Preview

Compare And Contrast Mexico And Egyptian Pyramids

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1889 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Compare And Contrast Mexico And Egyptian Pyramids
It is customary to establish comparisons between the pyramids erected by the pharaohs of ancient Egypt and the pre-Colombian pyramids built in Mexico and other regions of Central America. There are even those who, albeit without any plausible historical basis, claim that those two distant regions shared cultural and ideological relationships which would be the justification for an apparent and misleading similarity in shape. The Egyptian pyramids are funerary monuments of the kings of ancient Egypt, especially those of the Old
Kingdom. Sometimes funerary monuments of this kind were also built for queens, although smaller in size.
Pyramidal construction is as old as Egyptian history itself, going back to the beginning of the 3rd
millennium
…show more content…
A good example of this is the Aztec pyramid of
Tenayuca, which reveals at least six stages in vertical and horizontal extension. In an impressive contrast of vertical and horizontal lines, the pyramids can look massive and immense such as the Temple of the Sun at
Palenque, or rise in steep verticality as in the Great Tikal Plaza (Guatemala). The highest Mexican pyramid was erected at Cholula (in its initial stages, an Olmec site), and was consecrated to Quetzalcoatl, wise and beneficial god.
There are important zones of pyramid concentrations at Chichén Itzá (pyramid of Kukulcan, the Maya name of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent), at Palenque, Teopalzolco, Monte Alban, «city of pyramids» in Teotihuacan, an urban centre, which started out as Olmec. The Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque proved to be an eight-story pyramid after the thick overgrowth was removed (1949). It also revealed in its interior, through a staircase that ran from the top of the structure to the underground level,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Of the 7 wonders the of the World the pyramids are the only Wonder still left . The Pharo Khufu is given…

    • 607 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    “So far archeologist have found 139 offerings and more than 9,000 objects, including children’s skeletons, bones of marine fish, turtle shells…masks, musical instruments… and cotton textiles.”22 Archeologist even discovered what appeared to be a “…god of death statue… bathed with large quantities of blood from sacrificed people…”23 A reminder of gory rituals practiced by the Aztecs. What is interesting about some of the more obscure and less exciting items is not the items themselves but where they came from. Objects that were unearthed were found to have come from places such as the Gulf Coast, Guerrero24, and “…the modern states of New Mexico and Arizona.”25 This shows the extensive lengths that the Aztecs travelled for trade. Their power, influence and strength reached far beyond the boundaries of their capital in Tenochtitlan. Many of the more significant offerings and objects found at the temple are reminders of the importance of the two deities of the Templo Mayor to the Aztec people. Every layer of fill contained offerings to the gods, most of which were related to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc.26 Leonardo Lopez Lujan and Judy Levin believe that the arrangement of the offerings in the fill “… can tell us how the Aztec people understood the world and what they were trying to say to the gods through their…

    • 1788 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    These pyramids took place in the Third Dynasty during 2630-2575 BC. King Djoser commissioned this monumental architecture in Egypt. The designer was Djoser’s prime minister, Ihotep, whose name is inscribed on a statue at the site. The purpose was to hold his mummified body. The Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser's at Saqqara arose as a traditional, flat-roofed mastaba, although in 2611 B.C., by the end of his nineteen-year reign, it had risen to six stepped layers and stood two hundred and four feet or sixty-two meters high, making it the largest building at this time. The Funerary Complex of Djoser is a large pyramid structure that looks like steps with six structures stacked on top of one another, each one decreasing in size. The material used was limestone. These pyramids were usually eighteen hundred feet long by nine hundred feet wide; overall in size they were very large. Below the structure was the underground burial area, which consisted of a small room that held a statue of the deceased and there was a chapel for family to gather. A shaft then led down to the burial area that was sealed after the burial. This structure was west facing towards the setting sun. Under…

    • 1402 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Teotihuacan Pyramids

    • 141 Words
    • 1 Page

    Moreover, it is believed that the pyramid temple was built over existing structures (Teotihuacan). The platform of Adosada, covered and preserved the facade of the temple (Taube). The previous facade is known as the Old Temple, and it is covered with the high-relief sculpture heads of Quetzalcoatl, alternating with square-brimmed geometric abstractions…

    • 141 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Teotihuacan

    • 901 Words
    • 4 Pages

    high). Construction of the pyramid started around 100 C.E., and it was built without modern technological advances, like metal tools, pack animals, and the wheel. It was built out of a large force of manpower and stone tools. The pyramid was painted over with colorful murals and paintings, with depictions of jaguars, stars, and snake rattles. Some scholars believe that the pyramid’s orientation may be in accordance with celestial patterns, as evidence suggests that the inhabitants of Teotihuacan did have knowledge of mathematical and astronomical sciences. However, this has yet to be proven. The Pyramid of the Moon, smaller in size, is at the northern end of the avenue. Human and animal sacrificial remains, along with grave goods, were found in the pyramid itself. “One of the most significant tombs yet discovered at Teotihuacan, it might indicate that even more important tombs lie buried at the heart of the pyramid.” (Department of Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the…

    • 901 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Inca and the Aztec Empires have similar Architecture for their “cosmopolitan capitals with monumental ceremonial centers and palaces” (Von Sivers et al. 450). Both, Inca and Aztec cities where among the largest in the world, and the cities had as many inhabitants as 100,000 to 200,000. “Although their monumental architecture followed different artistic traditions, both emphasized platforms and sanctuaries atop large pyramid-like structures as symbols of elevated power as well as closeness to the astral gods” (Von Sivers et al. 450). Both empires had similar…

    • 699 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Teotihuacan Religion

    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Teotihuacán was an ancient Mesoamerican city in Mexico. Teotihuacán gets its name from the Aztecs meaning “place for the Gods.” The ancient city thrived around 300-550 CE, but it began its era around 150 BCE and ended it in 600 CE spanning over 700 years. The city itself is about 30 miles from current day Mexico City. The city itself is over 20 square kilometers with a gridded layout and a walled exterior. The Avenue of the Dead outlines the length of the city, starting at the crop fields and pointing towards Cerro Gordo, a sacred mountain. Along the way, the Avenue of the Dead passes many of its most beloved architecture today. It passes the Pyramid of the Sun, the Citadel, some thousands of smaller temples and buildings, and ultimately, the Pyramid of the Moon. Teotihuacán is located in between a mountainous area that…

    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    From almost anywhere in the city, the pyramid appeared elevated and was completely visible (Pasztory, 1997, p. 95). These architectural features symbolized the fact that the gods were the highest power in Mesoamerican time. Being visible from everywhere in the city reminded the city’s inhabitants of gods having power and control over the universe, and existed everywhere. Figure 2 displays the way that the temples, plaza, and Avenue of the Dead surround The Pyramid of the Moon. The image of the large Pyramid of the Moon surrounded by a number of much smaller monuments could have been interpreted as a symbol in the landscape representing the relationship of the city’s inhabitants to their deities.…

    • 752 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The harsh desert winds, the burning Egyptian sun, and a couple thousands of years has physically decreased the Great Pyramid of Giza’s height by about thirty-one feet, but has had no effect on its strength and power as a symbol of the wondrous society of ancient Egypt. All of the Egyptians’ pyramids display the hierarchy, social values, their education, and their religious beliefs. Thus, the symbolic pyramids that ancient Egypt constructed, specifically the Great Pyramid of Giza, hold intricate explanations about the society, its politics and its religion that would otherwise remain unknown.…

    • 2319 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The pyramids of Ancient Egypt are as fascinating and intriguing, as they are breathtaking. Egyptologists and historians have long debated the question of who built the pyramids, and for what reason. There are many different and often conflicting theories in regard to the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza. When turning back the pages of history, it is discovered that a number of theories have been developed to explain the presence of such a significant historical landmark. "Theories vary from a tomb for a king, to a special chemical factory, a beacon for extraterrestrial aircraft's, a stone form of the Bible, a possible way to contact a Higher Being and a stone announcement of the second coming of Christ..." (Schillings, M. : 1999 : Sheet 1). Such examples of varying controversial theories have sparked a number of speculations to the mystery of the Great Pyramid of Giza.…

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    There are many great theories about the secrets of pyramids. Many people have attempted to provide relevant reasoning to how they were made and why they were constructed to begin with. People has tried to reconstruct the pyramids using their theories but in the end are still baffled. How did they do it? Over all the two theories that I provided are great theories, but both still are simply theories, and the construction of the pyramids still lie as a mystery for all to wonder…

    • 375 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The more than 100 pyramids that punctuate the west bank of the Nile have intrigued mankind for millennia. Numerous articles and books have discussed the pyramids of Egypt and the wondrous tombs, sculpture, jewelry, and artwork they secreted. However, pyramids are found in various locations in the world beyond Egypt—most notably in South America, Mesoamerica, Mesopotamia, India, and Cambodia. Is it possible that the ancient civilizations of Central America and South America, as an example, somehow came to be aware of the pyramids of the ancient Egyptians or did the Mesoamerican pyramids arise spontaneously from the culture of the Inca and subsequently from that of the Maya? The latter is believed to be the case. There is no convincing evidence that the methods of designing, and constructing the pyramids built by the ancient Egyptians thousands of years earlier could have in any way been communicated to the Inca and the Maya. At the time the Egyptians were building their pyramids the Inca and the Maya were still nomadic hunter-gatherers who had not yet advanced to the point of establishing social and legal institutions and had not yet acquired and mastered the considerable skills necessary to erect such structures.…

    • 3396 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    When one thinks of a Pyramid, they most likely have one of the Egyptian or Mayan Pyramids in mind. They are both pyramids, but there are some similarities and differences to consider when thinking of them. The age, purpose, and size can shed some light on these structures. With only copper, stone, and wooden tools, people created what was thought to be impossible…

    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Teotihuacan

    • 596 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ran for more than 2.5km, beginning at the Moon Plaza and extending to the south…

    • 596 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Aliens Built the Pyramids

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The line of longitude and the line of latitude that the Great Pyramid at Giza lies on are 31 degrees north by 31 degrees west. The ancient Egyptians could not have known this intersection when the architect designed the pyramids, yet the site chosen has the same number latitude and longitude. It was aliens, after studying the planet from afar, who implemented temples on this exact site.…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays