College of Environmental Design
Department of Architecture, UC Berkeley
Architecture Slide Library
Architecture 170 - Fall 1996 - Dell Upton - October 29
MESOAMERICA: Cultural sphere extending from northern Mexico to Honduras and El Salvador in which ancient peoples built cities with buildings covered in lime plaster, constructed pyramids, played the ball game, developed a complex calendar.
PRE-CLASSIC (or FORMATIVE) 1500BC-300AD
Olmecs ("the rubber people" so-called). Most famous sites are San Lorenzo, La Venta, Tres Zapotes in the Olmec hearland in Veracruz and Tabasco. Sculptures and iconography: Figures have attenuated heads and sometimes wear head gear of two distinct types, perhaps related to warfare of the ball game. Were-Jaguar child-like figurines with snarling mouths having both human and feline characteristics are common. Small axe blades (celts) are carved in jade and jadite with were-jaguar likenesses. "Altars" often include man sitting in mouth-doorway-cave presenting child. Possible were-jaguar link to Aztec rain god Tlaloc. Could mounumental stone heads and altars depict lineage and hierarchy?
La Venta (ca. 1100-400BC) ceremonial center and probably city near the Gulf of Mexico oriented N-S, 8 degrees west of due North on a 2 sq. mile island in Tonala River in Tabasco. Rebecca Gonzales has recently discovered the site is far more extensive than previously believed. What was buried underground, including layers of special sands and stones arranged in patterns, was remembered and every bit as important as the arhitectue raised above the ground.
Complex A: complex of basalt boundary posts, rectangular earth mounds., pyramids (one with basalt sarcophagus and buried basalt post and lintel enclosure), buried stone pavements claimed to be jaguar masks, sunken courts, buried offerings of figurines and celts.
Complex C: a conical pyramid perhaps in the shape of a mountain with gullies or perhaps a simple truncated pyramid. Hypthesis that the pyramid was built to resemble the volcanoes of the Tuxtla mountains where the Olmecs quarrid their basalt and from which they may have migrate.
Chalcatzingo (1500-500BC) in the state of Merelos south of the Valley of Mexico but far from Tabasco was the site of and Olmec settlement with terraces, a carved stone altar with mouth and fangs, and low-relief rock carvings on boulders above the site. These depict warriors, serpents, and an enthroned personage in a mouth/cave.
Sites in the Valley (or Basin) of Mexico:
Tlatilco (1200BC) a village located west of the lake on a small stream in which 340 pit burial were found containing hollow or solid figurines of men, women, and children in many different garbs and activities. Also deformed and sometimes dual figures with a normal and a grotesque side are depicted. Tlatilco Exemplifies different cultural attitudes than Olmecs.
Cuilcuilco (300BC-150AD) a late Pre-Classic site which illustrates the progression from Tlatilco, a village, to a major ceremonial center with stone structure. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico. Cylindrical pyramid in three teirs faced with stone with stairs to perishable structure on top. Surrounded by smaller stone structures. Inundated with lava (now called the pedregal) from eruption of Xictli ca. 150.
CLASSIC (Formative) Period (300-900 AD)
Teotihuacan (200BC-750AD) in the Valley of Teotihuacan in central Mexico 30 miles north of Mexico City, northeast of the Vallery of Mexico and Lake Texcoco. City of 150,000 pop. by 600AD occuplying 8 square miles. Main axis is "the Road of the Dead" laid out 15 and 1/4 degrees east of North. Structures and "streets" obey the coordinates establish by the orientation of the Road. Problems of water, agricultral support for large popluation solve by intensive farming, control of surface water, and underground springs. Questions about why the city formed: perhaps because of sacred site, perhaps because of obsidian sources. City characterized by repetitive elements (Tablero-Talud architectural signature), directionalism, north-south, east-west axes, three mound systems, pyramid, apartment and palace complexes. Hypotheses of conecting location (cave under Sun pyramid) and orientation (toward Cerro Gordo). Importance of caves in relation to celestial bodies. The site is settled ca. 200BC and is burned 750AD.
Pyramids: Moon pyramid begun ca 1AD and 100AD enlarged. Probably surmounted by stone sculpture indentified as a mother goddess. Also called Calchiuhtlicue: Jade skirt, the female Deity whose province was surface water, streams, and lakes. Sister or wife of Tlaloc.
Sun pyramid begun ca. 1AD and built almost as high as it is today. Interior cave present before the pyramid was erected. From mouth of cave looking 15.5 degrees north of due West sun sets on 12 Aughust and 29 April. Bifurcated top came to light in tunnel excavated in the top of the pyramid.
Ciudadela an enormous enclosure of 440 square yards includes two palaces which flank Temple of the Feathered Serpent (or Quetzalcoatl) (150-200AD) 120 human skeletons found buried in pyramid; stone carvings unique to Teotihuacan. 365 masks in all indicate calendric symbolism. This entire pyramid was buried after 200AD. Iconography of pyramid if Aztec religion used: Tlaloc: The Aztec god of rain, water and fertility. Attributes: fangs and goggle eyes. Quetzalcoatl: Plumed serpent god, on of four sons of Ometeltl. Aztec and Toltec god. Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl: perhaps historical personage who lived in Tula around the year 1000 AD.
Palace: Quetzalpapalotl (after 200AD): The palace on the west side of the Moon plaza next to the Jaguar Palace. Compounds (after 200AD): Zacuala: West of the Road of the Dead, the clearest plan of the compounds.
Tetitla: Near Zauala, very complicated plan with many courtyards and murals.
Yayahuala: Also west of the Road of the Dead with complicated plan and miniature pyramid-temple.
Tlaminilolpa: East of the pyramid of the Sun, totally destroyed. A cramped compund with many very small rooms.
Tepantitla: Only a few walls survive, on one the largest intact mural in Teotihuacan, the Tlaloc Paradise..