Glossary
All-T’oqapu Tunic
A high-status Inca textile garment woven with numerous small, square geometric motifs called t'oqapu, symbolizing the wearer's power and identity.
Example:
The intricate patterns of the All-T’oqapu Tunic would have immediately communicated the wearer's elite status and accomplishments within the Inca Empire.
Ashlar masonry
Finely cut and dressed stone, laid in regular courses, with precisely fitted joints that require no mortar.
Example:
The impressive walls at Machu Picchu exemplify ashlar masonry, where massive granite blocks are so perfectly joined they appear seamless.
Axis mundi
A Latin term meaning 'axis of the world,' referring to a symbolic center of the world or a connection between heaven and earth.
Example:
For the Aztecs, the Templo Mayor functioned as an axis mundi, linking the earthly realm with the celestial and underworlds.
Bandolier Bag
A large, heavily beaded shoulder bag worn by men and women, primarily by Indigenous peoples of the Eastern Woodlands and Prairies of North America.
Example:
The vibrant glass beads on the Bandolier Bag demonstrate the impact of European trade on Indigenous artistic practices.
Black-on-Black Ceramic Vessel
A distinctive style of pottery developed by Maria and Julian Martinez of the San Ildefonso Pueblo, characterized by matte and glossy black designs on a polished black surface.
Example:
The subtle interplay of light on the matte and shiny surfaces of a Black-on-Black Ceramic Vessel highlights the elegant abstract designs.
Blackware ceramic
A type of pottery, often associated with Maria and Julian Martinez, created by a unique firing process that results in a lustrous black surface.
Example:
The distinctive sheen of blackware ceramic is achieved by smothering the kiln fire with organic material, creating a smoky, oxygen-reduced environment.
Bloodletting
A ritual practice common in ancient Mesoamerican cultures, involving the intentional shedding of blood, often by royalty, as an offering to deities or ancestors.
Example:
The act of bloodletting was believed to open a portal to the supernatural realm, allowing communication with gods and ancestors.
Calendar Stone
A massive basalt disk, also known as the Sun Stone, depicting the Aztec cosmology, calendar systems, and the five suns or eras.
Example:
The intricate carvings on the Calendar Stone illustrate the Aztec understanding of time, creation, and the cyclical nature of the cosmos.
Chavín de Huántar
An ancient Andean archaeological site in Peru, serving as a major religious and pilgrimage center for the Chavín civilization.
Example:
Pilgrims would travel to Chavín de Huántar to experience its maze-like tunnels and encounter the sacred Lanzón Stela.
City of Cusco
The historic capital of the Inca Empire, located in the Peruvian Andes, renowned for its sophisticated stone masonry and urban planning.
Example:
The urban layout of the City of Cusco was strategically designed in the shape of a puma, reflecting Inca cosmology and power.
City of Machu Picchu
A 15th-century Inca citadel located high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, serving as a royal estate or sacred site.
Example:
The breathtaking integration of the City of Machu Picchu with its natural mountainous landscape showcases Inca architectural genius.
Composite figures
Artistic representations that combine features from multiple animals or humans, often to convey supernatural power or identity.
Example:
The Chavín deity on the Lanzón Stela is a prime example of composite figures, blending human, jaguar, and snake characteristics.
Coyolxauhqui Stone
A large, carved volcanic stone disk found at the base of the Templo Mayor, depicting the dismembered Aztec moon goddess Coyolxauhqui.
Example:
The gruesome depiction on the Coyolxauhqui Stone served as a powerful reminder of the Aztec myth of Huitzilopochtli's birth and triumph.
Effigy mound
A type of earthwork constructed in the shape of an animal, human, or other symbolic figure, often for ceremonial or burial purposes.
Example:
The effigy mound of the Great Serpent Mound is a unique example of monumental earth art in North America.
Great Serpent Mound
A large prehistoric effigy mound in Ohio, shaped like a winding snake, created by ancient Indigenous peoples of North America.
Example:
The massive scale of the Great Serpent Mound suggests a profound connection to astronomical observations or spiritual beliefs of its creators.
Kivas
Circular, subterranean rooms used by Ancestral Puebloan peoples for religious rituals, ceremonies, and community gatherings.
Example:
The circular kivas at Mesa Verde served as sacred spaces where community members would gather for important spiritual practices.
Lanzón Stela
A large, sculpted granite shaft at the heart of the Old Temple at Chavín de Huántar, representing the primary deity of the Chavín people.
Example:
The terrifying smile and clawed hands of the Lanzón Stela would have been illuminated by flickering torches, enhancing its spiritual power for ancient worshippers.
Lintel 25
A specific carved stone lintel from Structure 23 at Yaxchilán, depicting Lady Xook performing a bloodletting ritual.
Example:
Lintel 25 vividly illustrates the importance of royal bloodletting in Maya society, showing Lady Xook drawing a thorny rope through her tongue.
Maize Cobs
Life-size representations of corn cobs crafted from metal alloys by the Incas, likely part of a ceremonial 'garden' at the Qorikancha.
Example:
The Maize Cobs demonstrate the Inca's reverence for agriculture and their mastery of metalworking techniques like repoussé.
Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings
Ancestral Puebloan architectural sites built into natural alcoves on cliff faces in Colorado, serving as residential and ceremonial centers.
Example:
The ingenious placement of the Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings provided natural protection and temperature regulation for its inhabitants.
Painted Elk Hide
A narrative artwork created by Plains communities, depicting important historical events, battles, or ceremonial activities on animal hides.
Example:
The Painted Elk Hide served as a visual record of a warrior's bravery and the community's significant events, like the Sun Dance.
Qorikancha
The most sacred temple in the Inca Empire, located in Cusco, dedicated primarily to the sun god Inti, and originally adorned with sheets of gold.
Example:
The precision of the stone masonry at Qorikancha was so fine that the blocks fit together without mortar, a testament to Inca engineering.
Repoussé technique
A metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is hammered on the reverse side to create a design in low relief on the front.
Example:
The delicate texture of the kernels on the Inca Maize Cobs was achieved through the meticulous repoussé technique.
Ruler’s Feather Headdress
A magnificent Aztec headdress made of quetzal and cotinga feathers, believed to have belonged to Motecuhzoma II, symbolizing imperial power.
Example:
The vibrant green quetzal feathers of the Ruler’s Feather Headdress were highly prized, signifying the wearer's immense status and connection to the divine.
Saqsa Waman
A massive Inca fortress complex on the outskirts of Cusco, known for its monumental zigzagging walls constructed with precisely cut, enormous stones.
Example:
The colossal stones of Saqsa Waman were fitted together with such skill that not even a blade of grass could pass between them.
Stepped pyramids
Architectural structures characterized by multiple receding platforms or levels, commonly found in ancient Mesoamerican civilizations.
Example:
Unlike the smooth-sided Egyptian pyramids, Mesoamerican stepped pyramids often featured temples at their summits, accessible via grand staircases.
T'oqapu
Small, square geometric motifs woven into Inca textiles, each symbolizing specific individuals, places, or events, conveying information about the wearer's status.
Example:
Each unique t'oqapu on the All-T’oqapu Tunic acted like a heraldic device, signifying aspects of the Inca ruler's authority.
Templo Mayor
The main temple of the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan, dedicated to the gods Huitzilopochtli (war/sun) and Tlaloc (rain/agriculture).
Example:
The Templo Mayor stood as the symbolic center of the Aztec universe, reflecting their dualistic cosmology.
Transformation Mask
A type of mask used by Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast of North America, designed to open and close, revealing a different face or creature inside.
Example:
During Kwakwaka’wakw ceremonies, the dramatic opening of a Transformation Mask would reveal an inner human face from an outer bird form, symbolizing spiritual metamorphosis.
Yaxchilán
An ancient Maya city located in present-day Chiapas, Mexico, known for its impressive architecture and carved lintels depicting royal rituals.
Example:
The intricate carvings at Yaxchilán offer invaluable insights into the dynastic history and ritual practices of the Maya elite.