Some materials that used Mesoamerican cultures were the tezontle, the limestone, the lime, the obsidian, the wood or the clay. The properties of these materials allowed them to build resistant objects and infrastructures that in some cases have lasted for millennia.
The Mesoamerican cultures are the Aboriginal cultures that developed in the American territory before the arrival of the Spaniards in Century XVI. Mesoamerican cultures include the Aztecs, Mayans, Olmecs and Zapotecs.
These cultures emerged in the year 7000 BC. C., when the melting in the American continent allowed the groups to begin to develop the agriculture and the cattle raising, favoring the development of the sedentarismo.
Later, around the year 2300 a. C., the civilizations flourished, developing artistic activities like the architecture, the sculpture, the pottery and the sculpture.
In each of these activities, the Mesoamerican aborigines used different materials, the properties of which were beneficial to them.
Among the materials most used are limestone, tezontle, adobe, wood and lime. In less quantity, jade and obsidian (igneous rock found mainly in Mexico) were used, which served as ornament in constructions and sculptures.
The materials that Mesoamerican cultures used in architecture, ceramics and sculpture
In architecture
Tezontle
The tezontle is an igneous rock, of volcanic origin. In Mexico, this type of rock abounds in the Eastern Sierra and in the Western Sierra and near the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhualt.
It is a porous and spongy stone, light but resistant, so it is used in building constructions.
The tezontle is reddish in color because it contains iron dioxide. This stone is able to conserve heat and withstand high temperatures; In addition, it is impermeable.
If it is ground and mixed with other elements (water, sand), a mixture can be used to crimp.
Many of the Mesoamerican palaces and monuments were made of this material, which was then covered with a kind of stucco.
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock that is composed largely of calcium carbon (CaCO 3 ).
This is one of the main rocks that are currently used as fill in buildings. During the pre-Hispanic period, Mesoamerican cultures They used it as if it were blocks.
The use of these rocks was preferred before others since while it was extracted from the quarries, it remained flexible enough so that the aborigines could work with its meager tools. However, this rock has the property of hardening once it is extracted from the field.
In addition to using limestone as part of the structure of their constructions, Mesoamerican cultures also used this crushed stone and mixed with other materials.
The resulting substance was used as concrete, as mortar and as stucco to give final touches to the constructions.
With the improvement in the techniques of rock extraction, the use of limestone as mortar fell, since the rocks began to fit perfectly without the need to use any type of mortar.
This material was used mainly in the construction of palaces and official constructions. However, samples of common houses made of limestone have been found.
This image shows a front carved in limestone in the ruins of the Uxmal Palace. Photo retrieved from en.wikipedia.org.
Palenque's Main Palace. Photo retrieved from en.wikipedia.org
Lime
The ornaments in the constructions of Mesoamerican cultures (mainly in the Mayan constructions) were made in lime (calcium oxide).
Due to its high strength, this material was used as ornamental stucco, so that the adornments were durable and not affected by the natural elements.
Obsidian
Obsidian is a type of igneous rock (of volcanic origin), also known as volcanic glass. This stone is usually black, although they also appear in gray, golden, with rainbow irisations.
Due to its attractive appearance and its striking colors, obsidian was used as ornamentation in the most important constructions of Mesoamerica: temples, palaces, state constructions, among others.
Sample of decoration with obsidian. Photo retrieved from en.wikipedia.org
Wood
Most of the Mesoamerican constructions ended in sloping high ceilings that were made in wood. However, stone ceilings were also used.
In pottery
Clay
Clay is a sedimentary rock. While it has not dried, the clay is malleable, which means that it can be given the desired shape.
When it dries, it acquires a hard and brittle consistency; However, if the vessel is baked at high temperatures, it becomes much more resistant.
This material was used to make pots, pitchers, vases, comales and all type of vessel that was used in the home.
In sculpture
The Mesoamerican aborigines were great sculptors. However, sculpture was not an independent art but was used as an ornament for architecture.
In this period, three sculptural representations were distinguished and in each one diverse materials were used. These three representations were reliefs, bas-reliefs and three-dimensional sculptures.
Both the reliefs and bas-reliefs were two-dimensional. These two sculptural samples could be made in the same material of the building, carved directly in the stones of the walls.
Bas-reliefs were usually made of limestone, because this stone was so porous that it was easy to carve it. In other cases, bas-reliefs were made with stucco (based on lime or limestone).
Another example of reliefs is the one shown by some door lintels. These reliefs were made of wood, which was much easier to carve than the stone.
The three-dimensional sculpture, which was used to honor the gods and to adorn the tombs, was made in compact blocks of stone.
Usually, ordinary volcanic rocks were used due to their great resistance. Similarly, they used semiprecious stones (like jade) because of the attraction they gave to the work.
Olmec mask carved in jade. Photo retrieved from lanic.utexas.edu.
References
- The Olmec Civilization and Background. Retrieved on July 4, 2017, from lanic.utexas.edu
- Maya people. Retrieved on July 4, 2017, from britannica.com
- About Mesoamerica. Retrieved on July 4, 2017, from utmesoamerica.org
- Mesoamerican arts. Retrieved on July 4, 2017, from www.essential-humanities.net
- Aztec Stone Sculpture. Retrieved on July 4, 2017, from www.metmuseum.org
- Mesoamerican architecture. Retrieved on July 4, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org
- Maya architecture. Retrieved on July 4, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org