Aztec Architecture and the Mixteca-Puebla Tradition mod 9 done

Aztec Architecture

Aztec architecture flourished in central Mexico during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries.
Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital on Lake Texcoco (modern-day Mexico City), was a prime example of their architectural prowess.

Founded in 1325, Tenochtitlan grew to be the largest city in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica until the Spanish conquest in 1521.
Aztec prophecy guided them to a swampy island in Lake Texcoco, where they built their capital.
The city expanded through land reclamation and dominated surrounding tribes.
Tributes from conquered lands fueled Tenochtitlan's growth and influence.
In 1519, Hernán Cortés and his men were astounded by the city's magnificence. At the time it was the fourth largest city in the world.
The population was approximately 212,500 (some sources claim up to 350,000).

Tenochtitlan covered 3.1 to 5.2 square miles on Lake Texcoco's western side.
The city was built on a network of islets, following a symmetrical plan divided into four sections (campans).
Each campan had 20 districts (calpullis) with streets and canals for transportation.
The city center housed the sacred precinct with around 45 public buildings, temples, and schools.
Houses were constructed from wood and loam with reed roofs, while stone was used for pyramids, temples, and palaces.
The ceremonial center was enclosed within a 300-square meter walled square.
Chinampas, or "floating gardens," surrounding the city were an efficient agricultural system for food production.
Two double aqueducts, each over 2.5 miles long and made of terracotta, supplied fresh water.

The Templo Mayor was a twin pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli (god of war) and Tlaloc (god of rain and agriculture), each with separate shrines and staircases.
The Great Temple's base measured approximately 328 ft by 262 ft and dominated the Sacred Precinct.
Construction began after 1325 and underwent six rebuilds and expansions.
Mexican pyramids were expanded by building over previous structures.
The fourth temple (1440-1481) featured rich architectural decorations and sculptures.
The stairway to Tlaloc's shrine was flanked by undulating serpents, with a small altar defined by sculpted frogs.
The circular monolith of Coyolxauhqui also dates from this period.
The seventh and final temple was witnessed by Hernán Cortés in 1519, but little remains due to Spanish destruction.
Only a platform to the north and a section of paving in the courtyard on the south side can still be seen.
The pyramid comprised four sloped terraces with passages, topped by a platform measuring approximately 262 by 328 ft.

Other significant structures included the temple of Quetzalcoatl, the tlachtli (ball game court) with the tzompantli and the Eagle's House.
The Eagle's House had associations with warriors and the ancient power of rulers.
Moctezuma's palace featured 100 rooms with individual baths, along with two zoos for birds of prey and other animals.
The palace complex included a botanical garden and an aquarium containing both fish and aquatic birds.

Aztec sculpture, crafted from stone and other materials, ranged from small artworks to monumental buildings.
Motifs included gods and mythical creatures, expressed through ceramics, architecture, frescoes, and relief work.
Tenochtitlan showcased some of the finest examples of Aztec sculpture, from temples and pyramids to ornaments.
Sculptures incorporated the skull motif, known today in Mexico as "skull art."
Stone sculptures had decorative and spiritual functions.
The monolith of Coatlicue, discovered in Mexico City in 1790, served multiple purposes.

Key Terms:

Relief: Art not attached to anything.
Bas Relief: Shapes or figures protrude from a flat background.
Ornamentation: Element in a work of art.
Alabaster: Stone, used in architecture and sculpture.
Aztecs excelled in stone sculptures depicting gods/mythical creatures, seen in ceramics, architecture & frescoes.
Tenochtitlan was filled with amazing Aztec sculptures, from its temples and pyramids to ornaments.

The Mixteca-Puebla tradition of artistry comes from the pre-Columbian Mixtec peoples of the Puebla region in Mesoamerica.

The Mixteca were a major indigenous civilization in Mesoamerica, inhabiting the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Puebla.
They primarily worked with stone, wood, and metal, and their artistry was highly regarded.
Mixteca-Puebla art is classified separately from other Mixteca arts and crafts and is a form of iconography commonly found in pottery.

Puebla was founded by the Spanish in 1531. In pre-Columbian times, the area was inhabited by people of various ethnicities, including the Mixteca.
The term "Mixteca" comes from the Nahuatl word mixtecah, meaning "cloud people."
They are the fourth largest indigenous group in Mexico, with many having moved out of traditional areas into other parts of Mexico and the United States.

Mixteca artisans were esteemed throughout ancient Mesoamerica, producing works in stone, wood, and metal.
They created "Codices," or phonetic pictures, documenting their history and genealogies.
The Mixteca were also known for their exceptional jewelry, especially in gold and turquoise.
Mixteca goldsmiths were crucial in providing tributes to the Aztecs during the Aztec Empire's peak.
Mixteca-Puebla art is distinguished by archaeologists from other Mixteca arts and crafts. It is characterized by a specific artistic style and iconography found in pottery, linked to the Toltec archaeological tradition during the early post-classic period (800-1000).
The style is visible in murals of a Pre-Columbian Maya walled city in Tulum (Quintana Roo, Mexico).
The Mixteca-Puebla style spread from Cholula (near Puebla) to the Valley of Mexico and other parts of Mesoamerica through extensive trade networks.