Mexican Art and Architecture
Pre-Hispanic Mexican Art
Mexico is one of the countries boasting an extremely rich cultural heritage dating back to ancient times. Before the Spanish conquistadors arrived, the cultures and civilizations inhabiting the region of the Mexican valley developed many ways of expression through art. Sculpture was an important part of life, as the flexibility of clay and mud was discovered, and used to make pottery and ceramics, with intricate decorative designs. Other materials such as sand, ground shells were also used. The discovery of a brilliantly shiny metal, gold, also led to exquisite pieces of art being fashioned well before the Spaniards arrived. Cave art and paintings also form an important part of life in the pre-Hispanic civilizations, as an essential part of religious ceremonies and rituals.
These, and many other indigenous art forms, later blended with European art forms, but even so many have prevailed to this day.
To experience these pre-Hispanic traces of Mexican art why not go on a Spanish Language Study Tour.
| Mexican Art and Architecture | Colonial Mexican Art and Architecture |