of boulders commonly called “pot bellies” (barrigones in Spanish) due to their distinctive shape. Yet, despite the fact that writing emerged during this time, the pot bellies lack any sort of description of historical context. Who built them and why?

Professor Julia Guernsey from UT’s Department of Art and Art History has recently published a book in which she combines the methodology of history, art history, and archaeology to offer a new look into this mysterious period at the beginning of recorded history in the Americas.

Posted February 17, 2015 More 15 Minute History, Podcasts

Recent Posts

  • 15 Minute History – Slavery in the West
  • It’s all Connected: Introducing Filmmaker Adam Curtis
  • NEP Faculty Feature – Dr. Ashley Farmer
  • IHS Talk: “Environmental Justice in Indian Country and Moving Toward a Transformational Land Ethic” by Dina Gilio-Whitaker, California State University San Marcos
  • This is Democracy – “The Eyes of Texas”
NOT EVEN PAST is produced by
The Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
We are supported by the College of Liberal Arts
And our Readers

Donate
Contact

All content © 2010-present NOT EVEN PAST and the authors, unless otherwise noted

    Sign up to receive the monthly Not Even Past newsletter

    • Features
    • Books
    • Teaching
    • Digital & Film
    • Blog
    • IHS
    • Texas
    • Spotlight
    • About