What is the significance of mayan architecture

The iconic El Castillo, or temple pyramid, is the most famous landmark on the Chichen Itza site. El Castillo is a massive pyramid at the Chichen Itza site, built of hard stones such as concrete, limestone, and graphite. The pyramid was constructed in honor of the god Kukulcan who was a serpent deity. It has inscribed square pegs all over its structure and a staircase to reach the top of the pyramid. As it was built to serve a serpent deity, its walls were carved with serpent designs which run from top to bottom.

Sayil Palace is one of the oldest palaces in Maya history. The palace is a three-story building with each story set back from the one below. Instead of stacking the rooms one above the other, they were built side by side. The whole palace was made from stone and concrete in the Puuc architectural style. The building known as El Mirador on the site is believed to have been used as an observatory.

The Temple of the Inscriptions is the largest stepped pyramid in the region, situated in the heart of Palenque. It is one of the best sources of archeological information of the Maya civilization with the inscriptions on its walls telling us much about this great civilization.

It has five entrances at the front with carved walls, and the staircase was built to reach the crypt situated at a higher level. Various tablets have been found in the temple which tell us how the Maya understood the notion of time. The Maya civilization was, without doubt, a significant contributor to ancient architecture. The civilization had very strong traditions, beliefs, and customs, and its temples and pyramids were all constructed from the same materials and with the same purposes in mind.

Even the tombs of their rulers and other dignitaries, and the shrines dedicated to the gods, followed these same patterns. Structures such as the great ball courts give us an insight into the leisure activities of the Maya, and their observatories show us how firmly they believed in the effect of the planets and heavenly bodies on their daily lives. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contents hide. People practiced farming, developed social structures, raised armies, and worshipped many gods. The three civilizations were as diverse as the terrains in which they lived. The Maya were native people of Mexico and Central America, while Aztec covered most of northern Mesoamerica between c. The Maya used two calendars. Compare and contrast — The Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans. The ancient civilizations of the Americas all had fascinating features, some alike and some different.

All three civilizations grew corn, beans, and squash. The Aztec, Maya, and Inca all worshipped many gods and used human sacrifices in their religions. Both the Incas and Aztecs believed in and worshipped the sun god.

They both practiced and participated in human sacrifices. The stelae were sometimes on platforms, supporting temple-pyramids, and usually had a low, round flat-topped altar in front of them. Typical Maya architectural features included the corbel vault and the roof comb.

The corbel vault has no keystone, as European arches do, making the Maya vault appear more like a narrow triangle than an archway. It has been suggested that this unusual form exists because the Maya never mastered keystone technology. Others suggest that the lack of keystone was deliberate: the Maya vault always had nine stone layers, representing the nine layers of the Underworld.

A keystone would have created a tenth layer, outside the Maya cosmology. Architects perhaps sacrificed the functionality of a "true arch" with keystone for the symbolism of the Maya vault.

The tall structure was once free-standing, probably a ceremonial passageway between two plazas. Its roof comb had no structural function, but can be considered analogous to a headdress worn by a king. The Temple's mansard roof is decorated with the beautiful stucco figures for which Palenque is justly famous. The Maya roof comb was a lattice of stone added despite the height of the temple-pyramids. In the Lost World Complex at Tikal, for example, there is a pyramid which faces three other temples.

If you're standing on the pyramid, the other temples are aligned with the rising sun on equinoxes and solstices. Important rituals took place at these times. The Palaces were large, multi-storied buildings which were home to the king and royal family.

They tended to be made of stone with wooden structures on top. Roofs were made of thatch. Some Maya palaces are spacious, including courtyards, different structures that were possibly homes, patios, towers, etc. The palace at Palenque is a good example. Some of the palaces are quite large, leading researchers to suspect that they also acted as a sort of administrative center, where Maya bureaucrats regulated tribute, trade, agriculture, etc.

This was also the place where the king and noblemen would interact not only with the common people but also with diplomatic visitors.

Feasts, dances, and other community social events could also have taken place there. The ceremonial ball game was an important part of Maya life. Common and noble people alike played for fun and recreation, but some games had important religious and spiritual significance.

Sometimes, after important battles in which important prisoners were taken such as enemy noblemen or even their Ahau, or King these prisoners would be forced to play a game against the victors. The game represented a re-enactment of the battle, and afterward, the losers which were naturally the enemy nobles and soldiers were ceremonially executed.

Ball courts, which were rectangular with sloped walls on either side, were prominently placed in Maya cities. Some of the more important cities had several courts. Ball courts were sometimes used for other ceremonies and events. Although they were not on a par with the legendary Inca stonemasons of the Andes, Maya architects built structures which have withstood centuries of abuse.

Mighty temples and palaces at places like Palenque , Tikal, and Chichen Itza survived centuries of abandonment , followed by excavation and now thousands of tourists walking and climbing all over them. Before they were protected, many ruin sites were scavenged by locals looking for stones for their homes, churches or businesses. That the Maya structures have survived so well is a testament to the skill of their builders.

The Maya temples and palaces that have withstood the test of time often contain stone carvings depicting battles, wars, kings, dynastic successions and more. The Maya were literate and had a written language and books , of which only a few survive.