Search
Search Results
Image Gallery
Reconstruction of Seven Ancient Archaeological Sites
This gallery includes seven digital reconstructions of ancient monuments around the world, from Rome to and Mexico. They depict what these monuments may have looked like when they are created, by overlaying digital images on top of the existing...
Definition
Chan Chan
Chan Chan (Chimor) was the capital city of the Chimu civilization which flourished on the northern coast of Peru between the 12th and 15th centuries CE. The city was a giant metropolis populated by peoples from across the Chimu Empire, the...
Image
Toltec Warrior Columns
The columns atop Pyramid B at the Toltec capital of Tollan (Tula) which once supported a roof structure. They are each composed of four column drums and represent Toltec warriors ready for battle wearing their customary headdress and butterfly...
Image
Tollan (Tula)
A diagram of the sacred precinct at Tollan (Tula), the capital of the Toltec civilization (10-12th century CE) in Mesoamerica. The site includes two step pyramids, colonnades, a palace structure and two ball-courts.
Image
Pyramid B, Tollan
Pyramid B of Tollan in central Mexico, the capital of the Toltec civilization (10-12th century CE). The five-tiered pyramid is topped by stone warrior columns which would have once supported a roof structure. In the foreground stand the ruins...
Video
The Maya Calendar, Culture and History: an Introduction to a Mesoamerican Civilization
The Maya are a people indigenous to Mexico and Central America who have continuously inhabited the modern regions of Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, and Chiapas in Mexico and southward through Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and...
Collection
The Fall of Civilizations
It seems that civilizations inevitably rise and fall no matter how big or small, and in this collection, we look at some of the most famous, spectacular, and mysterious collapses of cultures from the Romans to the Maya. War, famine, climate...
Article
A Visual Glossary of Classical Architecture
Abacus - a large slab placed above the column capital to support the architrave or an arch placed above it. Akroterion - a decorative piece added to the roof of a temple at the apex and corners, usually made of clay or bronze and...
Definition
Wall
The English word 'wall' is derived from the Latin, vallus meaning 'a stake' or 'post' and designated the wood-stake and earth palisade which formed the outer edge of a fortification. The palisades were in use early on and are mentioned by...
Article
The Inca Road System
The Inca road system formed a network known as the royal highway or qhapaq ñan, which became an invaluable part of the Inca empire. Roads facilitated the movement of armies, people, and goods across plains, deserts, and mountains. They connected...