How the Maya built their world : energetics and ancient architecture

194 Pages·1994·24.74 MB·English

by  Abrams

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How
Maya
the
Built Their World
Energetics and
Ancient Architecture
M. Abrams
Elliot
San Rafael Pi. ary
1100
E
San Rafael, Cfl 94901
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PRESS,AUSTIN
—
Copyright © 1994 by the University ofTexas Press
All rights reserved
Printedin the United States ofAmerica
First edition, 1994
Requests for permission to reproduce material from this work should be
sent to Permissions, University ofTexas Press, Box 7819, Austin, TX
78713-7819.
©The paperused in this publication meets the minimum requirements
—
ofAmerican National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of
Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansiZ39.48-1984.
LibraryofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Abrams, Elliot Marc, 1954-
How the Mayabuilt their world energetics andancient
—:
architecture / Elliot M. Abrams. 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
—
isbn0-292-70461-5 (cloth : alk. paper). isbn 0-292-70462-3
(pbk. alk. paper)
: —
1. Copan Site (Honduras) 2. Mayas Architecture. 3. Mayas
— —
City planning. 4. Mayas Antiquities. 5. Honduras Antiquities.
6. Copan Site (Honduras) I. Title.
F1435.1.C7A26 1994
—
338.4'769'oo97283840902i dc20 93-47995
To myparents,
Doris and Herman Abrams

1
Contents
List ofFigures viii
List ofTables x
Preface xi
1 Introduction I
2 Background to Architectural Energetics at Copan 9
3 Maya Architectural Forms 20
4 The Energetics ofConstruction 37
5 Costs and the Construction Process 63
6 Energetics and the Hierarchy ofSocial Power 76
7 The Organization ofConstruction Labor 96
8 Architecture and Economics 109
9 Conclusions 125
Appendix A. Costs per Task per Structure 133
Appendix B. Reuse Savings 147
References 15
Index 169
Figures
1 The Maya lowlands 3
2 The Main Group, Copan 10
3 The urban zones, Copan 11
4 The distribution ofthe Late Classic
population in the Copan Valley 12
5 Copan environmental zones 17
6 The basic form 23
7 The improved form 25
8 Quarrying tuff 46
9 Manufacturing masonry blocks with stone tools 49
10 Sculpturing 50
11 Structure 10L-22 56
12 Group 9N-8 57
13 Groups 9M-22A and 9M-22B 58
14 Group 9M-24 59
Figures
15 Cluster analysis ofcumulative costs ofresidences 83
16 Cumulative costs ofall residences 84
17 Cumulative costs ofType 1 residences 87
18 Cumulative costs ofType 2 residences 87
19 Cumulative costs ofType 3 residences 88
20 Cumulative costs ofType 4 residences 88
Tables
1 PACII Site Typology 14
2 Household Survey Data, Copan, 1981 42
3 Operations, Tasks, and Costs per Task in Construction 44
4 Quantification ofStructure 9M-195B 45
5 Estimating Volume ofCarefully Placed Platform Material 51
6 Comparison ofRevised Cost Estimate (Minus Reuse)
with Original Cost Estimates 53
7 Cumulative Energy Cost per Major Construction Episode 60
8 Comparison ofCosts ofResidential Categories 64
9 Percentage ofCosts per Operation for Each Structure 65
10 Summary ofCost Percentages 67
11 Hierarchic Social Structure Based on Residential Cost 90
12 Energy Requirements and Familial Recruitment Systems 103