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The olmec civilization essay
The olmec civilization essay
The olmec civilization essay
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The Olmec were fantastic builders for their time. The Olmec built large temples out of stone. One of these temples was one of the first pyramid. These temples were used for prayer, sacrifice, and other religious practices. This was included because religion was a great part of the Olmec civilization. Another great building marvel of the Olmec are their large 40 ton heads of of basalt. None of them are alike and they are crafted with great detail. It is not known exactly why they build these heads, but it is believed that these are heads of the Olmec Elites. This detail was included because the heads are a signature structure of the Olmec civilization. Not only were the Olmec able to make these huge marvels, they were also great artists. They
Most notably in Mesoamerica are the colossal Olmec heads. These heads are carved of basalt, weigh about ten tons and are between six and ten feet tall. What makes them notable is that the nearest source of basalt for the Olmecs was 60 miles away in the Tuxtla Mountains. In Peru, South America, the Nasca culture drew over 800 miles of complex lines on the top of the Nasca Plain. The creators of these networks made these lines by removing the dark top layer of stones to expose the light clay and calcite layer below. Art historians are unsure what these lines were for or even how these ancient peoples could create such seemingly perfect straight lines for such a distance. In the North American cultures, burial and effigy mounds were very common. The Serpent Mound in modern day Ohio was created by the Mississippian Culture, also well known for Monk’s Mound in Illinois. Unlike Monk’s Mound however, Serpent Mound was not for burial nor religious practices. Therefor the purpose for this mound is unknown, though some have hypothesized that the curves of the mound could be replicating the path of Halley’s Comet in
The Mayans were known for their engineering, one structure they were famous for is their pyramid temple
The People's Temple was a Christian doomsday cult founded and led by James Warren Jones (1931-1978). Jim Jones was not a fundamentalist pastor as many reports in the media and the anti-cult movement has claimed. He belonged to a mainline Christian denomination, having been ordained in the Christian Church/Disciples of Christ.
Both Egyptian and Olmec had remarkable advances. They even had some same creations which had same functions, but had a little differences in detail. For example, they both had accurate calendar. However, Egypt just had an 365 days calendar which bases on the movement of the moon and the bright of star Sirius, but Olmec used combined two- calendars system--one is 260-day sacred calendar, the other one is 365 solar calendar. Also they was amazingly advanced in mathematics. Egyptian were capable to calculate area and volume and use geometry to survey flooded land; they also use mathematics to help build monuments. Olmec had a written numerical system, the bar and dot system, and also used zero which was considered as an advanced concept. Not just had a lot of achievement on science, they also created massive artworks. Both of them made colossal statues, like the Great Sphinx in Egypt which had a body of a lion and a head of human, the huge heads in Olmec which were used to glorify the rulers. They also had strong painting skills which were showed in many places, especially on ceremonial
Temples or Pyramids, or any building that does it’s job to honour the gods. Aztecs and Egyptians had a symbolic reasoning for showing extravagant ways to show appreciation the gods that do so much for them. For social classes, this isn’t something that really changes along with ages or civilizations. Although there might be slight differences, the main focal point is that there was the people who were recognised as lower class and middle and high class. Aztecs and Egyptians both had a leader or high class person that they follow to the end. Whether for Aztecs that was priest or Egyptians a Pharaoh, no matter what, Someone had more authority than a person that was just trying to make a living by building. Appearance can come in many shapes or forms when it comes to your civilization. Though what connects them all together is that Egyptians and Aztecs cared clearly about how they appeared. Even though Egyptians took care of more makeup and accessories, Aztecs cared more hygienic by bathing twice a day. Putting them together, you see that appearance is key to when comes to a civilization. It what them all connected but also uniquely
The Incas used a wide range of building materials including three types of stones: Yucay limestone, green Sacsayhuaman diorite porphyry, and black andesite. Each block of stone could have weighed many tons. They had to be cut in order to be transported using nothing more than harder stones and bronze tools. Most of the structures were just one room with the outer walls sloping in about 5 degrees to make the walls look higher and thicker then they actually are, this is called ‘the trapezoid form’. In every large Inca settlement there was a structure called a ushnu, this was a sort of platform, that symbolized the Inca state rule across the whole empire and they were used for state-ceremonies, judicial purposes, and processions. Since the Incas never invented the wheel they had no use for roads so instead of traveling along roads they used bridges made of rope and pathways to get from place to place conveniently in the mountains. The Incas had a number of other architectural advancements, but these are just the general ones that the common people would
Architecture, like many things, can also be made for the use of or inspired by the symbols people believe in. Therefore, art and architecture in Ancient Mesoamerica can be stated to be made for the use of religious symbols. Making architecture and art forms takes effort, dedication, and patience. Architecture can take years to make, as was s...
Maya architecture is best characterized by the soaring pyramid temples and ornate palaces which were built in all Mayan cities across Mesoamerica from El Tajin in the north to Copan in the south. Pyramids were the epicenter of all Mayan cities because the culture was based on a theocratic design; the famed stepped pyramids had both political and religious significance and unifying Mayan civilization. With large quantities of limestone and flint available, plaster and cement were easily produced. This allowed the Mayans to build impressive temples, with stepped pyramids, multi-level elevated platforms, massive step-pyramids, corbelled roofing, monumental stairways, and exteriors decorated with sculpture and moldings of Mayan hieroglyphs, geometric shapes, and iconography from religion such as serpent masks are all typical features of Maya architecture. On the summits were thatched- roof temples, known as "Triadic Groups".
When New West began to investigate The Peoples Temple, it shook the members of the group and they attempted to fend it off by messaging the media group with several letters and calls saying “We hear New West is going to attack Jim Jones in print; don’t do that. He’s a good man who doesn’t good works.” After a bit of time passed, ex-members of The Peoples Temple
The Olmecs are the earliest known Mesoamerican civilization. Around 1200 B.C. the Olmecs originated as a primitive people living and farming on the shores of Mexico (Stanton 91). Soon, however, they began to build cities such as San Lorenzo, La Venta, and Monte Alban. These “cities” were religious centers where people gathered to worship, and were not populated (Stanton 91). The first of these centers, San Lorenzo, was built c. 1150 B.C., on a flat topped, man-made mountain. It was mysteriously abandoned 200 years later (Stanton 92-93). La Venta, built between 1000 and 600 B.C., sat on an island in a swamp (Stanton 93). Later, around 500 B.C., Monte Alban, which was used as a religious center even after the Olmecs faded, was built on an immense mountain (Stanton 93). The cities were made up of temples and plazas, and decorated by monumental stone heads, which weighed up to 50 tons (Stanton 93)! These heads probably represented their early kings and had distinct helmets (Kingfisher 32). It is incredible how the Olmec people transported the stone from the distant mountains to La Venta, near the shore, without the aid of work animals or carts. It appears that the Olmecs did this grueling work for their gods willingly, as there is no evidence of forced labor (Stanton 93). The Olmecs probably worshipped the jaguar, as it appears so often in their artwork. There are also many e...
Pre-Columbian has the existence of two civilizations, Aztec and Mayan. They succeeded in the art of architecture. One of the achievements that most people admire is the Pyramid. They carved stone to build the corbel arch. Also, in the arts, they also own skull masks. Similar to the South African culture that I have learned, Aztec and Mayan created Pyramid, skull masks to be a way to contact with the spiritual world. Besides the admirable art relates to the spiritual world, civilization Aztec also creates Aztec Calendar
Each block weighs fifty tons! They would thatch the roofs with tree trunks and straw. After the buildings were constructed, the Incan people would smooth the stones with sand, mud, and clay to make the structures look polished. The people who inhabited this ancient site considered it to be magical because of the Andes Mountains and the Amazon River. The Temple of the Condor was a place of worship where the head of the condor was used as an altar for sacrifices.
The end of the Geometric period resulted in the beginning of the Orientalizing Period, dated between 700-600 BC. Within this time frame, Greek introduced a new innovation, the Peripteral Temple. For many years prior, a row of colonnade was used on the interior primarily to hold up the roof of the building. In contrast, columns are seen being used on the outside, creating a visual wall around the building exposing parts of the interior. With in the temple existed the megaron style, carried forward from Bronze Age homes. It was also in eastern influenced period, the first real stone temples, and terra cotta roof tiles came to exist to hold the weight on these new stone temples. The population grew drastically, introducing new techniques and styles, which blended to form designs with balance and symmetry. It was during this period, two major Greek designs were developed, the Ionic and Doric order. (Pedley, 2012: pg. 180) The Doric order, being the first and most simple, consisted of baseless columns placed closely together as the Greeks did not know how much weight the shortened columns could hold. Reason behind this was the lack of length in the columns were believed to hold less weight and therefore forced into being placed closer together. This closely set arrangement created a very bold statement in the Doric temple. The Capital, which sat on top of the concaved shaped shaft, was left plain but when grouped alongside others, suggested a bold harmony. In contrast, the Ionic order was less bulky and more delicate than the Doric order. The top of the capital is decorated with two scrolls, also known as volutes, which could have resembled a shell or animal horns. Above the capital, held room for a surrounding frieze depictin...
The buildings were decorated with masks and crests carved in stone and stucco and generally painted red, by the large amount of limestone available in Peten Maya lands , lime and mixing was easily produced impressive allowing the construction of pyramids and palaces , usually in the Preclassic pyramids were crowned with three wooden temples and thatch , known as " triadic complexes " , during the classic had one or two rooms with the Maya vault feature . To make walls , they used blocks in two rows , then topped with small stones , and other materials, in Tikal , El Naranjo , Wala ' , and many other sites , found pieces of steles and obsidian as filler , as previous structures . Imperfections in the path layers were offset stucco decorations . What we see now , is the last stage of construction, but in reality it is not uncommon to find more than 5 construction phases . The Stucco Limestone was made with cooked, and mixed with an organic glue extracted from a tree known locally endemic Holol Petén, mixed with lime and sascab, a natural mineral like limestone. The building known of the Maya is the Temple I or the Great Jaguar in Tikal, which served at the famous Tomb Hasaw K'a...
Throughout history, there have been several significant architectural movements. The last, and perhaps most enduring movement is that of Classic Greece. Although for centuries, the architecture of ancient Greece has been admired, mimicked, and replicated, its beginnings are somewhat surprising to one unfamiliar with the history of the region. It is important to understand the history and mechanics of Classic Greek architecture in order to fully appreciate its form, function, and beauty. “Ancient Greek architects strove for the precision and excellence of workmanship that are the hallmarks of Greek art in general. The formulas they invented as early as the sixth century B.C. have influenced the architecture of the past two millennia” (metmuseum.org).