Buildings 


The red object in the banner at the top of the page is based on an architectural motif used on at least two structures. It is there partly to remind me to mention that there is evidence that most of the structures were painted RED. A few structures were apparently blue. There are one or more buildings that also have frescos on the inside.

Niches are not the only thing that El Tajin is famous for.  Actually archeologists have written more on the ballcourts.


Talud-Tablero

shape

The style of many pyramids in mesoamerica is referred to as "talud-tablero".   In pyramids you see layers of talud-tablero sets each indented to form the outer layer of the pyramid. The tablero was often used for decoration although I know of one case where the talud was decorated.

At tajin, you can see a wall where half of the height of the wall is just one layer of El Tajin's own variation: talud-tablero-cornice.   

cornice,talud,tablero



Here you see the El Tajin version of the Talud-Tablero with the "cornice" on top.

The almost Egyptian looking pyramid that you can see toward the left in the banner at the top of each page is actually a giant talud for the small cornice-tablero at the top.

At El Tajin many structures were decorated with scrolls. It is the shadows cast by the niches and scrolls that give El Tajin its special quality.
stack of C-talud-tablero
this is how the talud-tablero sets are stacked in a pyramid

 


Rock Source

It may be that the "nich" architectural style was developed out of necessity because of the rock that was available. A similar style of architecture is seen at Yohualichan using similar rock. The rock may have come from a river bank several miles away. The rock broke into these rather thin sheets which may have caused them to develop the unique architecture of niches and scroll decorations at El Tajin. From the photographs of Yohualichan they seemed to stay with rows of niches for decoration but they built a shallower cornice.


This building is from El Tajin, but this section looks very much like every photograph I have seen from Yohualichan (except that the tajin style cornice is more pronounced).

Columns

Two structures have round columns. Structure 12 has many small columns placed at intervals similar to the niches. Behind some of these column pairs are scrolls.


Structure 12


The Building of the Columns on the highest terrace has large columns on the front(? 3 or 4). These columns are almost a yard in diameter! They are covered with carvings and at least one name glyph with an Olmec/Mayan number. I have not seen this structure, but sections of the columns were in the museum when I was there the first time.

Other Interesting Items

There are many structures in Tajin Chico (the middle terrace) that are interesting. They were able to create a sort-of concrete by making layers of (?)caliche. There is one structure with two floors (I think it is structure B).

There is also a false arch at the entrance to the stairs on structure A.

It might be worth mentioning that there is a covered  stairway from structure D down to the main level.

The only structure that I know of which is aligned N-S is pyramid T. Other than its conspicuous size and placement on Tajin Chico in the topographic map, I have never seen anything about it, and when I was there, I could not locate it even though I knew where it was (anything is easily hidden by brush if people are not continually pulling it out).


I recommend: the description of the site, ballcourts, or scrolls next

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