UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES

C.M. RECTO AVENUE, LAPASAN, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, 9000 MISAMIS ORIENTAL, PHILIPPINES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT

MODULE 2: PRE-CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE

ARCH114: HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 1

PREPARED BY:

AR. WILLIAM HARVEY EVANGELISTA, UAP

 ARCH 114: HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE I

MODULE 2: PRE-CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE

I. PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE

MESO AMERICAN CIVILIZATIONS
Olmec : 2,500 BCE to 400 BCE
Maya : 2,000 BCE to 1697 AD
Aztec : 1300 AD to 1521 AD
Inca : 300 AD to 1100 AD

 History – "pre-Columbian era" refers to the time preceding Christopher Columbus's voyages of 1492, in practice the phrase
is usually used to denote the entire history of indigenous American cultures until those cultures were extinguished,
diminished, or extensively altered by Europeans, even if this happened long after Columbus.
 Mesoamerica is the region extending from central Mexico south to the northwestern border of Costa Rica that gave rise to a
group of stratified, culturally related agrarian civilizations spanning an approximately 3,000-year period before the visits to
the Caribbean by Christopher Columbus. Mesoamerican is the adjective generally used to refer to that group of pre-Columbian
cultures. This refers to an environmental area occupied by an assortment of ancient cultures that shared religious beliefs, art,
architecture, and technology in the Americas for more than three thousand years. Between 2000 and 300 BCE, complex
cultures began to form in Mesoamerica. Some matured into advanced pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations such as
the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec, Huastec, Purepecha, Toltec, and Mexica/Aztecs. The Mexican civilization is also
known as the Aztec Triple Alliance, since they were three smaller kingdoms loosely united together.

INFLUENCES
 Geological Influences

A. Maya, Aztec & Olmec - Geographically, Mesoamerica consists of two strongly contrasted regions: highland and lowland. The
Mexican highlands are formed mainly by the two Sierra Madre ranges that sweep down on the east and west. Lying athwart them
is a volcanic cordillera stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The high valleys and landlocked basins of Mexico were important
centres of pre-Spanish civilization. In the southeastern part of Mesoamerica lie the partly volcanic Chiapas–Guatemala highlands.
The lowlands are primarily coastal. Particularly important was the littoral plain extending south along the Gulf of Mexico,
expanding to include the Petén-Yucatán Peninsula, homeland of the Mayan peoples.

B. Inca - The Inca Empire developed in a long strip that reached pretty much north to south along the western side of South
America, the side that faces the Pacific Ocean. The geography was rugged - Andes mountains, the coastline deserts, and the
Amazon jungle. The clever Inca found solutions for their geographic problems.

 Climatic Influence
a. (Meso America)
i. The tall mountainous peaks of the Sierra Madres, however, impedes the movement of clouds and
reduces the amount of rainfall the region receives.
ii. Hot arid valleys of the Mixtec area and in the state of Guerrero are among two of the driest areas in
the highlands.
b. (Inca South America)
i. The climate can be divided into two seasons, wet and dry, although the weather varies depending of
the region.
ii. During the coastal summer (late december to early April) the sky is often clear and weather is hot and
sticky.
iii. In the second season which is the remaining of the year, the garúa, (coastal mist) moves in and the
sun is rarely seen, plus the temperature drops, but it is not as cold as it is in the north.
 Social Influences
a. Social Classes in Mayan Civilization
i. Upper Class - Royal family and Nobles
ii. Middle Class- artisans (low ranking priests,merchants, soldiers, government officials, etc.)

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iii. Lower Class - farmers , servants, laborers and slaves

b. Social Classes in Aztec Civilization
i. Upper Class - “pipiltin” or nobility and Nahuatl or Lords
ii. Middle Class- the ”mācehualtin”, originally peasants, but later extended to the lower working classes in
general. Usually into arts and craft and mostly warriors
iii. Lower Class - farmers , servants, laborers and slaves
c. Social Classes in Inca Civilization
i. Upper Class - The highest class would be the Emperor and his relatives
ii. Middle Class- Nobles and other lesser nobles, Incas who’s lineage trace to Cuscos
iii. Lower Class - farmers , servants, laborers and slaves and non incas
4 classes namely: Sapa Inca, Royal, Nobel and Ayllu
d. Social Classes in Olmec Civilization
i. Upper Class - The highest class would be the Emperor and his relatives
ii. Middle Class- Nobles and other lesser nobles, Incas who’s lineage trace to Cusco’s
iii. Lower Class - farmers , servants, laborers and slaves and non incas
 Religious Influences
i. Mayan Civilization
 Worshipped a variety of Gods from the Sun & Moon to Rain & Corn
 In the top of the Mayan society, emperors are said to have been related to the gods, hence
called “Kuhul Ajaw” or Holy Lords

ii. Aztec
 The Aztec religion was polytheistic, meaning they had many gods.
 Their faith was based on the belief that the gods sacrificed themselves to create the world
and humans. In order to repay the gods and keep the sun moving overhead,
the Aztecs sacrificed themselves and their enemies.

iii. Inca
 Polytheistic
 Viracocha was the creator god and his son is Inti
 The most important god was Inti known as the sun god
 Human sacrifice was vital and part of their religion, mainly children are being sacrificed to
the gods

iv. Olmec
 Their religion centered around eight gods:
 the Olmec Dragon,
 the Bird Monster,
 the Shark Monster,
 the Banded-Eye god,
 the Maize”Corn” god,
 the Rain Spirit,
 the Were-Jaguar,
 and the Feathered Serpent.
 The Olmec had the first representation of the feathered serpent that would show itself in
later mesoamerican cultures.

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ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
o MAYAN ARCHITECTURE
 Character: stone “city of stone”,
 Material: stone, limestone-based plaster,Volcanic tuff, Fired bricks & Sandstone
 Construction System: Masonry and plaster, hieroglyphics and stone scarving
 Architectural Features:
o Plan - palaces are elevated on wooden piles so that buildings wont sink on soft
soil
o Walls - carved stone covered in plaster
 Principal buildings: Mayan
 Pyramids and temples: kʼuh nah, meaning "god's house"
o Temple I, at Tikal, was a funerary temple in honour of king Jasaw Chan Kʼawiil I.
 Palaces & acropolies:
 Palaces and acropoleis were essentially elite residential compounds.
 Ballcourts:
 ballcourts maintained a characteristic form consisting of an ɪ shape,
with a central playing area terminating in two transverse end zones.
 Building Examples:
o Temple I, Palace complex at Sayil, El Castillo pyramid & Ball court of Zaculeu
o AZTEC ARCHITECTURE
 Character: The most prominent of features are the Aztec temples which were built for the purpose of
appeasing the gods, so many of their features reflect that goal.
 Material: stone, limestone-based plaster,Volcanic tuff, Fired bricks & Sandstone
 Construction System: Masonry and plaster, hieroglyphics, stone scarving and ornamentations
 Architectural Features: symbolism
Eagle – representative of the sun and warriors
Serpents – represented water or fire
Conch shell – an important symbol of fertility
Frogs and sea creatures – represented Tlaloc Symbols
 Principal buildings: Aztec
 Pyramids and temples:
o Xochicalco, Mexico & Santa Cecilla Antitlan
 Palaces & Ball courts:
 Tenotichlan Palace Complex
 Chinampas:
 rectangular areas of fertile arable land to grow crops on the shallow
lake beds in the Valley of Mexico.
 Building Examples:
 Xochicalco, Mexico & Santa Cecilla Antitlan, Tenotichlan Palace Complex,
chinampas.

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o INCA ARCHITECTURE
 Character: fieldstones or semi-worked stone blocks and dirt set in mortar; adobe walls were also quite
common, usually laid over stone foundations,The most common shape in Inca architecture was the
rectangular building without any internal walls and roofed with wooden beams and thatch.
 Material: stone, limestone-based plaster,fieldstones,mortar, Fired bricks & Granite
 Construction System: Ashlar masonry, hieroglyphics, stone scarving and ornamentations
 Architectural Features: "
 pillow-faced architecture
 Ashlar masonry
 Principal buildings: Inca
 Good known example is the lost city of Machu picchu
 Building Examples:
 Machu picchu near Cusco in peru
o OLMEC ARCHITECTURE
 Character: The Olmecs buildings were simple; rectangular residences for commoners, bigger houses for
the elite, as well as public ceremonial buildings such as temples and pyramids. In places such as La
Venta, after 900 BCE pyramids and such structures were built near large residential areas.
 Material: Earthen Temple mounds faced with stones
 Construction System: Earth mounds faced with stones on stepped form
 Architectural Features: "
 Mountain like or Volcano like pyramid, they were known as a volcano cult.
 Principal buildings: Pyramids and Mounds
 Great Pyramid of La venta tabasco

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Figure 69 Temple I

Figure 70 El Castillo( Chichen Itza)

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Figure 71 Palace Acroplis of Sayil

Figure 72 Ballcourt of Zaculeu

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Figure 73 Xochicalco Pyramid

Figure 74 Santa Cecilla Acatitlan

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Figure 75 Chinampa agriculture

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Figure 76 Machu Picchu

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Figure 77 Olmec Head

Figure 78 Great Pyramid at La venta, Tabasco

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REFERENCES
 Ching, F.D.K. (2012). A Visual Dictionary Of Architecture 2nd Edition. Hoboken : John Wiley & Sons.
 Ching;F.D.K., Jarzombek, M.; Prakash, V. (2017). A Global History of Architecture 3rd Edition. Hoboken, New Jersey:
Wiley.
 Curl, J.S. (2005). Dictionary of Architecture. UK: Magpie Books.
 Espina, Kevin (2013) ‘History of Architecture’ [Powerpoint Presentation]. Retrieved from
[Link]
 Fleming, J., Honour, H., Pevsner, N (1974). A Dictionary of Architecture. Great Britain: Richard Clay (The Chaucer
Press) Ltd.
 Fletcher, B., Sir; Cruickshank, D. (1996). Sir Banister Fletcher's A History Of Architecture 20TH Edition. Oxford;
Boston: Architectural Press.
 Gascoigne, Bamber (2001, ongoing). HistoryWorld. Retrieved from [Link]
 Marvin Perry; Daniel F Davis; Jeannette G Harris; Theodore H Von Laue; Donald Jr Warren (1985). A History of the
World Revised Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
 Neil Collins MA LLB (2008, ongoing). Architecture History. Retrieved from [Link]
[Link]/[Link]
 Stokstad, M. Collin, B.R., Addiss, S. (1999). Art History Revised Editon Volume One. New York: H.N. Abrams.

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