Olmec monumental architecture
E694305
Mesoamerican monumental architecture
archaeological phenomenon
architectural tradition
cultural heritage
Olmec monumental architecture refers to the large-scale ceremonial platforms, pyramids, plazas, and sculptural complexes created by the Olmec civilization, which represent some of the earliest and most influential monumental constructions in ancient Mesoamerica.
Statements (66)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Mesoamerican monumental architecture
ⓘ
archaeological phenomenon ⓘ architectural tradition ⓘ cultural heritage ⓘ |
| associatedWith | Olmec civilization NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| chronology | c. 1500 BCE–400 BCE ⓘ |
| constructionMaterial |
basalt
ⓘ
clay ⓘ earth ⓘ sandstone ⓘ |
| constructionTechnique |
layered earthen fill
ⓘ
stone facing on earthen cores ⓘ terracing of natural elevations ⓘ |
| culturalRole |
expression of sacred kingship
ⓘ
materialization of cosmology ⓘ regional pilgrimage focus ⓘ |
| developedIn |
Formative period
ⓘ
Preclassic Mesoamerica NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| earliestMajorCenter | San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| exemplifiedBy |
La Venta
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Laguna de los Cerros NERFINISHED ⓘ San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán NERFINISHED ⓘ Tres Zapotes NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| hasComponent |
altars
ⓘ
ballcourts ⓘ basalt thrones ⓘ causeways ⓘ ceremonial platforms ⓘ colossal heads ⓘ earthen pyramids ⓘ mounds ⓘ platform-pyramid complexes ⓘ plazas ⓘ sculptural complexes ⓘ stone drains ⓘ sunken patios ⓘ terraces ⓘ |
| hasNotableFeature |
axis mundi symbolism
ⓘ
buried offerings beneath platforms ⓘ complex ritual spaces ⓘ earthen core construction ⓘ elevated ceremonial precincts ⓘ large-scale earthmoving ⓘ monumental sculpture integrated with architecture ⓘ north–south orientation ⓘ stelae and carved monuments ⓘ symmetrical site planning ⓘ use of basalt and other imported stone ⓘ use of colored clays and fills ⓘ |
| influenced |
Maya monumental architecture
ⓘ
Teotihuacan architectural traditions ⓘ Zapotec monumental architecture ⓘ later Mesoamerican pyramid construction ⓘ |
| laterMajorCenter | La Venta NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| locatedIn |
Gulf Coast of Mexico
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Tabasco NERFINISHED ⓘ Veracruz NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| studiedInDiscipline |
Mesoamerican archaeology
ⓘ
architectural history ⓘ |
| timePeriod |
Early Formative period
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Middle Formative period ⓘ |
| usedFor |
burial and dedication rites
ⓘ
elite political display ⓘ public gatherings ⓘ religious ceremonies ⓘ ritual processions ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.