Pre-columbian America

Lecture Information

  • Course: LAND 2510 History of the Built Environment I – Landscape Architecture

  • Instructor: Matthew Riggs

  • Institution: College of Environment & Design, The University of Georgia

  • Photo credit: Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash

Geographic Context

Mexico & Central America

  • The regions under consideration lie between latitudes 23° and 13° North.

  • Central Mexico's landscape is characterized by a plateau crossed by mountain ranges, with the southern boundary marked by an active volcanic belt.

Physical Features of Mexico

  • The Valley of Mexico provides a natural metropolitan center with:

    • Altitude of approximately 6,500 feet

    • Mean temperature of 63°F with minimal extremes in weather

    • Circular shape with a diameter of about 100 miles

    • Interspersed lakes within the valley region

  • The surrounding mountain slopes feature temperate forests, predominantly coniferous trees.

    • Depicted in artwork by José María Velasco (Valley of Central Mexico).

Maya Region

  • The Maya region, situated to the east and south of Mexico, transitions from:

    • Low limestone and savanna grass in the east

    • Moving to tropical forests rich with diverse flora such as mahogany, ceiba, palms, and sapodilla, teeming with colorful birdlife

    • To the south, volcanic mountains of Guatemala, characterized by high rainfall yet suffering from poor natural drainage.

  • Historical Migration:

    • Around 10,000 BCE, a Mongoloid tribe migrated across the Bering Strait from Asia, colonizing the Pacific coastline.

    • Between 6,000 to 2,000 BCE, agricultural practices advanced, leading to increased population density in Mexico.

    • Map Reference: Illustrating major rivers, mountain ranges, and regions of the Maya (by Simon Burchell, 2015).

Historical Context

The Maya Civilization

Timeline and Structure

  • The Maya civilization, approximately between 100 – 900 CE, was structured around:

    • A religious hierarchy that dominated an agrarian society, which ultimately led to local uprisings.

    • Notable contemporary centers included Monte Albán and Teotihuacán.

    • The 10th century CE marked the rise of the Toltecs, characterized as a warrior society in the valleys of Mexico.

    • Subsequently, around 1300 CE, the Aztecs emerged, building a confederated society composed of warriors, priests, and laypeople, which faced destruction from Spanish conquests in 1519.

Philosophical Foundations

Worship Practices

  • The foundation of these civilizations was deeply rooted in the worship of the sun due to its believed power to induce fertility.

  • The Maya focused on the concept of time over mundane agricultural activities, which they deemed impractical.

  • Development of the Mayan Calendar, enabling them to:

    • Traverse time backward over a million years

    • Predict celestial events, including eclipses.

    • Example: The Mayan Calendar exhibited in the Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City.

Blood Sacrifice Practices

  • Under Maya customs, the offering of human blood to deities was typically voluntary. However:

    • Under Aztec rule, rituals escalated to include the sacrifice of prisoners and slaves.

  • Construction of ceremonial centers by the Maya, emphasizing external impressions of ordered geometric microcosms reflecting the natural landscape of adjacent mountains and valleys.

    • Example: Aerial view of the ruins of Copan, Honduras.

Landscape Architecture in Mesoamerica

Sacred Sites and Ceremonial Centers

Monte Albán

  • Monte Albán represents the zenith of Zapotec civilization between 600 BCE and 900 CE.

  • This site is situated on a hilltop at the confluence of three valleys, characterized by:

    • A rectangular central space filled with monuments developed over centuries, serving as an archetypal model for Aztec urban planning.

Teotihuacán

  • Aerial views showcasing significant architectural features:

    • Pyramid of the Moon

    • Pyramid of the Sun

    • The Feathered Serpent Pyramid

  • Central Zone layout highlighted important pathways and significant structures including:

    • Avenue of the Dead

    • Temple Platform.

The Maya Site of Copan

  • Initially founded along rivers or lakes in forest areas, migrating into the forests by the 5th century CE.

  • Notable characteristics:

    • Physical representation of an ordered cosmological space achieved through innovative earthworks using stone tools.

    • Significant period: 300-900 CE.

Palenque

  • This city-state, known in Itza as Lakamha’ ("Big Water"), thrived from about 226 BCE to 799 CE.

  • Architectural Features:

    • Buildings incorporate heavy corbelling, ensuring roof stability, necessitating thicker walls conducive to extensive sculptural work.

    • The Palace features two internal courts and a sophisticated sewage system fed by underground water sources.

Chichen Itza

  • Located in the Yucatán Peninsula and dating back to 600 CE, noted for its cenote features, contributing to the agronomy and ceremonial functions.

Environment & Social History in Peru

Geographic Overview

  • Peru uniquely hosts ancient high civilizations located south of the Equator.

    • The Pacific coast is lined with the Andean mountain range, forming a critical environmental barrier.

Civilization Growth

  • Civilization in Peru began around 4,000 BCE, developing in fertile valleys nurtured by Andean streams that were often isolated by desert landscapes.

  • The Inca civilization founded their capital, Cuzco, in the highlands around the 11th century.

    • This highland spans an average altitude of 10,000 feet.

Expansion of the Inca Empire

  • By 1438, the Inca had methodically subdued their neighboring peoples, extending their empire approximately 2,000 miles.

  • Remarkable without:

    • Horses

    • Wheels

    • Written language.

  • Their administrative prowess was supported by a comprehensive system of roads likened to the Roman model, allowing efficient governance over vast territories.

Cultural and Philosophical Insights in Peru

  • The Inca civilization was rooted in practical concerns regarding survival, demanding innovative agricultural techniques to secure food from challenging environments.

  • Worship of the sun and reverence for their political rulers, seen as divine representatives of the sun in earthly form, underpinned their societal structure.

  • Inca adaptation to their environment included:

    • Veneration of mountains viewed as supernatural entities.

Architectural Priorities

  • The focus of Inca engineering emphasized:

    • Construction of food terraces that harmonized with their environment rather than strictly monumental architecture.

    • Monumental building efforts were secondary and primarily based on inherited techniques from previous lowland civilizations.

Ancient Urban Development

  • Pre-Inca cities, constructed primarily from clay, adopted an irregular yet practical town-planning approach.

  • Geometric groupings of structures exhibited functional placement correlated closely with topography, resulting in dynamic urban layouts.

Landscape Architecture in High Mountain Terrain

  • Influence of topography played a pivotal role in both the aesthetics and functionality of Inca constructions; examples include:

    • Machu Picchu, famed for its breathtaking integration with the mountainous terrain.

  • Quarried stones were skillfully shaped and fitted for construction, giving a rudimentary sculptural quality to Inca architecture.

Conclusion and Exploration

Suggested Digital Exploration

  • Engage with various Ancient Landscapes via digital map applications (e.g., Google Maps or Google Earth):

    • Monte Albán Archeological Site – Oaxaca, Mexico

    • Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan – San Juan Teotihuacan de Arista, Mexico

    • Templo Mayor de Mexico (Tenochtitlan) – Mexico City (Zocalo), Mexico

    • Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco – Mexico City, Mexico

    • Copan Ruins – Copan, Honduras

    • Zona Arqueologica de Palenque – Palenque, Mexico

    • Chan Chan Pre-Columbian Archeological Site – Trujillo, Huanchaco, Peru

    • Machu Picchu Inca Ruins – Machu Picchu District, Peru

Historical Context from Prehistory to Modern Era

  • Sections to be explored from Prehistory to the 17th Century encompassing:

    • Islamic Conquests and Influence (Western Asia to Spain and Eastern Expansion in Mughul India)

    • Civilizations of Ancient India, China, Japan

    • Pre-Columbian America: including Egypt, Greece, the Roman Empire

    • Landscape evolution across European Middle Ages (Italy, France, Spain, Germany, England, the Netherlands).

  • The transition to modern landscapes will be explored further in subsequent lessons.