HSTARC 1 | PROF MIEL UDTOHAN
Meso-
American
Architecture
Alentajan | Macalino | Soliman
DFR4A
Date and Place
History
Civilazations
Materials
Structures
OVERVIEW
TIME PERIODS
Pre-Classic (1500 BC-AD 300)
Classic (300-900)
Post-Classic (900-1500)
LOCATION
Modern-day Mexico and parts of
Central America
"MESO"
"MIDDLE"
HISTORY
European influences were involved (arrival of
Hernán Cortés in 1519)
Human existence in the Americas can be traced
back more than 15,000 years,
WAY OF LIFE
Farmed and domesticated animals
RELIGION
Common
Through trade they shared similar religious
beliefs (ex. ceremonial ball game)
ARCHITECTURE
Built their structures according to alignment
Aspects
with astronomical and cosmological features
CIVILIZATIONS
Zapotec Teotihucan Mixtec
500 BC - 1000 AD 1 AD - 650 AD 990 - 1521
Olmec Maya El Tajin Aztec
1200 BC - 400 BC 1000 BC - 1521 AD AD 550 - 1100 1200 AD - 1521
FOCUS
Olmec Maya Aztec
1200 BC - 400 BC 1000 BC - 1521 AD 1200 AD - 1521
ABOUT
First great civilization of Mesoamerica
First complex society in the region
They created the first Mesoamerican language
Influenced trade monumental sacred complexes, massive
stone sculptures, ball games, and animal gods
OMLEC Typical Olmec trade goods included obsidian, jade, mica,
1200 BC - 400 BC rubber, pottery, feathers and polished mirrors
RELIGION
Represented phenomena such as rain, the earth and
especially maize as their gods
Gave important to powerful animals and even combined:
were-jaguar (a cross between a human and a jaguar)
sky-dragon, believed four dwarves held up the sky, possibly
representing the four cardinal directions
OMLEC
1200 BC - 400 BC
ART
Colosal head structures represented their rulers
3 m high and 8 tons
belief that the head alone bore the soul
Rock carvings and paintings
Often made around cave entrances
Perhaps the most significant jade carving is the
Kunz Axe, represent a were-jaguar creature
OMLEC
1200 BCE - 400 BCE
ABOUT
Civilization to last the longest
The Classic Maya Period: ( 250-950 CE ) -
This period was the height of the Maya civilization in which
they perfected mathematics, astronomy, architecture and the
visual arts and also refined and perfected the calendar.
The Post-Classic Period: (950-1524 CE) -
MAYA At this time the great cities of the Maya were abandoned.
1000 BC -1521
CULTURE
The Maya believed deeply in the cyclical nature of life –
nothing was ever born’ and nothing ever died
Great pyramids are replicas of the great mountain of the
gods known as the Witzob
Bishop Diego de Landa arrived in 1549 CE and converts
MAYA Mayan to Christianity
1000 BC - 1521
ABOUT
Highly accomplished in agriculture and trade, last of the
great Mesoamerican civilizations
In the beginning, each state had its own ruler or tlatoani
who led a council of nobles
RELIGION
AZTECS Have two principal gods: Huitzilopochtli (the war and
sun god) and Tlaloc (the rain god)
1200 AD - 1521 CE
Honored with festivals and sacrifices
ART
Monumental sculptures were fearsome: Colossal
Coatlicue statue and seated Xochipilli
Artisans could specialise in metalwork, wood carving or
stone sculpture, with materials used such as amethyst,
rock crystal, gold, silver, and exotic feathers
Aztec art depicted all manner of subjects: animals, plants
and gods, particularly those related to fertility and
AZTECS agriculture
1345 AND 1521 CE
MATERIALS AND
CREATIONS
MESOAMERICAN
STRUCTURES
often for religious and hierarchical purposes
Materials Used
Metals Tezontle Adobe
hammered and fabricated type of volcanic rock organic material mixed
into fantastic creative with earth (mudbrick)
shapes.
PYRAMID OF THE
SUN Period Built
100 CE
TEOTIHUACÁN
About
Archaeologists believe that there was once a
temple atop the pyramid
Explorations below the pyramid revealed a
system of caves and tunnel chambers, and other
tunnels throughout the city.
PYRAMID OF THE
MOON Period Built
N/A
TEOTIHUACÁN
About
The starting point, the northern landmark of the
urban layout and of the Avenue of the Dead
Primary religious and sacrificial center
Tombs contained anial and human sacrifice.
SITE PLAN OF
TEOTIHUACÁN
LA VENTA
LABASCO, MEXICO
Period
It was first occupied 1750 BCE and became an
important town between 1200–400 BCE
About
Centre of Omlec culture
Its economy based on maize agriculture, hunting
and fishing, and trade networks
Evidence for early Mesoamerican writing has
been discovered within 3 miles of the main site
THE GREAT PYRAMID
OF CHOCHULA
Period Built
Begginning from 2nd century BC
About
Known to be the largest at its time
It was dedicated to the deity Quetzalcoatl
THE GREAT PYRAMID
OF CHOCHULA
FIRST STAGES
The earliest pyramid was built at about
the same time as the pyramids of
Teotihuacan (c.100 BC).
It has the talud-tablero motif, painted
with insect-like designs in red, yellow
and black
The strong similarities have led some
scholars to conclude that Chochula was
a sister city to Teotihuacan.
THE GREAT PYRAMID
OF CHOCHULA
SECOND STAGES
The second Great Pyramid at Cholula
was built right over the first one
No longer imitated Teotihuacan forms
The builders created a radial pyramid
with stairs covering all four sides so
that the summit could be approached
from any directions
It was 590 feet (180m) long on each side
PALENQUE
CHIAPAS, MEXICO
Temple of Inscriptions
"A Site Built for a King"
Houses the tomb of one of the most famous Maya
leaders of Paleqnue – Pakal
City
Overview of the central plaza of the Mayan city of
Palenque, an example of Classic period
Mesoamerican Architecture
DECOR
Teotihuacan style displaying
decorative ornamentation made of
obsidian and shell inlaid into a
painted cantera surface set upon a
tezontle interior
MESOAMERICAN
CONTRIBUTIONS
other inventions the mesoamericans contributed
Other Contributions
Rubber Mayan Calendar Mathematics Chocolate
THE END
http://architecture_history.enacademic.com/183/MESOAMERICAN_ARCHITECTURE
https://www.ancient.eu/Maya_Civilization/#targetText=The%20Maya%20are%20an%20indigenous,Belize%2C%20El%20
Salvador%20and%20Honduras.
https://www.ancient.eu/image/3097/temple-of-the-inscriptions-palenque/
https://www.ancient.eu/Aztec_Civilization/
https://www.ancient.eu/Olmec_Civilization/
https://www.ancient.eu/Maya_Civilization/
https://gohighbrow.com/pre-columbian-architecture/
