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/