CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ART OF THE AMERICAS BEFORE 1300
13
Multiple Choice
1. What was discovered at Olmec sites that is evidence of long-distance trade with other parts of
Mesoamerica?
A. jade
B. textiles
C. basalt
D. limestone
2. Which of the following is true about Mayan writing?
A. Logographs represented individual letters.
B. Writing was closely related to the production of painted imagery.
C. Inscriptions typically recorded astrological events.
D. Extant codices provided information about Mayan religious practice.
3. How does the Mayan site of Tikal conform to the uneven terrain of the rainforest?
A. the use of a grid plan around a central pyramid
B. the buildings are terraced into the mountains
C. structures placed on high ground connected by causeways
D. the use of temporary structures made of impermanent materials
4. Which Mesoamerican culture’s architecture is characterized by talud-tablero construction,
where a sloping base supports a flat entablature?
A. Olmec
B. Teotihuacan
C. Mayan
D. Aztec
5. The Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque (Fig. 13-11) is built above a corbel-vaulted
stairway that leads to
A. a natural spring, which may have been the original focus of worship.
B. the subterranean tomb of Pakal the Great, a powerful ruler.
C. a chamber with extensive reliefs and inscriptions that give the temple its name.
D. the hill thought to house mythological animals and earth deities.
6. How many levels do Mayan temples have, which set atop steep pyramids and probably
reflected the culture’s concept of the underworld?
A. three
B. six
C. nine
D. ten
7. Which city demonstrates the influence of Central Mexico on the Maya in the post-classic
period through art emphasizing military conquests?
A. Chichen Itza
B. Yaxchilan
C. Palenque
D. Tikal
8. Mayan inscriptions on architecture and stelae commonly
A. offer prayers to the gods.
B. record specific historical events.
C. serve an ornamental function.
D. provide instruction for ritual practice.
9. How does the architecture of Chavin de Huantar reflect its position as an important religious
center in the Andean highlands on a trade route between the coast and the Amazon basin?
A. the U-shaped Old Temple
B. the sunken circular courtyards
C. the synthesis of architectural forms
D. mountain-sized, step pyramids
10. How did the discovery of an offering of carefully arranged figures in La Venta (Fig. 13-1)
contribute to art history’s knowledge of the Olmec?
A. It demonstrated their skills at carving.
B. It provided a context for similar figures found elsewhere.
C. It explained Olmec ritual practice and belief.
D. It proved that the Olmec interacted with other cultures.
11. How is the relief carving Shield Jaguar and Lady Xok (Lintel 24) (Fig. 13-14) characteristic
of Mayan sculpture?
A. The relief is very high.
B. It depicts a scene of courtly life.
C. The key figures shown are human.
D. The composition is static.
12. Which animals were revered in the Diquis culture because they represented a higher world?
A. crocodiles
B. jaguars
C. serpents
D. birds
13. Textiles produced by the Paracas culture are characterized by
A. the predominance of female artists.
B. the use of monochromatic color.
C. large, inconsistent stitching.
D. repeated embroidered figures.
14.The woodhenges found at the Mississippian site of Cahokia seem related to
A. astronomical observation.
B. a ritual ball game.
C. domestic tasks.
D. defending the city.
15. Which of the following was a characteristic of Pueblo kivas?
A. They were sites for astronomical observations.
B. They were arranged along a central avenue.
C. They had a central hole in the roof that admitted a shaft of light.
D. They had a floor indentation that recalled the culture’s mythic origins.
16. What feature of southwestern pictographs is shared by the prehistoric cave paintings found in
Europe?
A. They depict both animals and human figures.
B. They record recognizable rituals and ceremonies.
C. They were made by scraping bacteria off the canyon wall.
D. They represent realistic space and time.
17. What was a distinguishing feature of “Pueblo Bonito” (Fig. 13-28) in Chaco Canyon?
A. It had multiple stories and many rooms.
B. It was the hub of a network of roads to other communities.
C. It was a site of low-fired pottery production.
D. It was built on ledges under sheltering cliffs.
18. Much of what we know about Mayan courtly life comes from paintings on
A. cylindrical vessels.
B. burial masks.
C. wall reliefs.
D. wood statues.
19. Which structure at Teotihuacan was built over a multi-chambered cave with a spring, which
may have been the original focus of worship at the site?
A. the Pyramid of the Sun
B. the Pyramid of the Moon
C. the Temple of the Inscriptions
D. the Avenue of the Dead
20. The Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent (Fig. 13-8) includes high-relief carvings depicting a
serpent with the goggle-eyed headdress associated with the
A. Lightning God.
B. Sun God.
C. Storm God.
D. Thunder God.
21. Used in recording the accomplishments of their rulers, the Maya perfected a more
sophisticated version of the Mesoamerican
A. burial site.
B. temple.
C. ballgame.
D. calendar.
22. What items made from gold and turquoise are evidence of the Moche culture’s sophisticated
metallurgy skills?
A. earspools
B. headdresses
C. belts
D. necklaces
23. The Beaver Effigy Platform Pipe (Fig. 13-21), which would have been used by a smoker in
such a way that the smoker would be face to face with the beaver figure’s eyes, is made from
A. wood.
B. jade.
C. bone
D. stone.
24. Where is the Great Serpent Mound (Fig. 13-23), which was created by the Mississippian
culture, located?
A. Louisiana
B. Ohio
C. Mississippi
D. Indiana
25. What did the people of the Moche culture develop that allowed them to mass-produce some
of their pottery forms?
A. lost-wax technique
B. low-fire glazes
C. ceramic molds
D. hand-building
Short Answer
1. What effect did the arrival of Europeans have on Native American populations?
2. What features were shared by the different civilizations of Mesoamerica?
3. What was the appearance and possible purpose of the colossal Olmec heads found in Mexico?
4. Describe the cosmic ballgame.
5. What are the characteristics of the Mayan ideal of beauty?
6. How were sculptural features of Chichen Itza different from those of earlier sites?
7. What did the Paracas culture use textiles for?
8. What are the Nazca geoglyphs, and what might have been their use?
9. What was the lifestyle of early North American people?
10. What works have been found from the Florida Glades culture?
Essay
1. What monumental structures were built in the ancient Americas?
2. Discuss the similarities and differences characterizing the major cultures of Mesoamerica.
3. Discuss the cultures of North America and their various works of art.
4. Compare and contrast the ceramics and works of metal from cultures of the Americas.
5. Describe the aesthetics, style, and purpose of Maya relief sculpture and wall painting.