Mesoamerican and Andean Architecture: Civilizations, Materials, and Religious Symbols
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96 Terms
What does the term Mesoamerica refer to?
A cultural region that includes Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
Which civilization is NOT one of the five major civilizations of Mesoamerica?
Inca
Which civilization is considered one of the five major civilizations of Mesoamerica?
Olmec
What was the most important building type in Mesoamerican architecture?
Temple Pyramid
What primarily served the largest and most impressive Pre-Columbian buildings?
Religious purposes
Where were temple pyramids generally located?
At the center of cities
What do temple pyramids demonstrate?
Monumentality and formal planning
Which construction system was commonly used in Mesoamerica?
Post-and-lintel
What did Mesoamerican buildings commonly feature?
Flat roofs
How were doors in Mesoamerican architecture generally shaped?
Square-headed
Which material was commonly used in Mesoamerican construction?
Adobe brick
Who commonly used limestone in construction?
Mesoamerican civilizations
What is tezontle?
A volcanic stone
Which civilization especially favored tezontle?
Aztec
What were important buildings often faced with?
Fine or rough rubble
What did the Toltecs and Aztecs believe blood sacrifice helped maintain?
Cosmic balance
Which was among the most important gods of Mesoamerica?
Corn deity
Which celestial body was commonly worshipped?
Sun
What did the Maya, Toltecs, and Aztecs primarily associate architecture with?
Religion
What was the Inca ritual involving child sacrifice known as?
Capacocha
What is Mixtec-Zapotec architecture known for?
Geometric patterns
What does Mixtec-Zapotec ornamentation often resemble?
Woven designs
What did Toltec architecture commonly feature?
Carvings of jaguars, coyotes, and eagles
What frequently included Aztec ornamentation?
Shells and serpents
What were Aztec buildings believed to resemble?
Mountains
What were Maya structures richly decorated with?
Intricate stone carvings
What distinctive feature is associated with Maya architecture?
Roof comb
What is a roof comb best described as?
A decorative lattice of stone above the roof
What does Teotihuacan mean?
Place of the Gods
What was Teotihuacan known as?
The largest city in the pre-Columbian Western Hemisphere
How is Teotihuacan best described?
A ceremonial center
What is the Pyramid of the Sun?
A four-stage temple
Which structure is part of the Teotihuacan complex?
Temple of Quetzalcoatl
Who is Quetzalcoatl commonly known as?
Feathered Serpent
What separates the levels of the Temple of Quetzalcoatl?
Tableros
What does Teotihuacan demonstrate the importance of?
Formal planning
What primarily served the Pyramid of the Sun?
Religious purposes
To which civilization does Teotihuacan belong?
Mesoamerican civilization
Where is the Temple of Inscriptions located?
Palenque
Who was buried in the Temple of Inscriptions?
Pakal the Great
What is Chichen Itza famous for?
Temple of Kukulkan
What is Kukulkan another name for?
Feathered Serpent
What phenomenon does the Temple of Kukulkan produce during the equinox?
A serpent-shadow phenomenon
What does the equinox phenomenon symbolize?
Descent of Kukulkan
Where is the Great Ball Court located?
Chichen Itza
What is the Great Ball Court known as?
The largest ball court in ancient Mesoamerica
What are the approximate dimensions of the Great Ball Court?
166 m × 68 m
Which civilization is Chichen Itza primarily associated with?
Maya civilization
Where is Mitla located?
Oaxaca, Mexico
What is Mitla renowned for?
Stone relief geometric mosaics
What is the capital of Peru?
Cusco
Where is the Palace of the Governors located?
Uxmal
What was the Palace of the Governors raised on?
A platform
What was Tenochtitlan?
The center of the Aztec world
Where is the Central Andean Area located?
South America
What was the basic building material of Central Andean civilizations?
Adobe brick
What did coastal architecture commonly feature?
Terraced structures
How were coastal walls decorated?
Clay geometric patterns
Who built the Temple of the Sun?
Moche
What was the Temple of the Sun primarily constructed of?
Adobe brick
What was Chan Chan the capital of?
Chimu Empire
When does Chan Chan date approximately from?
1100-1470
What is Chan Chan recognized as?
Largest mud-brick city in the world
What is Chan Chan designated as?
UNESCO World Heritage Site
How were highland buildings generally constructed?
Rubble bonded with clay
What did highland walls often feature?
Polygonal stonework
What characterizes highland masonry?
Precision stone fitting
How were stones in highland architecture fitted?
With great precision
Which civilization is highland architecture especially associated with?
Inca civilization
Where is the Gate of the Sun located?
Bolivia
What was the Gate of the Sun part of?
Tiahuanaco
What was Tiahuanaco primarily?
A ceremonial site
What does the Winter Solstice Festival at Tiahuanaco celebrate?
First rays of the rising sun
What is the Gate of the Sun considered?
One of the most important monuments at Tiahuanaco
What did Sacsahuaman function primarily as?
Fortress
What did Sacsahuaman protect?
Cusco
What was Cusco considered?
Sacred city of the Incas
What was Sacsahuaman built primarily of?
Granite
What are the stones at Sacsahuaman notable for?
Beveled edges
Where is the famous 12-sided stone located?
Cusco
Where is Machu Picchu located?
Between two mountains
What river does Machu Picchu overlook?
Urubamba River
When was Machu Picchu designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
1983
When was Machu Picchu voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World?
2007
How high does Machu Picchu stand above sea level?
2,430 m
When did the Incas begin building Machu Picchu?
AD 1400
When was Machu Picchu abandoned as an official site?
Time of the Spanish conquest
What did agricultural terraces at Machu Picchu utilize?
Stone retaining walls
In which style was Machu Picchu built?
Classical Inca style
What type of walls are Inca walls at Machu Picchu?
Dry-stone walls
What did mortar-free construction increase?
Earthquake resistance
What were the Incas masters of?
Ashlar masonry
What does ashlar masonry involve?
Precisely cut stones fitted tightly together
Which statement best describes Inca masonry?
Stones tightly fitted without mortar
Which civilization demonstrates the highest level of dry-stone engineering?
Inca
What best summarizes Pre-Columbian architecture?
It emphasized religious monuments, symbolic ornamentation, and sophisticated masonry techniques.