Ancient Architecture in the Mesoamerica Teotihuacan 150 B.C. – A.D. 750 Teotihuacan, Mexico 150 B.C. – A.D. 750

I. Circumstances surrounding the emergence of the unique city of Teotihuacan Cuicuilco destroyed by volcano Xitle in 50 BC Poverty Point, Louisiana 1000 BC 1.

Moon pyramid Sun pyramid Avenue Citadel dwellings Teotihuacan I. A. What are the architectural significant features of the city of Teotihuacan?

Teotihuacan I. B. What is the city’s urbanistic plan and orientation?

I. B. Teotihuacan

Khorsabad, Iraq Ur, Iraq Poverty Point El-Kahun, Egypt Neolithic England I. C. How are some features of Teotihuacan unique in Mesoamerica or in comparison to other complex civilizations that experienced an “urban revolution”? 1. Features in A. and B. above 2.

Teotihuacan dwelling: Quetzalpapalotl “Palace” I. C. 1.

Teotihuacan I. C. 2. Its organizing axis?

Teotihuacan – plaza in front of the Moon Pyramid I. C. 3. Its open-volume plan?

Teotihuacan I. C. 2. Washington DC Mall open-volume compositions

II. Interpretation: Metropolis w/ Communal Ideology Bound to the Order of Nature 3.

II. A. Political context: What is the evidence that Teotihuacan might have adopted an “integrationist” strategy of governing? 1. urbanistic evidence 4.

II. A. 2. architectural evidence Courtyard of an apartment compoundtypical apartment compound Principal patio Principal shrine

II. A. 3. evidence from art works Storm God elite class (priest-ruler?) Murals from Teotihuacan elite class (priest-ruler?) 1.

II. B. Number of ways in which Teotihuacan’s design was “bound to the order of nature” or to the cosmos as an expression of its unique communual ideology Teotihuacan 5.

II. B. 1. Sun Pyramid Sun Pyramid Teotihuacan mural

II. B. 2. Moon Pyramid Moon Pyramid

II. B. 2. the pyramid clarifies and compacts the mountain’s shape

II. A. 2. Mt. Tetzcotzingo in the Valley of Mexico Teotihuacan mural Moon Pyramid

II. B. 3. City plan Teotihuacan 6.