u6 americas vocab

ashlar masonry

carefully cut and grooved stones that support a building without the use of concrete or other kinds of masonry

bandolier bag

a large heavily beaded pouch with a slit on top worn at the waist with a strap over the shoulders

chacmool

a Mayan figure that is half-sitting and half-lying on his back

corbel arch

a vault formed by layers of stone that gradually grow closer together as they rise and eventually meet

coyolxauhqui

an Aztec moon goddess whose name means “Golden Bells”

huitzilopochtli

an Aztec god of the sun and war; sometimes represented as they rise and eventually meet

kiva

a circular room wholly or partly underground, used for religious rites

potlach

a ceremonial feast among Northwest Coast American Inidan in which a host demonsrates his or her generosity by bestowing gifts

pueblo

a communla vilages of flat-roofed structures of many other stories that are stacked in terraces; made of stone or adobe

relief sculpture

a sculpture that projects from a flat background

repousse

a type of metal relief sculpture in which the back side of a plate is hammered to form a raised relief on the front

roof comb

a wall rising from the center ridge to a building to get the appearance of greater height

teepee

a portable Indian home made of stretched hides placed over wooden poles

thaloc

ancient American god who was highly revered; associated with rain, agriculture, and war

t’oqapu

small rectangular shapes in an Inkan garment

transformation mask

the chief feature of the mask is its ability to open and close, going from a bird-like exterior to a human faced interior

Coyolxauhqui

Moon goddess and warrior, wears bells as earrings. Daughter of Coatlicue,

Coatlicue

Earth goddess. Mother of Coyolxauhqui and Huizilopochtli.

tawantinsuya

“the land of four quarters”, what Incans called themsleves

Aclla

chosen women picked to serve in the city of Cusco, making maize alcohol and weaving things like cumbi (e.g. all-t’oqapu tunic)

ceques

imaginary lines radiating from Qorikancha to sacred shrines (wakas) in the Incan empire