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Mystery of the construction of the pyramids
Modern architecture history
Modern architecture history
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Ancient Pyramids In our past readings, we read about the ancient pyramids of Egyptians and they really grabbed my interest and attention when it came to writing this paper. I have decided to research more into the Great Pyramids and try to discuss some of the differences and similarities between the pyramids of ancient Egypt and Mayan. I also want to discuss the first pharaoh to receive a pyramid. While also discussing more into depth of the spiritual significance of the pyramids and some of their ideas behind why the pyramids are designed like they are. I hope to bring more knowledge between the two groups and the amazing ancient pyramids.
The first pyramid built in ancient Egypt is known as the “Step Pyramid of Djoser.” The pyramid started
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Only the priesthood and king could climb the stairs and represented both sacred ground and divine king. At the top of the stairs, there was a monumental pedestal and hollowed enclaved dedicated to ancestral and deity ritual worship and that was never the case for Egyptians. The reasoning behind the Mayan rituals was that it was important for the public eye, a worship that the community looked upon during a sacrifice. Only the elite or sacrifice were entitled to par-take during the ceremony inside the …show more content…
Mayan pyramids were much more a place for ritual and sacrificial offerings to ancestors and used often throughout the daily spiritual life of their people. The bas-relief sculpture found in Pacal’s tomb reveals information about the Maya concept of rebirth. Playing a large role between the world of the dead below and the heavens above. He is central to keeping order in the universe, while on earth, only himself has the power of gods and in partnership with the pantheon can the cycle of creation
The Mayans lived in Southern Mexico and Central America in their capital, Tikal, which is in present day Guatemala. The Mayans were known for their engineering, one structure they were famous for is their pyramid temple in Tikal (Document 1). This pyramid was the tallest structure in the Americas up until the 20th century and is still standing today. The government must have been strong and well organized in order to carry out such a large task. The Mayan religion had multiple gods and this pyramid was most likely devoted to one or used as a place for sacrifices. Another accomplishment of the Mayans was the creation of their calendar. An extra document that would be useful is one that explains how the calendar was created. The Mayans must have studied astronomy and math to a great length. Similar to the Ancient Egyptians, they wrote with symbols and pictures known as glyphs that were used in the calendar. These glyphs were gods, such as Zotz (Document 2). The use of glyphs is an acknowledgement of a writing system, which is another accomplishment.
Alongside the Taj Mahal and Stonehenge, The Pyramids of Giza are some of the only remaining wonders of the ancient world. This being said, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt attract a lot of attention not only from tourists but also from archeologists, historians and engineers. They pose many questions that remain unanswered. Recently, there have been discoveries made by archeologist Zahi Hawass that lead to new understanding of who built them; yet, there is no concrete proof to explain how they were built. It is thought that materials for the pyramids were transported on rafts down the Nile, as well as by sled or by rolling logs beneath them. The Pyramids of Giza in particular were constructed out of both local and imported blocks of limestone, however, the means by which the limestone climbed more than 480 feet in the air has been debated ever since 450 BC. The world has given credit to the hot Egyptian sun, over the past 4560 years, for crumbling and deteriorating the evidence of how the Pyramids were built. Fortunately, various theories have been presented to try and explain how these magnificent monuments were constructed. Each hypothesis was modeled off the use of a ramp, although some had more flaws than others. The first theory was based on a straight external ramp, but mathematically, it seemed very impractical. Then, later theories followed and involved spiralling external staircases; however, they would have made constructing the corners of the pyramid virtually impossible. Finally, the most recent theory involved the use of an internal spiralling staircase that was discovered through the use of 3D imaging technology and seemed to be modeled after the classic step-based pyramid. Although the first two theories would have pot...
Egyptian burial complexes evolved from the simple rectangular mastaba to the great pyramids of the Fourth Dynasty. The true pyramid evolved from the mastaba through an intermediary form, the step pyramid, the earliest example of which is Zoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara, which dates to the Third Dynasty (c. 2680 BC). The Step Pyramid was revolutionary for several reasons. It is the earliest known free-standing monument built entirely of stone in Egypt (Fakhry 20); it is also the earliest example of evolutionary architectural development beyond the mastaba. In form the step pyramid is a series of superimposed mastabas and represents the stairway that the spirit of the pharaoh was to climb to reach the sky-realm and join the crew of the solar barque traveling across the heavens (Aldred 47).
Maya societies were clearly divided into two classes, the elite and the commoners. This distinction was usually made by who had more power and wealth, a person was usually born into both. The Elite had control over the politics and religion in each city (Sharer, “Social Stratification”). The vast majority of people were considered commoners, but how do you tell which ones are commoners, and which are Elites? Architecture gives us the biggest clue to who had this power and wealth, and who did not. “Monument building and elaborate, vaulted tomb chambers indicate the presence of social ranking and ruling elites. It is likely that ancestor worship was acquiring more weight as the rulers became ever more responsible for acting as intermediaries with the gods and ancestors for the benefit of their people” (Fash). One of the biggest archaeological insights into Maya lifestyles is art...
The Temple of Inscriptions was a temple of nine layers, the skeleton of Hanab Pakal and five sacrifices lying at its base. The Mayan belief in the underworld and its gods was depicted much through the tomb of the ruler. “The nine gods of the underworld were depicted with stucco relief on the walls of Hanab Pakal’s tomb”.(Foster 204) This corresponds to the believed layers of the underworld – also nine. The temple, like others, was built in nine layers, therefore reflecting the layers of the underworld.(Stokstad 402)
The Kukulcan, also known as El Castillo, is considered the most famous monument in the city; a unique feature of the pyramid is that it represents today’s modern calendar. A 16th-century Spanish bishop, Diego de Landa, named this pyramid after the legendary ruler of the city and the ancient snake deity. The accuracy of Mayan astronomy influenced the number of steps the temple has. In addition to space observations, the Maya used their mathematical knowledge to create a monument that has 91 steps on each side and a total of 365 steps, the same number of days in a year. The Mayans wanted to create monuments to observe and ...
The ancient Mayans built two types of pyramids, those that were meant to be climbed and those that were not. The first type was used for holding sacrificial rituals. The other type was not meant to be touched and was sacred. The steps on these structures were too steep to climb and many times they
Through this research paper, I will explore Memphis and its necropolis- the Pyramids Fields from Giza to Dahsur, for its significance in world heritage. According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, better known as UNESCO, Memephis and its Necropolis is a site that is part of the UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
In the Central America, most notably the Yucatan Peninsula, are the Maya, a group of people whose polytheistic religion and advanced civilization once flourished (Houston, 43). The Maya reached their peak during the Classic Period from around CE 250 to the ninth century CE when the civilization fell and dispersed (Sharer, 1). Although much has been lost, the gods and goddesses and the religious practices of the Classic Maya give insight into their lives and reveal what was important to this society. The major Mayan gods and goddesses all have common characteristics and, according to “features which they share in large part with the gods of neighboring people of Middle America” (Thompson, 198). One of these characteristics is that Mayan gods and goddesses have “features which they share in large part with the gods of neighboring people of Middle America” (Thompson, 198).
It’s no secret that to this day it is one of the largest structure ever erected during the ancient Americas. Traveling west among the silhouettes of the mountains lies the second largest structure in Mesoamerica, the Pyramid of the Moon. Holding equal historical and religious value as the Pyramid of the Sun, this structure was more of a landmark to look at above the ground. What really made these pyramids special is the caves down below, holding the significance of where the Gods created the fifth world according to Aztec
This Mayan development suggests yet again a cultural relationship. Artistic pieces as well as some of the structures built at the site show influence from the city of Teotihuacan, even sharing a common source in terms of the building materials used and the ceramic works made. (Laporte, 2003) On the other hand, the architecture at Kaminalijuyu does not completely match that found at Teo. It has been argued that Teotihuacanos could have invaded the city at one point or another, but this theory is debunked when the timing is examined. We see a gradual incorporation of Teo style in the pyramids at Kaminaljuyu and some of the other structures. This, paired with the later influence on the city’s artistic works, suggests that the two cities had a prolonged relationship, rather than Kaminalijuyu being conquered and integrated all at once. The great pyramids found at Teotihuacan consisted of staircases and tableros, or stepped platforms. The later structures built at Kaminalijuyu (Mound A and B), incorporate talud-tableros of their own which were adopted from Teo. (Laporte, 2003) Ceramics discovered within tombs found underneath these two mounds at Kaminalijuyu can be related to the same exact style found at Teotihuacan. A type of obsidian very commonly used at Teo, known as “Pachuca,” as a result of being mined from an area known as
The Great pyramids of Egypt are undoubtedly one of the most recognized and admired landmarks in the world. Built to pay tribute to gods and pharaohs, the pyramids were of great importance to the Egyptians, and the mystery of their construction continues to amaze us today. Many theories pertaining to how the pyramids were built have been suggested, however, none are as well supported or intelligible as the heave-ho method of quarrying and cutting limestone. Joseph Davidovits’ theory disproving this, in which states the pyramids were moulded, is not plausible. Substantial physical evidence which is consistent with the Egyptologists’ portrayal of the heave-ho method has been found. The entire process of building a pyramid with this method is possible, as demonstrated by thorough experiments and analysis of the Egyptian culture. Indisputably, the Great Pyramids of Giza were constructed by quarrying limestone, and the use of ramps, sleds, and cutting tools, owing to the ingenuity and strength of highly organized Egyptian workers.
The Maya was a very advanced civilization that had many important aspects to their culture. They dominated Central America for a very long period. The time of this great civilization is split into three main periods: Pre-Classic, Classic, and Post-Classic. The Maya’s greatest and most cultural achievements came from the Classic period, but the fall of this period is one of the greatest mysteries in all of history. The Mayans abandoned many primary city-states and moved for an unknown reason. Nobody is sure why this happened, but it is sure that the Maya was one of the greatest civilizations of their time. Their culture was based on their class structure, warfare, religious practices, family life, and agriculture. These were important because they made up the Maya’s unique culture.
The Maya culture has a long history that started in about 1000 BC. The history of the Maya is divided up into four different time periods: The Middle Preclassic Period, Late Preclassic Period, Classic Period, and Postclassic Period. The Middle Preclassic Period was when the small areas started to become city-like in the way that they started to build larger temples. The Late Preclassic Period was when the cities began to expand with paved roads and massive pyramids. The Classic Period was the time the Maya civilization hit it’s peak. Populations were growing rapidly and the structure of politics was formed. The Postclassic Period was when warfare was on the rise and cities were being abandoned(Coe 2005). This paper will focus on the Classic Period due to the fact that that is the greatest time period in Maya history.
The construction of the Great Pyramid is still a mystery and marvel to this day, there are seven major feats that archeologists still don’t understand.