Unit 4 ap art history

Chavín de Huántar

A stone temple complex in Peru, functioning as a religious center in the Andes from 900–200 BCE, known for its underground galleries and jaguar imagery.

Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings

Sandstone cliff dwellings built by the Ancestral Puebloans from 450–1300 CE, designed for protection and communal living, featuring kivas for ceremonial use.

Yaxchilán

A limestone city and temples from the Maya culture, built in 725 CE, notable for hieroglyphic stairways and depictions of bloodletting rituals.

Great Serpent Mound

An earthwork effigy mound created around 1070 CE by the Mississippian culture, shaped like a serpent and possibly linked to astronomy.

Templo Mayor

An Aztec temple pyramid located in Tenochtitlán, dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, used for ritual sacrifices from 1375–1520 CE.

Motecuhzoma’s Headdress

An Aztec featherwork item made from quetzal feathers and gold, symbolizing power and divine authority, created between 1428 and 1520 CE.

Cusco

The Inca capital city established in 1440 CE, designed in the shape of a puma and serving as a political and religious center.

Maize Cobs

A metal sculpture from the Inka culture, created around 1440 CE, symbolizing the sacredness of maize and its importance in agriculture and religious offerings.

Machu Picchu

A mountain city built by the Inka around 1450 CE, recognized as a royal estate with farming terraces that emphasize harmony with the landscape.

All T’oqapu Tunic

A woven garment worn by high-ranking Inka men from 1450–1540 CE, featuring status-symbol designs that highlight the value of textiles.

Bandolier Bag

A beaded leather bag from the Lenape culture (1850–1900 CE), showcasing floral designs influenced by European trade and used for identity ceremonies.

Transformation Mask

A Kwakwaka’wakw mask from the late 19th century, made of wood and paint, that opens to reveal another face and is used in spiritual dances.

Painted Elk Hide

A painted animal hide from the Lakota/Sioux culture around 1900, documenting battles and life events through visual storytelling.

Black-on-Black Ceramic

Pottery created by Pueblo artist Maria Martinez in the mid-1900s, featuring contrasting matte and shiny black designs that revive traditional techniques.