College of Environmental Design
Department of Architecture, UC Berkeley
Architecture Slide Library
Architecture 170 - Fall 1996 - Dell Upton - October 31
Maya subsistence and settlement patterns: Agriculture based on combination of swidden (slash and burn) farming, intensive river bank farming, fish harvesting, water conservation, cultivation of corn, beans, pumpkins, chiles, chayotes, jicama, gourds, papayas, avocados and planting of Ramon/breadnut trees and storage of nuts in Chultuns. Diet included birds and domesticated and wild mammals. Dispersed settlements. House mound with dwellings usually grouped: thatched houses with wooden walls and supports, kitchen with metate and mano, midden dump nearby.
Monumental architecture: cut limestone blocks over rubble core covered in lime plaster. Interiors corbel vaulted.
TIKAL (Peten, Guatemala) Peak occupation ca. 550-950 CE
Site occupied 600 BCE; first stone platforms in central Tikal 2C BCE; Yax-Mach-Xoc founds dynasty in 238 CE which rules Tikal until its demise in 9C CE. Conquest of Uaxactun 376; Tikal occupied by outsiders 7C after which great architectural alterations and final florescence occurred.
North Acropolis: 1C BCE North Acropolis elite tombs begin, continually modernized until 8C.
Great Plaza with temple I and II, ball court (use of rubber ball, story of Hero Twins in Popul Voh), stelae as markers.
Temple I (Temple of the Giant Jaguar) Burial of Ruler A (Ah Cacau) 727 CE. (note 9 level pyramid base, triple chambers of temple, corbel vaulting, roof comb, temple resemblance to Mayan vernacular structures)
Temple II (Temple of the Masks) 8C CE, no burial found, perhaps erected for wife of Ah Cacau. In addition to Temples I and II there are several others, Temple IV being the largest.
Central Acropolis. Apparently residential of palace quarter with corbel vaulted rooms facing views and courts.
Other features: Sacbeobs/roads; Twin pyramid complexes; the wall between Uaxaxtun and Tikal (not shown).
PALENQUE (Chiapas, Mexico) 300-810 CE
Palace dedicated by Pacal in 659
Temple of the Inscriptions, over tomb of Pacal (Shield) who died 683 CE (note pyramidal base of 9 levels, temple walls with record of reign, stucco decoration showing accession of Chan-Bahlum [Pacal's son}, stairs to tomb chamber, spirit tube, sarcophagus with lid depicting Pacal falling from World Tree to Xibalba, 5 sacrificial victims)
Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Cross, Temple of the Foliated Cross built by Chan-Bahlum as dynastic propaganda in 7C. Note triadic theme in temples arrangement and internal design, carved depictions of Pacal, World Tree, and Chan-Bahlum, exteriors with entablatures, light roof combs, stucco decorations.