tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2343512473016650729.post756170730280092185..comments2023-09-07T10:52:19.651-06:00Comments on Calixtlahuaca Archaeological Project: Why Build a City on a Mountain?Michael E. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942595266312225661noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2343512473016650729.post-86402327976825755672009-11-04T09:05:57.057-07:002009-11-04T09:05:57.057-07:00I think the point that Olin makes is important in ...I think the point that Olin makes is important in this context. Once you have powerful elites, people do things 'because they can'. There are still practical considerations, and in this case it is luckily it is mountains that are sacred not marshes!<br />The positioning of Akhenaten’s new Capital at Amama is as strange as the positioning of Las Vegas, and anyone who has seen the care traditionally taken in China with positioning of buildings, [Feng shui], will be aware that practical issues are not always the primary concern.<br />In China one of the ongoing concerns in architecture was mitigating the effects of earthquakes; could this be a concern for your builders?Geoff Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01111820035762957610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2343512473016650729.post-24667356460650572602009-10-31T15:57:59.856-06:002009-10-31T15:57:59.856-06:00Sacredness of the site may be a motive for the loc...Sacredness of the site may be a motive for the location of Calixtlahuaca, as is the case for Tzintzuntzan, Guachimontones, Palenque, and other sites on hills or mountains. When you are there at those sites the sacred becomes more obvious. Sites like Teotihuacan have the caves,Cholula made the caves within its largest structure, Xochicalco has its cave, and the caves are all an issue of the sacred, as are mountains.<br /><br />And of course even the fortified sites could have started as sacred sites then found need for protection as they grew in size and importance.<br /><br />Olin TezcatlipocaOlin Tezcatlipocahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12949182943284910228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2343512473016650729.post-36090756343005095692009-10-30T21:13:32.542-06:002009-10-30T21:13:32.542-06:00Geoff-
Yes, those are relevant questions. Althoug...Geoff-<br /><br />Yes, those are relevant questions. Although I don't yet have definitive answers supported by good data, most of these factors would probably not have led to hillside construction (there was lots of level land available, it isn't marshy or soft). The one factor you mention that is probably relevant is the stone source. There is lots of stone on the mountain (Cerro Tenismo), and we located some quarries part way up. We could not date them well, however.<br /><br />By the way, you have a great blog - I ran into it some time ago. We in the New World don't have much technical expertise in architecture of building, and we often come up with naive or partial models as a result.Michael E. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03942595266312225661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2343512473016650729.post-88092828144372231032009-10-30T03:24:53.207-06:002009-10-30T03:24:53.207-06:00Not knowing this area and shooting from the hip, a...Not knowing this area and shooting from the hip, as structural archaeologist I would consider the following issues might be pertinent.<br />The nature of the ground on the plain.<br />Was it suitable for building?<br />If it is soft, it may not support stone foundations.<br /><br />Is the agricultural land on the plain at a premium? <br />Was it important to preserve the flat fertile land for agriculture?<br /><br />Where does the stone for the buildings come? How is it transported?<br />Building close to quarry may be a factor in an age without wheeled transport.<br /><br />Other issues may be water supply and drainageGeoff Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01111820035762957610noreply@blogger.com