Ancient Meso Houses
Meso-America is the region consisting of present-day Belize, Guatemala, middle and southern Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador. This part of the world is known for its rich cultural history. Three of the most well-known civilizations to occupy this region before Europeans reached the New World are the Olmecs, the Mayas and the Aztecs. These civilizations left large stone temples and statues. Most of their houses have not survived to the present day, although archaeology and cultural history has helped to inform us of these structures.
Other People Are Reading
-
Caves and Temporary Structures
-
Prehistoric groups living in Meso-America before the rise of empires and permanent settlements lived in simple, temporary structures. These people were typically nomadic hunters. People would live in natural caves or temporary camps. The structures used at these sites were tents or huts made of wood, skins, mud and other natural materials. The organic nature of these structures means that very little archaeological evidence of the homes of these very early people remains today. The exact structure of these shelters can mostly only be speculated.
Olmec Houses
-
The Olmec civilization is one of Meso-America's greatest early civilizations. It developed and flourished between 1200 and 400 B,C. The Olmecs are perhaps best known for their massive carved stone heads. The common people of this civilization lived in simple houses constructed of wood and palm leaves. The Olmecs constructed temples as ceremonial public buildings. These temples had special rooms designed to house priests, architects and artists. Temples and other civic building were often constructed on platform mounds made of battened earth. Some mounds had large houses built on top, where the elite would have lived.
-
Mayan Houses
-
The Mayan civilization has existed since at least 2000 B.C. The Classical Mayan Empire lasted from 250 to 900 A.D., although the people survived the empire's dissipation. The descendants of this ancient indigenous civilization continue to live in Meso-America today. Traditional Mayan houses were constructed on low platforms. The floors were made of gravel covered with white, tightly packed soil. The walls were made of wood covered in adobe and whitened with lime. The roofs were made of cut wood tied together to make beams and then thatched with palm fronds. The house itself was a rectangle. Its rooms were rounded, it had no windows and it was made up of only one common room. Sometimes a second hut would be built to hold a kitchen and chicken coop. Nuclear families built their houses in individual lots that also contained a cemetery, a latrine, a well, a garden and a simple roofed laundry area.
Aztec Houses
-
The Aztec Empire flourished between the 12th and 15th centuries A.D. Aztec commoners lived in houses made of sun-dried adobe bricks. The houses were divided into four rooms. One room was a designated sleeping area for the family. Another room was reserved for the preparation. The third room was where the family would eat their meals. The fourth room was a designated shrine where the family would keep their tangible gods or idols for worship. Not all houses had windows. Those that did featured rectangular shapes. Houses in Tenochtitlan had small sweat houses apart from the main house. These buildings were circular with a low doorway. A fire would be built along the wall. Water would be poured on the wall to create steam that was valued for its healing properties. Aztec nobility had homes similar to the commoners' houses. However, they were made of lime or stone, were more lavishly decorated and featured large gardens.
-
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
