Paleontólogos

Los paleontólogos son científicos que estudian la evolución de las plantas y los animales. La vida en la tierra comenzó hace casi cuatro billones de años en forma de químicos orgánicos. Con el tiempo, los organismos sencillos evolucionaron a formas más complejas. Con más tiempo, algunos de estos evolucionaron para vivir en la tierra, probablemente hace 500 millones de años (ma). Los dinosaurios evolucionaron alrededor de unos 250 ma. y dominaron el paisaje durante millones de años, pero aproximadamente hace 60 ma. se produjo un acontecimiento catastrófico que causó una rápida extinción de muchas especies, tanto en la tierra como en el mar.

Paleontologists

Paleontologists are scientists who study the evolution of plants and animals. Life began on earth over four billion years ago as simple organic compounds. With time, the simple life-forms became more complex. With more time, some of these evolved to live on land, probably about 500 million years ago (mya). Dinosaurs evolved about 250 mya and dominated the landscape for millions of years, but about 60 mya a cataclysmic event occurred that led to the rapid extinction of many species, both on land and in the sea.

La fibra hilada se utilizó para producir vestimentas y también productos como hamacas, bolsas y redes para pescar. Diferentes objetos requieren variaciones en la calidad del material y los hilos. El algodón y el maguey fueron fibras populares, pero probablemente también se utilizaron otras fibras vegetales; la lana no se introdujo hasta después del contacto europeo. Debido al ambiente tropical los textiles precolombinos no se han preservado. En su lugar, la evidencia de producción textil se encuentra a través de artefactos arqueológicos como ruecas (o malacates) y herramientas de hueso tallado, y también en la decoración pintada en figurillas.

Spun fiber was used to produce clothing, and also products such as hammocks, bags, and fishing nets. Different objects required variations in material and thread quality. Cotton and agave were popular fibers, but other plant fibers were probably also used; wool was not introduced until after European contact. Due to the tropical environment, actual textiles have not preserved from the pre-Columbian era. Instead, evidence for textile production is found through archaeological artifacts such as spindle whorls and bone tools, and also as painted decoration on figurines.

Explorers during the 19th century discovered monumental statues on Zapatera Island, located in Lake Cocibolca south of modern Granada. American Ephraim Squier included descriptions in his 1853 book Observations on the Archaeology and Ethnology of Nicaragua, and soon thereafter Swedish biologist Carl Bovallius discovered and published on the site of Punta de Sapote (now Sonzapote) with detailed drawings of numerous carved stone sculptures. Bovallius noted the presence of stone mounds, and even identified where the sculptures were located around the mounds.

Los yacimientos más tempranos del Pacífico de Nicaragua pertenecen al período Tempisque, entre 500 a.C. y 300 d.C. Según modelos de regiones adyacentes, como Costa Rica, las aldeas sedentarias más tempranas estaban ubicadas en lugares con abundantes recursos naturales, complementados con horticultura. Este período experimentó un desarrollo gradual, desde aldeas con solamente unas casas, hasta pueblos con más complejidad. La complejidad se calcula usando el tamaño de los asentamientos como indicador de la población y de la organización política.

The earliest known settlements in Pacific Nicaragua date to the Tempisque period, from 500 BCE until 300 CE. Following models from adjoining regions, such as Costa Rica, the earliest sedentary villages were probably located in regions with abundant natural resources, likely supplemented by garden horticulture. This period witnessed gradual development from small hamlets of a few houses through the rise of more complex communities. Complexity is measured by the size of the settlements, indicative of population and political organization.

Nicaragua está entre los países menos explorados, en términos arqueológicos, de las Américas. Es sorprendente porque había mucho interés en el siglo XIX por científicos que visitaron y publicaron algunos de sus notables descubrimientos, incluyendo esculturas monumentales y hermosa cerámica. Esta exhibición presenta la prehistoria de Nicaragua, a partir de su fundación geológica por actividades volcánicas y tectónicas, tras habitación inicial por la migración de cazadores y recolectores, el auge de la complejidad social por la cultura autóctona llamada Chibcha, interacciones con grupos étnicos como los Chorotega y Nicarao, y por fin el contacto y colonización por los europeos. 

Nicaragua remains one of the least explored countries, archaeologically speaking, in the Americas. This is surprising because of the early interest of 19th century explorers who visited and published on some of their remarkable discoveries, including monumental sculptures and beautiful pottery. This exhibition introduces the prehistory of Nicaragua, from its geological foundations from volcanic and tectonic activities through initial habitation by migrating hunters and gatherers, the rise of social complexity, interaction with foreign groups, and ultimately European contact and colonization.

El cronista español Juan de Torquemada recabó el relato de la migración fuera de México de dos grupos étnicos distintos, los Chorotega y los Nicarao. Según la leyenda, ellos huyeron de la tiranía de los Olmeca-Xicallanca de Cholula y migraron inicialmente a la región de Soconusco en Chiapas (México), después a El Salvador, en donde unos se asentaron como la cultura Pipil, y por fin al Pacífico de Nicaragua y al noroeste de Costa Rica. Torquemada es poco claro respecto a la cronología de la migración, diciendo simplemente que ocurrió “7 o 8 edades de un hombre viejo” antes de su tiempo (c. 1600 d.C).

The Spanish chronicler Juan de Torquemada recorded a migration out of Mexico by two different ethnic groups, the Chorotega and the Nicarao. According to legend, they fled the tyranny of the Olmeca-Xicallanca of Cholula and migrated first into the Soconosco region of Chiapas (Mexico), then to El Salvador where they settled as the Pipil culture, and finally to Pacific Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica. Torquemada is vague about when this occurred, simply saying that it was “7 or 8 lifetimes of an old man” before his time (c. 1600 CE). If an ‘old man’ lived for two 52-year calendar rounds as is generally assumed, then the migration might have begun between about 750 to 850 CE. If, on the other hand, a more reasonable age of one calendar round is assumed, then the migrations would have begun between 1200 to 1250 CE. These interpretations highlight the problems with mythstorical reconstructions, and call for archaeological research for corroboration.

Nicaraguan ceramics are famous for their beautiful decoration, using bold colors and intricate iconography. Since the late 19^th century they have been used for chronology building as well as for speculations about cultural interactions with Mesoamerican and South American neighbors. However, relatively little has been done to understand the underlying principles of ceramic manufacture that could allow broader use of these ubiquitous artifacts for archaeological interpretation.