Pre Columbian American Architecture PDF

Preview

Summary

A little over 2 pages, includes diagrams and images and discusses architecture during the Pre-Columbian Era, with a focus on Meso America and the Andean Civilizations...

Description

Pre-Columbian America There are two parts to the Pre-Columbian era: Meso-America, which is located in central and southern Mexico, and the Andean Civilizations located throughout South America, especially around the Pacific coast and in Peru and Bolivia.

The two largest cultures among the Meso-American civilizations are the Maya, and Aztec. The Mayas developed a full script of hieroglyphics, the only known fully developed writing system in Pre-Columbian America. The Aztecs are commonly known for their agriculture, cultivating of land, and irrigation techniques. Meso-American civilizations were very astronomical, and built their structures on axes with the sun and moon. Since they were known for their hieroglyphics, they carved stones with astrological signs. Symbolism in astronomy and engineering were very popular throughout the Mayans and Aztecs. Specifically, carvings in stone of animals, gods, and kings were common.

The largest and most well-known culture in the Andean Civilizations is the Incas located along the Pacific coast of South America. Ruling over 12 million people and controlling most of the west coast, this civilization suddenly vanished when Columbus made his way with about 200 other Spaniards to South America. Known for adapting design features of people they conquer, the Aztecs built from their surrounding environment and materials. They often used stone, mud-brick, and stucco to build, rather than timber. They used softer volcanic rock that made it easier to carve intricate details.

All Pre-Columbian civilizations built monolithic temples and pyramids, and planned their cities on axes. Unlike Greko-Roman and Mesopotamian temples and pyramids, Pre-Columbian civilizations did not use their structures as tombs. These civilizations also had stepped sides of their pyramids, and not flat (like the Egyptian pyramids). They were built in tiers, and flat slabs of material stacked. At the top, they would have sacred religious grounds.

The Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas used their temples as a symbol of their wealth and show their capabilities and accomplishments by building high temples. There is a theory that the reasoning behind their show-off mentality is due to the effects of the wealthier Spaniards.

These civilizations also had smaller buildings in the city near the centralized plaza that contained important government buildings and religious temples. They build structures that would last throughout time, and which were built slanted to withstand earthquakes....