art history indigenous americas

lanzon

great spear

contour rivarly

optical illusion with lines to create figures

kiva

a circular, subterranean room built by Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi) and modern Pueblo peoples

anasazi

enemy/ancestral puebloans

mesa verde

green table

sipapu

small hole in floor for ceremonial purposes

lintel

a horizontal beam (stone, wood, concrete) placed across the top of vertical supports (posts or columns) to span an opening like a doorway or window

bloodletting ritual

drawing one's own blood or the blood of others for spiritual or medicinal purposes

effigy mound

raised pile of earth built in shape of stylized animal/human

cayolxauhqui

bells her cheeks

huitzilopochtli

god of warefare, fire, and sun

tlaloc

god of rain/fertility

tenochitilian

capital of aztecs

quetzal

the precious, iridescent green tail feathers of the quetzal bird, highly valued by Mesoamerican cultures (Aztecs, Maya) as sacred symbols of life, divinity

nahuatl

language of aztecs

chicha

corn beer

inti

Inca sun god

qorikancha

the Inca's most sacred "Golden House" in Cusco, dedicated to the Sun God (Inti)

saqsa wayman

the massive, zigzagging, mortarless stone walls of an Inca fortress overlooking Cusco, Peru, showcasing incredible ashlar masonry (precisely cut, fitted stones) and representing Inca power, engineering, and astronomical knowledge

repousse

a metalworking technique where a relief design is created on a thin sheet of malleable metal by hammering it from the reverse (back) side to push the metal forward

intihuatana

a sacred, carved boulder at Machu Picchu, meaning "Hitching Post of the Sun," used by the Inca as an astronomical clock and ceremonial site to track sun movements, especially solstices,

pachacuti

Pachacuti refers to the 9th Inca emperor (mid-15th century) who transformed the Inca kingdom into a vast empire, known for monumental architecture like Machu Picchu

tunic

cloth

camelid

animal like llama,camel, alpaca

toqapu

small, complex geometric patterns in square or rectangular frames found on Inka textiles, particularly tunics (uncus), acting as a form of visual communication to denote an individual's status, identity, ethnicity, or even specific events and places

acllas

the "Chosen Women" or "Virgins of the Sun" in the Inka Empire, sequestered young women responsible for weaving the finest textiles

bandolier bag

a large, decorative shoulder bag from Native American cultures (especially Great Lakes/Woodlands), adapted from European military pouches, known for intricate glass beadwork with vibrant floral or abstract designs, symbolizing cultural adaptation, identity, and status, often made by women but worn by men for carrying valuables like tobacco

lenape

the story of creative expression by the "Original People" (Lenni-Lenape) of the Northeast, focusing on natural materials like shells, stone, wood, and plant fibers, evolving from functional items like pottery and tools (bone, stone) to intricate beaded bags, capes, and ceremonial object

kwakwaka

the distinctive, bold, and expressive art forms created by the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw First Nations people of the Pacific Northwest Coast of British Columbia, Canada. Their art history is an evolving tradition renowned for its extensive woodwork, intricate carvings, vibrant colors, and dramatic flair, which is central to their cultural life and potlatch ceremonies. 

potlatch

a ceremonial feast of Pacific Northwest Indigenous peoples (like Kwakiutl, Haida) where hosts display wealth by giving away or destroying valuable goods (blankets, coppers, songs) to assert status, solidify social ties, redistribute resources, and mark major life events (births, marriages, deaths), making the art objects themselves integral to status and cultural continuity. 

shoshone

people of elk hid

costiogo

Cadzi Cody, was an Eastern Shoshone artist renowned for his painted elk hides.

pueblo

maria and julian black on black cermanic vessel

slip

a liquid clay mixture used in pottery for joining pieces (like handles) and, crucially, for decoration

olla

earthenware pot or jar

tlaticlo

region in mexico where these figurines are made

sacrum

speciial bone of cemlids

axsis mundi

center of world — city of cusco