An authoritative and magnificently illustrated survey of Mesoamerican architecture from pre-Olmec times to the Spanish conquest. Pre-Columbian Architecture in Mesoamerica is destined to become a standard reference for the serious student and an intellectual delight for the interested amateur. This authoritative yet accessible study begins with an overview of the aesthetics, meanings, functions, and techniques of Mesoamerican architecture, and then proceeds to survey the historical development of the builder's art in each of the region's cultural areas. As readers travel from the the Maya heartland of Guatemala and the Yucatan to the Aztec stronghold of the Valley of Mexico, and all the way to the northern hinterlands of Mesoamerica, they will gain an appreciation of both the unity and the diversity of the region's architecture. The concluding chapter is devoted to the descriptions of architecture that have survived in Mayan and Aztec texts; it includes a unique and valuable glossary of the relevant glyphs. The main text is illustrated with color photographs of the spectacular remains of pyramids, palaces, and plazas, while a scholarly appendix presents maps, plans, and drawings of the most important sites and structures.

A pictorial and descriptive study of styles and ornamental elements representative of Mesoamerican architectural achievements from the Olmec civilization to the Spanish Conquest --

ABSTRACT: Before the arrival of the Europeans into the New World, there were already a great number of cultures in the Americas that settled, worked, and developed into grand dynamic centers. El Tajin became one of the most significant centers in Mesoamerica during the Pre- Columbian era around 600-1100 CE. Its significance was due to its large number of ballcourts, sophisticated art forms, and unique architecture. This vast site is located along the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico. In this study, the history, architectural influences, and building techniques at El Tajin are broadly examined. The following research helps to better understand the evolution of the unique building techniques achieved at El Tajin within the context of other Mesoamerican cultures. My interest in this research ignited when I became aware of the implementation of a form of pouredconcrete utilized by the builders of El Tajin on its final phase of construction. This innovation in building technique of El Tajin was then unknown in the region of Mesoamerica. As part of this research, federal local laws for archaeological sites and monuments are also examined.

Vernacular Architecture in the Pre-Columbian Americas reveals the dynamism of the ancient past, where social relations and long-term history were created posthole by posthole, brick by brick. This collection shifts attention away from the elite and monumental architectural traditions of the region to instead investigate the creativity, subtlety and variability of common architecture and the people who built and dwelled in them. At the heart of this study of vernacular architecture is an emphasis on ordinary people and their built environments, and how these everyday spaces were pivotal in the making and meaning of social and cultural dynamics. Providing a deeper and more nuanced temporal perspective of common buildings in the Americas, the editors have deftly framed a study that highlights sociocultural diversity while at the same time facilitating broader comparative conversations around the theme of vernacular architecture. With diverse case studies covering a broad range of periods and regions, Vernacular Architecture in the Pre-Columbian Americas is an important addition to the growing body of scholarship on the indigenous architecture of the Americas and is a key contribution to our archaeological understandings of past built environments.

A pictorial and descriptive study of styles and ornamental elements representative of Mesoamerican architectural achievements from the Olmec civilization to the Spanish Conquest.

The Art of Urbanism explores how the royal courts of powerful Mesoamerican centers represented their kingdoms in architectural, iconographic, and cosmological terms. Through an investigation of the ecological contexts and environmental opportunities of urban centers, the contributors consider how ancient Mesoamerican cities defined themselves and reflected upon their physicalâe"and metaphysicalâe"place via their built environment. Themes in the volume include the ways in which a kingdomâe(tm)s public monuments were fashioned to reflect geographic space, patron gods, and mythology, and how the Olmec, Maya, Mexica, Zapotecs, and others sought to center their world through architectural monuments and public art. This collection of papers addresses how communities leveraged their environment and built upon their cultural and historical roots as well as the ways that the performance of calendrical rituals and other public events tied individuals and communities to both urban centers and hinterlands. Twenty-three scholars from archaeology, anthropology, art history, and religious studies contribute new data and new perspectives to the understanding of ancient Mesoamericansâe(tm) own view of their spectacular urban and ritual centers.

This unique work of reference is produced by the Instituto de Investigaciones Esteticas (University of Mexico City -- UNAM), responsible for the first catalogue of the mural painting of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Although few of these paintings have survived the passing of time, what remains is a priceless testimony of an extremely refined, sometimes strongly dramatic, artistic sensibility.