篇名: 巨石陣和馬亞建築的發現與比較 The Discovery and Comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan Architecture. 作者: 李俐欣。台北市立士林高商。高二 11 班 林玟妗。台北市立士林高商。高二 11 班 林思妤。台北市立士林高商。高二 11 班 指導老師: 惠風 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The discovery and comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. Contents I.Introduction II. Thesis A. Stonehenge 1. The formation of Stonehenge 2. The past studies a. Stonehenge is a hospital b. Stonehenge is a cemetery c. Stonehenge is a place that has astronomical observation and ritual function d. Stonehenge is as a temple for the living B. 1. C. 1. 2. 3. The construction of Maya The formation in Maya’s building What’s different between these two buildings? The common points The different points In the past and nowadays III.Conclusion The relationship between Stonehenge and Maya’s construction 1. In functions 2. In meanings 2 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The discovery and comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. I. Introduction Located in Salisbury Plain, Stonehenge is the most architecturally complicated prehistoric stone circle in the world. However, similar stones can also be found in many places, and people start to question their differences. Generally speaking, people probably think that Stonehenge is done by aliens. The suspense is based on plenty of phenomena. Scientists rely on evidences to predict and analyze its meanings, instead of imaginations. Thus, there are lots of theories though up by scientists all over the world in order to uncover the mystery. Ancient Mayan civilization is located in southeastern Mexico, Guatemala and the Yucatan Peninsula, such as the civilizations of the Central American. Contrary to the legend, Mayans have never disappeared. There are still three million Mayans residing in these areas. Surprisingly, many people today still can speak Mayan. Mayan culture has never had a unific, powerful empire, and the whole area is divided into hundreds of Mayan city-states. However, the language, religion, customs, traditions of these states are the same cultural circle as Mayan culture. Mayan civilization originated from the tropical rain forests of Central and South America in 1000 B.C. until its decline in 900 A.D. But it still continue until the fifteenth century when Spaniards came to Central America. It was said that Mayan began to build the religious architecture about 3000 years ago. The earliest relics were some graves composed of soil which were the parts of Mayan pyramid. This essay will dig into the historic and geographic mystery of Stonehenge and Maya. We will grope into the ancient history from various references. There is no architecture will be more complex than Stonehenge, because it involve many aspect: in history, geography, astronomy, religion, etc. Then, we will discuss and compare the differences between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. II. Thesis A. Stonehenge 1. The formation of Stonehenge Stonehenge is made up of stones placed at strategically sacred places in a circle. We intend to discuss the formation of Stonehenge from three phases. 3 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The discovery and comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. Phase I: Earthwork monument Source: all the pictures are from http://witcombe.sbc.edu/earthmysteries/EMStonehenge.html The architecture was started with an encircling ditch around 2950 to 2900 BC. It consisted of two earth banks, a high internal bank with an exterior one. There were two entrances into the two earth banks. The main one faced to the northeast and the other faced to the south. Phase II: The timber monument It seemed to happen between 2900 and 2550-2400BC. Parts of the encircling ditch were filled up with fresh chalk. Phase III: Stone monument The third phase was under the longest architecture. It was sub-divided into five different stages and it lasted from 2550 BC to about 1600 BC. Stage3-1: Arrival of the Bluestones Bluestones were the first stones to be placed in Stonehenge. Their arrangement were placed in the center of the ditch and concentrated more in the north and the south. Stage3-2: Arrival of the Sarsen Stones Sarsen stones were hard-grained sandstone with a siliceous cement. They were probably brought to the site from the Marlborough Downs, about 30 kilometers to the north of Stonehenge. The most important is that the center of this Sarsen stone circle is different from the Phase I and II. Stage3-3: Bluestones and Sarsens Bluestones were randomly selected and placed in a circle, surrounding the outer Sarsen circle. They were shaped, dressed and placed in an oval shape by more than twenty stones. Bluestone referred to various types of mostly igneous rocks including dolerites, rhyolites, and volcanic ash. It also included some sandstones. The Bluestones at 4 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The discovery and comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. Stonehenge were believed to have originated from various outcrops in the Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire, Wales. How they were transported to the site at Stonehenge had been the subject of much speculation. Stage3-4: Two Circle and Two Horsestones The oval of bluestones were changed to a smaller horseshoe, by taking away most of the bluestones from the northern area during 1900 or 1800 BC. Hence, at this stage, there should be two circles of Sarsen and Bluestone, followed by 2 horseshoes of Sarsen and bluestone. A single standing stone (the Altar Stone) acted as the focal point. Stage3-5: The Y and Z Holes In the final phase, there were two circles named The Y and Z stones by its excavator, Lt-Col Hawley, was one inside the other. It was dug for the placement of stones but were never filled. However, this phase was never carried out. There were other six outer stones, included the Heel, Slaughter and Station Stone. They were found inside the circular band and ditch. 2. The past studies Stonehenge is a World Culture Inheritance located in Britain. It is constructed in 3000 B.C. to 1600 B.C. It has been considered that is one of British most mystical places. However, the archaeology has debated uncreasingly its use: a. Stonehenge is a hospital: The archaeologists have carried on for 44 year first time excavation work to it, will attempt to open this riddle through many years. Recently, the British archaeologists, Jeffrey, Wen Wright, Timothy, Darwell, have announced the research results, and have determined time and the function of Stonehenge. They believe that Stonehenge is different with Luder in the Neolithic Age . Luder is the French Holy Land, in that it is considered that there was the mysterious treatment to be renowned in specific time. The archaeologists come up the surmise is based on a lot of evidence. The appliances of grave scatter around Stonehenge and its gravel. Archaeologists have discovered a great number of skeletons nearby Stonehenge. It also leaves a good many portents of serious illness or severely wounded hurts. As a result of the remain 5 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The discovery and comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. teeth, they find out that a half of humans from the places where beyond Stonehenge. b. Stonehenge is a cemetery: Buried the population that under Stonehenge are not many, and along with the dead in the cultural relic to have some stone carving scepter to be unearthed. These people possibly are at that time in the village cyanine UK social class or the ruler. They are not the average people because they were buried under the so important commemoratory symbol. Stonehenge should be the biggest cemetery in that time. Approximately 240 people are buried during 600 years, including natural death of male, female as well as child. c. Stonehenge is a place that has astronomical observation and ritual function: By gathering data regarding the movement of celestial bodies, the Stonehenge observations used to indicate the appropriate days in the annual ritual cycle. In this regard, it is important to mention that the structure was not used only to determine the agricultural cycle, because in this region the summer solstice occurs well after the growing season begins and the winter solstice well after the harvest is finished. d. Stonehenge is as a temple for the living: Stonehenge's capacity to determine the dates of the solstices and equinoxes becomes all-important. Throughout the ancient world people have regarded the sun and moon as sacred beings whose cyclical rhythms, with their seasonal strengthening and weakening, rewarding effect upon the life of human beings. B. The construction of Maya 1. The formation in Maya’s building Mayan pyramids were the earliest building that was a religious temple for offering sacrifices to god or ancestors in Mayan civilization. It was built at the center of the ancient Mayan city. An American archaeologist said: ”In the jungle, there are a lot of city which vanished suddenly. Only few people could understand the secret epigraph as well as its grave that is fully treasure, and so is the mystery of disappearance.” Now Mayan pyramids were only second to the Egyptian Pyramid. And it was famous for its architecture. Mayans value statistics of astronomy, and the celestial body motion regular numbers can be found on the building everywhere. Besides the number of stairs, the four sides of pyramid go with 52 quadrangular reliefs, which means one century equals 52 6 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The discovery and comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. years in Maya. The Mayan observatory also has a bottom construction of cylinder shape; there has a hemisphere cover on above, and this cover is the place that the telescope stretches out in the observatory’s design. The bottom exactly aims at four positions. This place’s windows and doors form 6 segments, among 3 segments is about astronomy, the other one is about the Spring Equinox, another are about moon activities. Every staircases are formed by 91stairs. The total number of the four staircases plus the top step is 356 (91×4+1=356)which is exactly the number of days of one year. It consists of the great stone pile, and the stone are in iron grey. The top of pyramids have a god temple for holding sacrifice ceremony. Mayan pyramids have four staircases respectively. This structure is amazing in present angle. For example, Mayan pyramids, how to be cut the huge stone, how to move the huge stone in the distance of jungle, and piles up again with several ton stones. And pile up 70m, if it wouldn’t have the advanced transportation vehicle and hoisting equipment, it would be difficult to achieve this mission. Thus it can be seen, Mayan scientific knowledge isn’t inferior than today. 2. The function of Mayan Pyramid Mayans had existed and had highly scientific culture nationality in a history. This mysterious nation lived in the You Kadui peninsula in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Some places might also see that leaves behind Pyramid, the temple and some historic buildings to many the Maya, as well as many stone carvings and many perplexed epitaph. Archaeologists considered that the Maya had a great civilization. And Maya’s cultures had many relate to people, life and mysterious universe. Mayans left behind the calendar and number system, and it had rich mystical color. No one knows this calendar and number system come from to date. And it is not difficult to infer that the Maya had far exceeded solar system to the heavenly body understanding. Because architectures are used in religious rites in order to sacrifices to gods or ancestors, around Mayan architectures are the number which is about the regular motion of the heavenly body. Mayan architecture showed its society's appearance. The architectural complex is composed of temples, mansions around urban center as well as tablet stone, Shi Zuo and field. It illustrates that Mayan society is the theocracy and the centralization. 7 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The discovery and comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. C. What’s different between these two buildings? 1. The common points Mayan pyramids and Stonehenge are a big riddle in human history. There are some common grounds between the two architecture. Here, we propose several spots to make a discussion. a. Religion: Mayans think that their lives were mastered by god. Surely, when they built their architecture, it would have some relation to their religion. It is said that Stonehenge also has the same element when it was built by people who lived in that ancient times. b. Astronomy: People who built Stonehenge took the wind direction and sun to be their references which was easy for they to build their architecture. Likewise, building Mayan pyramids use the same way, but it`s for different using. c. Calendar: The times when Stonehenge was built, people needed to know the change of the season. So they calculated the circle of moon and sun, it was convenient for them to identify with the season. The appearance of Mayan calendar was for the as same reason as Stonehenge. Most of specialists think that Mayan calendar was accurate, They used different ways to calculate how many days of a year. d. Mystery: Mayan pyramids and Stonehenge are both a mystery on a account of their huge shape. How to move such a huge stone? How spectacular architecture were built? In that times without machine, people how to do that? That is a mystery that through thousands of years. 2. The different points First, Stonehenge was built in many circles from the innermost to the outermost and it arranged stones one after another in one layer. Mayan pyramids made several stones be a stack. Its formation was built to steps from ground to the high they needed. Second, Stonehenge is located in a plain and pyramid is in the jungle. Third, Mayans had a great civilization and Stonehenge was just a architecture. Forth, there are many stone carvings and many perplexed epitaph in the pyramid but Stonehenge lack of. 8 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The discovery and comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. 3. In the past and nowadays Stonehenge is listed as United Nations world heritage nowadays, many archaeologists are fascinated by it, the purpose of Stonehenge is puzzled. Du Lingdu village heritage have an ancient path that pass through the river, and Salisbury Stonehenge also have an ancient path connects to the river. The archaeologists think that the two different places are responded with each other. Previously, Stonehenge is a place which held the sacrificial rites of dead people. And the ancient people have a ceremony to memorize the dead to ancestry. But now this place is that let people to visit, and become a place for sightseer. Maya is the same as Stonehenge. The archaeologists think that Mayan pyramid might also have a ceremony to memorize the dead to ancestry. Now, the purpose of Mayan pyramid is puzzled. III. Conclusion The relationship between Stonehenge and Maya’s construction 1 .In function Stonehenge and Maya have the same construction way, but it is the mystery that their building. It’s for people to offer sacrifices and ancestors. It can trace back to 3000 B.C~1600 B.C. Maybe Stonehenge is early than Maya, but their also have a great achievement. Maya have a great of stairs and four pyramids, and Stonehenge is made by 56 stones and stones circle around. Maybe they don’t have the same original, but their ability of construction is really amazing. 2. About their exist Stonehenge and Maya have the same belief, they believe their ancestors and spirit. Although their religions are different, approximately their sacrificial offering methods are the same. People build Stonehenge, they want to offer sacrifices to ancestors. They use their wisdom to build that, and it is impossible to build such huge ruins at that time. It is hard to primitive people. Some archaeologists say maybe Stonehenge was made by alien. Maya is also offer sacrifices to ancestors. They use their calendar and math to computation how to build the construction of Maya. And nobody knows the method that builds the Maya pyramid so far. 9 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The discovery and comparison between Stonehenge and Mayan architecture. I think it is unknown reason. Maybe it is caused by aliens, or maybe they have magic. Now what we can know is that they are so smart that build the marvelous construction. Maybe several decades later we can find the reason why they will become extinct and leaving behind such a amazing construction. Bibliography 1. 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