Mayan architectural secrets, principles of construction and structure of their cities. The construction of the first water supply and sewerage system by these tribes, their appearance and degree of functionality. Building great stairs and roads, the secrets of their purpose and role.
The basic principles of Mayan architecture stem from the principles of the peasant's dwelling, which has not changed significantly over thousands of years. The hut is built on a low platform to prevent flooding during the rainy season; several steps lead from the ground to the floor of the hut. The floor can be just trampled earth or covered with a piece. The hut is usually rectangular in plan, but in Yucatan it may be elliptical; it has one door on the front façade, it has no windows or a hole in the ceiling. The walls are made of pillars and branches held together by lianas; they are plastered with clay and often whitewashed inside and out. A sturdy frame made of rafters, poles, and poles holds the roof of palm leaves. The roof has two longitudinal slopes with an angle of slightly more than 60 ° and two slopes even more steep on the end sides, which have a semi-conical shape,if the plan of the dwelling is elliptical. It is dark and cramped inside, but since the hut is made of natural materials, it is well ventilated. A roof made of palm leaves or grass is breathable but retains moisture.
The first Mayan buildings, erected for ritual purposes or as dwellings for priests and chiefs, were simple huts of various sizes, standing on platforms of different heights, lined with stone and plaster. In the late pre-classical period, the foundations turned into stepped pyramids as a result of the superposition of several platforms. Pyramid E-VII of Washaktun, despite its rich decoration of alabaster masks, bore a temple that was a simple hut.
Later, when the Mayan builders learned how to make walls out of stone, but did not yet know the vault, they continued to use palm roofs, as was established during the study of the K-5 building in Piedras Negras.
The architecture of the ancient Maya was predominantly religious in nature: the monumental structures characteristic of this tribe were ceremonial buildings.
The Maya were built of rubble, the masonry was with a stepped vault, which was faced with a piece or well-hewn stone. The buildings were large pyramidal foundations, on which platforms and temples were located, as well as "palaces" - complexes of vaulted galleries surrounding the courtyards.
Buildings were decorated with pieces, sculptures, frescoes and mosaics - they were used to decorate friezes and walls. The figures were dominated by narrative plots.
The Maya placed buildings in strict accordance with the cardinal points and the terrain. The ancient tribe put a sacred meaning into architecture - the search for harmony, the connection between man and the Universe. Astronomy was closely intertwined with religion, since the Maya viewed the luminaries as the embodiment of their gods.
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Tikal
Tik'al is one of the largest Mayan settlements, the capital of the Mutul kingdom. Located in the El Petén province of Guatemala. The settlement of the Indians existed from the 7th century BC. e. In the V - IX centuries A. D. e. the city was one of the main centers of Mayan culture.
According to researchers, its population at that time ranged from 100 to 200 thousand people. By the end of the 10th century, after a series of uprisings, the city was finally abandoned by its inhabitants. The name Tik'al in the Mayan language means "the place where the voices of the spirits are heard." The hieroglyphic inscriptions mention the more ancient name of the city Yash-Mutul - "green bundle".
According to researchers, its population at that time ranged from 100 to 200 thousand people. By the end of the 10th century, after a series of uprisings, the city was finally abandoned by its inhabitants. The name Tik'al in the Mayan language means "the place where the voices of the spirits are heard." The hieroglyphic inscriptions mention the more ancient name of the city Yash-Mutul - "green bundle".
The residential area of the city occupied about 60 km². The settlement has hundreds of stone structures, of which only a small part has been excavated so far.
In the center of the city, there are six stepped pyramids with temples on top. They were numbered by early explorers. Wooden structural elements are made of ironwood and have survived despite their venerable age.