Why Was Mayan Art So Similar to European Art

Effigy of a Baby Crawling.
(1200-900 BCE) Olmec Mexican fine art.
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

EVOLUTION OF VISUAL ART
For details of art movements
and styles, meet: History of Art.
For a quick guide to specific
styles, run into: Art Movements.

Pre-Columbian Art (c.1200 BCE - 1535 CE)

Contents

• Definition
• History
• Mesoamerica
• Timeline of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican Art
- Formalism Compages
- Sculpture
- Ceramics
- Codices and Murals
- Featherwork and Mosaics
• South America
• Chronology of Pre-Columbian S American Art
- Architecture
- Carvings
- Pottery
- Metalworking
- Textiles

Manus Stencils in Cueva de las Manos
in Argentina, dating to 7,300 BCE.

Mixtec Mosaic mask of Tezcatlipoca
15th century. British Museum.

Double-headed serpent, Turquoise,
scarlet and white mosaic on wood.
Aztec (maybe) Mixtec, (1400-1521).

Definition

The term "Pre-Columbian fine art" refers to the architecture, art and crafts of the native peoples of N, Primal, and South America, and the islands of the Caribbean area (c.thirteen,000 BCE - 1500 CE) up to the time catamenia marked past the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas. Run into as well: American Indian fine art. The term "Mesoamerica" is synonymous with Central America, describing a cultural region in the Americas, which extends roughly from central Mexico to Belize, Republic of guatemala, El Salvador, Republic of honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica.

History

The civilisations of Primal America (Mesoamerica) and the Pacific Declension of South America were roughly gimmicky with the European Christian era. Both were chop-chop brought to an end by the Spanish conquest post-obit on the voyages of discovery of Columbus. The conquerors immediately found themselves in conflict with the original inhabitants. The soldiers were looters and treasure hunters looking for gold. The priests were seeking to salve human souls, and took with them the no less violent methods of the Inquisition, and in the name of their religion they eventually destroyed a whole culture.

In that location were two empires, the Aztecs of Mesoamerica and the Incas of Republic of peru. Both were agriculturally settled and competent, and supported art and architecture. The monuments left behind are impressively massive, however the societies that produced them were surprisingly primitive. The Mayan culture of Mesoamerica made advances in mathematics and astronomy, but it was overrun past Aztecs from the n in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, who in turn were conquered past the Spanish in 1519. The conquest of Peru followed in 1532.

The Pre-Columbian cultures seem to have been dominated past millenarianism - a belief that the terminate of the earth was periodically imminent. This could but be averted by man sacrifice, and of course once such a belief gains an ascendancy there is no way of disproving it. Their gods, were protrayed every bit terrifying monsters whose hostility could merely exist appeased past blood, by torture and cede. Certain elements in Pre-Columbian superstition have never died out, and flagellation and other forms of self-torture were incorporated into a class of Christian ritual yet peculiar to the sub-continent.

For mail-Columbian art, encounter: American Colonial Fine art (c.1670-1800) and American Art (1750-nowadays).

Machu Picchu (15th Century Peru)
Pre-Columbian Inca site thousands
of feet up in the mountains.
The site was synthetic in 1450
and abandonded in 1572.
It is thought the population
died of small pox.

Mesoamerica

Timeline of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican Fine art

The Mesoamerican cultures are traditionally divided into three time periods, running from 1200-1580, every bit follows:

Pre-classic (c.1200-200 CE)
This era was dominated by the Olmec culture, which flourished about 1200-400 BCE. The Olmecs created jade figurines, and carved colossal heads up to eight anxiety high. The Central American tradition of constructing huge ceremonial complexes began with the Olmecs.

Classic (c.200-900)
This menstruation was dominated past the Maya. Similar the Mississippian cultures of N America such as the Natchez and Choctaw, the Maya lived in large, agricultural settlements, practising their own blazon of hieroglyphic writing every bit well equally avant-garde astronomy. Mayan fine art is mainly characterized past petroglyphs, a diverseness of rock art, some rock sculpture and wood-carving, equally well every bit mural paintings (city of Bonampak c.750 CE).

Post-classic (c.900-1580)
This period was dominated first (c.900-1300) by the Toltec civilization from the western region who carved massive, cake-like sculptures similar those used every bit free-standing columns at Tula, Mexico. And then came the Mixtecs, whose cardinal Mexcan culture was agile in both pre-Aztec and post-Aztec eras, with their unique painting style in which all available space is covered with flat figures bundled in geometric patterns. The Aztec civilisation of key and southern United mexican states produced a variety of visual fine art, including: brighly coloured fresco painting, masks, formalism costumes, bracelets and necklaces, as well every bit a range of clay, stone and wood sculpture. Aztec mosaic art was frequently used to decorate masks equally well every bit architecture.

Formalism Architecture

From around 2000 BCE the erection of large ceremonial buildings, usually clustered in a formalism centre complex, became central to Cardinal American social club. The principal blazon was a pyramidical platform mound - like to that of the Egyptian Pyramids - but terminating in a apartment tiptop, to which one to iv flights of steps led, for the enactment of ritual practices: see, for instance, the pyramid at Teotihuacan (c.500 CE). Such pyramids in Mesoamerica were of a ceremonial rather than funerary function, and were central to the operation of religious rites. (See also: Religious art.) At Monte Alban in Oaxaca, and Palenque in the Maya Lowlands, these structures were found besides to contain rich burials of civic or religious dignitaries, but these were of secondary importance to the main purpose of the pyramid. (For more about pyramids, see: Ancient Egyptian Compages from c.3000 BCE onwards.)

Within Key America there were two main types of architectural style, especially clear in pyramid construction: the broad square talud-tablero of United mexican states and the tall, narrow based Maya course. Corbel vaulting of overlapping, flat, balanced stones is also typical of Maya architecture and was used extensively every bit a technique in the construction of palaces and temples. The truthful arch was never known in the New World. Some other typical feature of the Central American cultural tradition was the ball-courtroom where the sacred ball game was played. This made its outset appearance, as did the pyramid, with Primal America'south first large civilisation - the Olmec of the Mexican Gulf Coast. The ball-court was shaped like the uppercase 'I' with accentuated cross-pieces; later examples had stone rings at either terminate through which the ball was passed. Spectators' seats were arranged each side of the primary court. Meet, for instance, the Not bad Ball Court at Chichen Itza (c.500 CE).

Palaces and temples of the aristocracy and the single-storey living quarters and workshops of the artisans were organised in an orderly grid plan around the main ritual complex. The city of Teotihuacan in United mexican states, which prospered around AD 500, is one of the virtually remarkable examples of a planned urban and religious centre.

Pre-Columbian architecture was an important influence on modern architects similar Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959). See American Architecture.

Sculpture

Art flourished mainly in the medium of sculpture in Key America. Figures and freizes, ranging in scale from gigantic to very pocket-size, are fundamental to the artistic consciousness of the cultural tradition. Serpents, skulls, snarling jaguars and the grim-looking rain-god Tlaloc decorate many of the temples and palaces every bit whole sculpture or friezes.

Sculptural manner varies, naturally, through time and with the different regions and unlike local cultures. The Olmec culture, for example, specialized in stone sculpture, producing giant basalt heads representing warriors or brawl-players, the largest of which are nine feet high and weigh up to 20 tons. Their heavy, almost negroid looks are very different from the graceful, slender features of the Maya sculptured or stucco figures, with their tall, intricate caput-dresses. In the Maya lowlands, the erection and elaborate carving of pillars or stelae typified the aesthetics of this particular civilisation at its superlative, recording astronomical, religious and civic events in hieroglyphic symbols. The stela itself often represented gods or dignitaries, their bodies covered with intricate flowing designs in bas-relief.

The plastic art of the Aztec Mexican cultures, terminating in the 16th century with the conquest of the Aztecs by the Castilian, produced finely executed sculptures of grim ferocious beings and animals and very naturalistic versions of rattlesnake, coyote and jaguar. The human skull was ever a pop subject field and the finest existing example is carved from the pure crystal. The Aztecs firsthand forbears, the Toltecs, were too a state of war-loving and death-worshipping people, evidenced past the giant stone warriors in the pillared temples at Tula, their majuscule, and the widespread advent of the skull-cult and the chacmool - a reclining rock figure bearing a sacrificial basin on his belly. Smaller sculptures exist in the course of figurines of clay or polished jade. The Olmecs hoarded caches of jade figurines and were fond of realistic models of fat babies (see picture).

Ceramics

Pottery manufacture was known in Central America by 2000 BCE, although glazing and the potter'due south wheel were never known. Pots were either fashioned past manus or mould-made and fine polychrome highly glassy wares were being produced past the early centuries CE. The diverseness of course and decoration is immense. Virtually standard forms produced in the One-time World with a potter'south bicycle were common: plate, bowl, jar, vase and beaker with many elaborations of these. Pottery was busy in a variety of dissimilar methods, from stamping, incision, excision, and applique in geometric designs, to polychrome painting of ritual scenes with dignitaries, prisoners and slaves. These latter were peculiarly common in Maya ceramics. Among the near beautiful wares produced were those from the Mixteca-Puebla civilization in Mexico. After taken over by the Aztecs, it manufactured a type of lacquered polychrome of mainly geometric motifs. Effigy urns and vases were too popular, depicting a diverseness of homo, animal and imaginary characters.

Codices and Murals

Hieroglyphic writing had been discovered in Primal America by the 1st century CE and was carved principally on commemorative stelae. More recent was the production of codices where pictographs were painted on prepared strips of deer hide or bawl material and form the few precious written accounts the Pre-Columbian peoples fabricated of themselves. In that location are three Maya codices and many more from United mexican states. They item tribal histories and legends and also contain aspects of daily life and such interesting details as the tribute received for Emperor Montezuma II from his subjects.

Little mural-painting has survived, only fine colourful examples exist from cave-paintings of Olmec dating to the more elaborate ritual scenes from the temple walls at Teotihuacan in Mexico and Bonampak in the Maya Lowlands.

Featherwork and Mosaics

Shields, standards, head-dresses and capes for the nobility were often created in ornate and colourful lapidary work, from feathers traded from the tropical rain forests. This craft was specially prized in Cardinal America and the best examples that exist today were given in token to the Castilian sovereigns of the Conquistadores.

The inlaying of serpentine, turquoise, malachite and crush to make mosaics was also a popular craft and is known from Olmec times. The Olmecs are best known for their beautiful pavements of inlaid serpentine representing stylised jaguar masks and purposely cached, probably for ritual reasons. The Aztecs created wonderful masks and skulls overlaid with turquoise, malachite and trounce with optics of iron pyrites. One of their nigh famous mosaic artifacts is the chalcedony-bladed sacrificial pocketknife with inlaid handle in the class of a crouching eagle warrior. Larger mosaics decorating the walls of palaces and temples exist in complex geometric motifs; these occur mainly afterward 800 CE in the architecture of the Maya although fine examples exist at Mitla in Mexico.

For other 'primitive' artworks, see: Oceanic Art (Pacific Islands) and African Art (North and Sub-Saharan Africa), Aboriginal Rock Fine art (Australian Continent).

Southward America: Andean and Coastal Kingdoms

Chronology of Pre-Columbian South American Art

The earliest fine art in South America appeared at archeological sites such equally the famous Cueva de las Manos (Cavern of the Easily), which dates dorsum to the era of Mesolithic art, around 7,300 BCE.

In the Andean region (present-twenty-four hours Peru), the beginning developed culture was the northern Chavin civilization, that flourished thou-300 BCE. Noted for modest-scale ceramics, as well every bit the magnificent murals, carvings and other artifacts (the Tello Obelisk, the Lanzon and the Raimondi Stela) excavated from its principal religious site of Chavin de Huantar. The Chavin were succeeded by the Moche (c.100-800 CE), who are best remembered for their portrait vases, metallurgy and architecture (such as the Huaca del Sol and the Huaca de la Luna). Meanwhile, on the southern coast of Peru, the Paracas culture - renowned for its textiles - was followed by the Nasca culture, responsible for a South American Renaissance in multi-coloured ceramic fine art (c.200-750 CE). Later cultures in the Andes included the northern Wari (or Huari) culture, famous for its stone architecture, sculpture and large-calibration painted pottery; the Bolivian Tiwanaku culture (375-700 CE); the Chimu people, noted for their silversmithery and featherwork. (Meet also: Tribal Art.) Then came the cracking Inca civilization (flourished 1400-1535), celebrated for its goldsmithing and jewellery art, gold/silver sculpture, and characteristic abstract art, likewise as its monumental compages.

Architecture

Building materials were of either stone or adobe - mud-brick. The former is mainly institute in the highlands and the latter on the coast where vast urban and defensive complexes were created solely from this material, such as at Chan Chan, capital of the Chimu coastal empire in north Peru.

From 1000 BCE, the peoples of Peru were constructing complex temples and ritual structures, as at Chavin de Huantar in the North Highlands where the main temple platform was plant to be honeycombed with labyrinths on at least three levels. The best-known architecture is that of the Inca, who constructed mighty fortresses. Sacsahuaman near Cuzco has three ringed zig-zag defences with the basal stones measuring sometimes over 25 feet high. Mortar was not used, but perfect joints were made by carefully cut and dressing each stone. Built thus and slightly tapered from base to meridian, they were strong plenty to withstand the severe earthquakes of the region.

Carvings

Equally with architecture, fine sculpture occurs from around one thousand BCE with the Chavin culture. A not bad white granite monolith over 12 feet loftier was institute at the centre of the temple mound at Chavin de Huantar, at the crossing of the galleries. This "Dandy Epitome" was carved intricately equally a snarling fanged man-like beingness with hair of snake-heads and a girdle composed of serpent-jaguar heads - concepts all primal to Chavin and other South American art-styles. Cornices were carved to represent condors with feline attributes or bas-reliefs of felines with serpent-like attributes. About the aforementioned time, at Cerro Sechin on the coast of Peru, temple walls are composed of monoliths elaborately carved with relief sculpture of warriors and their dead or dismembered captives, also a popular theme. Much later around 1200 CE at Chan Chan, a very different type of sculpture can be seen with the mud-plaster friezes on the temple walls, where entirely mythical creatures of dragon-similar appearance were represented together with sea-birds and fishes, underlining the importance of the coastal economy here. In highland Bolivia on the shores of Lake Titicaca, Tiahuanaco, centre of another nifty civilization, displays competence in the execution of whole sculpture and carved reliefs with principal figures also representing snarling man-jaguar beings and condor-headed deities begetting staffs. Heavier whole rock statues of squat, slanting-eyed men are establish nearby at Pucara.

Run into likewise: How to Appreciate Sculpture. For more modernistic works, see: How to Capeesh Modern Sculpture.

Pottery

Pottery manufacture was introduced well-nigh 1800 BCE and afterward periods show dandy competence in this field of applied fine art. All visual forms were common and, since the potter's wheel was unknown, were produced by hand or from moulds. The stirrup canteen and from this grade, the whistling jar, often busy with life-like figures of humans and animals, were specially popular. Pottery provided the Pre-Columbian craftsman with one of his principal types of art and the consequent variety and vitality of form and decoration exemplify this. Effectually 400 CE the Mochica of Northward Coastal Peru produced vast quantities of finely moulded pots, some in the likeness of local dignitaries, others showing the manifold daily pastimes and occupations of the people from weaving to making love. Painted scenes of battles, the parading of nobles and the punishment of naked prisoners were common. Some of the most beautiful pots were made on the Southward Declension of Peru in the Nazca Valley upwardly to 600 CE. Bowls, bridge and spout jars or figurine-urns were usually decorated in bright burnished polychrome designs of life-like birds, fishes, animals and people. The Huari-Tiahuanaco civilisation similarly depended upon ceramics for the spread of its own bold and distinctive art style. Fanged beings with rayed lord's day-like caput-dresses, snakes and eagles even so abound. The Incas decorated their pottery in mainly intricate geometric motifs. The aryballus - a big globular jar with pointed base and tall widely everted mouth - was a classic Inca form used for the storage and send of water or the alcoholic beverage chicha.

Metalworking

Metalwork appeared in general utilise around Chavin times, by 900 BCE, although the techniques known were limited to hammering, annealing, soldering and repousse working of sail gold and argent. Past Mochica times, every technique was used including casting - simple and cire perdue - alloying and gilding. By then, metal was used for utilitarian purposes in the production of weapons and agricultural tools as well as plate and jewellery. The Chimu of North Coastal Peru were especially known for a high caste of competence in metallurgy, producing quantities of aureate and silver figurines, ceremonial knives, tweezers, earspools, plate, bowls and beakers, many decorated with fine repousse designs of gods, animals and mythical creatures. It was from them that the Incas and then the Spaniards caused much of their wealth. At the Spanish Conquest (1519 CE), South and Centre America were even so technically in the Bronze Age, having no knowledge of atomic number 26 working.

Textiles

The exceptionally barren conditions of coastal Peru, particularly in the s, account for the remarkable state of preservation of organic matter, particularly cloth. In the Paracas Peninsula are the cemeteries of a civilisation whose artisans specialised in weaving intricate and circuitous designs of many rich colours in cotton wool and fine alpaca and llama wool, for themselves and for their lords. The Spaniards made annotate on the exquisite, fabrics they saw and noted that in Peru, techniques were more refined than in Europe - a fabric similar to silk being woven for sectional habiliment past the Inca Emperor from the wool of the wild vicuna. Every technique was known: tapestry-art, brocading, embroidery, double-cloth and open-works being the almost favoured. Interlocking motifs of cat heads or double-headed serpents were also very popular. As with the ornament of pottery, textiles were often the medium for the manual of cult ideas with heavy emphasis on designs representing deity forms. Some of the figures are realistic, but are more than often highly stylised, conforming to the needs of the weaving technology, and the figures at times seem almost geometric in their execution. For other crafts, come across Folk Fine art.

Works of Pre-Columbian art tin can exist seen in many of the best art museums around the world.

• For a chronological guide to the early arts of the Americas, see: History of Fine art Timeline.
• For more than about the civilisation of Mesoamerica and Due south America, see: Homepage.

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