El Tajín: Building C and Building I (Palace of Art), Tajín Chico--page 5 (of seven pages)

9th and 10th centuries



See map.

Terrace above the public buildings, temples, and ballcourts

Scholars believe that this was an elite residential area, although some civic buildings were constructed here as well.
 

Building I or The Palace of Art

Today this structure has a protective thatched roof and although visitors are not allowed inside, one can see the various repeated designs embellishing the interior. Andrew Coe says, "along the lower wall runs a unique stucco frieze consisting of more teeth and, above, rows of what would appear to be calabash squash on stalks. Above you see bluish frescoes of vegetation motifs" (190).
 


Continue to page 6.

Works consulted or quoted:
Andrew Coe. Archaeological Mexico. Emeryville, CA: Avalon Travel Publishing, 2001.
Michael D. Coe and Rex Koontz. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. Fifth Edition. London: Thames & Hudson, 2002.
Mary Ellen Miller. The ARt of Mesoamerica: From Olmec to Aztec. Third Edition. London: Thames and Hudson, 2001.



Return to the El Tajín Index


Go to the Mexico Index.

Click here to return to index of art historical sites.

Click here to return to index of artists and architects.

Click here to return to chronological index.

Click here to see the home page of Bluffton University.


© 2009 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.