This article explores the alpaca mummies and the rare, luxurious fabric that can be produced from the alpaca’s wool and Jane Wheeler’s study of the alpaca and llamas. The alpaca is a small, slender member of the camel family. The woolen fabric from the alpaca’s fleece was highly prized. In 1533, Francisco Pizarro laid plunder to Cuzco. He and his soldiers robbed the city of all the gold and silver that was available. The alpaca’s wool was important to the Inca empire. The alpaca’s wool had many purposes. It served as currency, gifts, and had sacrificial religious uses. The Inca were cloth makers who used cloth to produce a variety of objects in their society. They used the cloth to produce roofs and bridges. The cloth was also used as an aid in counting.
Jane Wheeler, an American archaeozoologist, discovered the secret hidden within the alpaca mummies over a decade ago. She researched the alpaca mummies and performed DNA and skin tests on the alpaca mummies. It was a startling discovery when she realized how perfectly preserved and intact the mummies were. These alpaca mummies had been buried beneath house floors for nearly 1,000 years. These same animals grazed El Yaral’s pastures an astounding 500 years before the rise on the Inca empire. The alpaca’s unusual burial site was due to the sacrificial ritual performed by the inhabitants of El Yaral. It is assumed that the inhabitants of El Yaral sacrificed the animals whose fiber wasn’t considered to be of use.
Wheeler’s analysis of the alpaca mummies also revealed the softness of the alpaca mummie’s hair. It showed that the uniform fibers of the alpaca mummies were finer than those of the modern alpaca. This meant more money for the better quality of the wool. Further research revealed that inhabitants of El Yaral were utilizing pure breeding practices. Wheeler’s research is now focused on the DNA of the alpaca mummies and reproducing that quality in the modern alpaca.
This article was very informative and interesting. The major point of interest is the condition of the alpaca mummies that had been buried for long periods of time. Another point of interest is the role that cloth played in the Inca empire. The cloth was coveted by the Incas. The Inca armies would burn the textile warehouses rather than allow their enemy to plunder this coveted good.
The part of the article that revealed the mannerisms of the alpaca was very compelling.
113. 424 http://www.aztec-indians.com/aztec-art.html http://www.about-peru-history.com/inca-artifacts.html Voyages in World History, pg. 113.
The automotive industry is without a doubt an industry that has massive implications relating to the United States economy as well as affecting every American household. Shifts in the supply and demand of automobiles influence the current and future household purchases. Households must determine what amount of their hard-earned income to allocate to certain necessities. Because most households have a budget, the amount spent on transportation it limited. While most industries have an effect on the economy, the automotive industry has far-reaching implications for most Americans. Not only are the workers affected but the many spin-off jobs created as well as the consumers that must purchase the automobiles manufactured.
As far back as Rigoberta Manchu can remember, her life has been divided between the highlands of Guatemala and the low country plantations called the fincas. Routinely, Rigoberta and her family spent eight months working here under extremely poor conditions, for rich Guatemalans of Spanish descent. Starvation malnutrition and child death were common occurrence here; rape and murder were not unfamiliar too. Rigoberta and her family worked just as hard when they resided in their own village for a few months every year. However, when residing here, Rigoberta’s life was centered on the rituals and traditions of her community, many of which gave thanks to the natural world. When working in the fincas, she and her people struggled to survive, living at the mercy of wealthy landowners in an overcrowded, miserable environment. By the time Rigoberta was eight years old she was hard working and ...
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. However, what words are being told in the Codex Mensoza 1964, Lám (Brumfiel 1991: 224) and more importantly what influential role did the Spanish heritage have in the artifacts? These credentials were offered as form of resolute of Aztec women’s productive activities in Mexico. Nevertheless, Bromfiel paint a different picture of the Aztec women. In these sketches, Brumfiel draws our attention to the background in which the women are performing their “productive activities.” (Brumfiel 1991: 224) At first glance, these images are portraying Aztec women. However, after careful scrutiny of the photos, I noticed several an uncanny discoveries. In the first two portraits, both of the weaving instruments appear to be bound to Roman and/or Spanish columns (to my untrained eye). In the last two illustrations, I observed “productive activities” (Brumfiel 1991: 224) of cooking being performed, in what appears to be in a non-traditional work environment that does not correspond with the “productive activities” (Brumfiel 1991: 224) of the women in that era. One appears to be working in luxury room while the other seems to be overlooking the mountains from a balcony. Although these duties were performed in a residential setting, the pictures fail to emphasi...
In order to fully comprehend the how gender stereotypes perpetuate children’s toys, one must understand gender socialization. According to Santrock, the term gender refers to the, “characteristics of people as males and females” (p.163). An individual is certainly not brought into the world with pre-existing knowledge of the world. However, what is certain is the belief that the individual has regarding him- or herself and life stems from socialization—the development of gender through social mechanisms. For instance, when a baby is brought into this world, his or her first encounter to gender socialization arises when the nurse places a blue or pink cap on the baby’s head. This act symbolizes the gender of the baby, whether it is a boy (blue cap) or a girl (pink cap). At the age of four, the child becomes acquai...
One night he saw a creature that was the perfect description of what is known as the Chupacabra today. The name Chupacabra literally means “goat-sucker” so from that day on the search has begun and is still continuing in Central America and even the US (“Unique Facts about Mexico: Chupacabra”). This is just one of the countries that have been affected by this animal, and something tells me it isn’t going to be the last. It is a fact that the legend of the Chupacabra originated in Puerto Rico, however it is not the only place that has experienced this wild creature.... ... middle of paper ...
Ancestor worship was common among all classes during the Inca Empire. It was a major part of their religion to connect past and present religions. The way people worshipped depended on who they were honoring. The Inca mummified the dead to preserve them.
The United States has been shaped by immigration since the first new arrivals arrived over 400 years ago. Immigration has been a powerful force that is responsible for how the United Sates has become a powerful force they are today, it has contributed a lot to the many social, political and economic processes that have formed the United States as a nation.
From this research of examining how gender socialization is projection through toys to children, have led to conclusion that in order to prevent children from living by these stereotypes portrayed through toys, parents should encourage gender-neutral and cross-gender play in children at an early age. Just for the mere that their brain is so receptive to knowledge into creating to become the person they are to be in life. Give children a chance to not only have fun while playing with their toys and that there aren’t any pressures on them that this what they should be and that there a mind full options that they can choose from.
Immigration had many ties to the several other themes we’ve discussed in class. For example, immigration
Luci Tapahonso uses the same format and them in her poem, "The American Flag" in that poem is describing what the American flag means to her, even though the American government had cause a lot of historical trauma for tribes. Tapahonso writes that the Navajo had taken on a new meaning to the flag, and it is not anger or hatred for the United States, as she states,
(Muellero Vol.1) Her writing mainly reflects her concerns on multidimensional sympathy with racial, sexual, and the take in power of social & political issues among African American women 's struggle at her time. (Whitted n pag.) She justified that, “The black women is one of America’s greatest heroes Not enough credit has been given to the black women who has oppressed beyond recognition.” (Gerding Period.5) Walker throw back and reflects her opinion on her third novel that is widely known called The Color Purple. The novel traces the life of Celie, a poor Southern black woman who is physically and mentally abused by her step-father and husband. (Muellero Vol.1) In the youth age, Celie often got raped by her step-father causing to have two children, but the step-father sell the children away and her failed marriage husband, Albert who beats and torture her continuously. As the plot goes on, Celie meet Albert 's mistress, Shug. Shug helps Celie bring up all her courage to leave her marriage behind. At the end, Celie reunite with her children along with her long lost sister, Nettie. (Random “Summary of the color purple”) After the novel was published, Walker got both admiration and criticism about her work. Those who praise her like, Peter S. Prescott said, “The Color Purple" is an American novel of permanent importance, that rare sort of book which amounts to a
First and foremost, gender marketing strategies and gender system’s play a major role in how toys are presented. Toys are usually advertised based on gender. While observing toys in commercials and the stores, male and female toys are displayed based on gender roles. Toys targeting males may come off as violent and aggressive by displaying bulky built action figures or realistic guns. This is the opposite with female toys which give off more of a calming, cleaning and nurturing feeling with their dolls and household toys such as houses, cooking and cleaning toys. Additionally, common gender classifications which consist of masculine and
The American Automotive Industry, popularly known as the U.S. Automotive Industry is one of the most rapidly evolving industries in North America. It is generally oligopolistic with a few players who in the past have been known to avoid price competition among themselves. The industry consists of industries manufacturing vehicles, car parts, replaceable parts and those engaged in assembling parts into complete models. However, the most dominant players in this industry are the vehicle manufacturers. The players design various models, produce the various parts that each model needs and assemble them into a finished product before availing them to the market. General Motors, Chlysler and Ford motors, dominate the U.S. Automotive mobile. They are popularly referred to as “The Big Three”.
The development of the American Auto Industry took place over many, many years, starting with Mr. Henry Ford building the first car in 1896. The industry has evolved, to what it is today and represents approximately 10% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to the Bureau of Labour and Statistics, ‘the automotive industry includes industries associated with the production, wholesaling, retailing & maintenance of motor vehicles’. These industries are industries that have a tremendous impact on the U.S economy and can be directly impacted by changes in U.S. production and sales of motor vehicles.