User:Mmetzge3/sandbox

Building Materials                                                                                                                                                                                

The Mayan civilization used very simple tools for building their structures. The most common tools use were made of stone found in surrounding areas. Limestone was a huge part of the Mayan tool making, as limestone was geographically very abundant in most settlements. Locations of the Mayan cities were chosen with the access to necessary stones in mind. This allowed most quarries to be right outside the city for easy access to blocks needed for construction. Top Limestone quarries used were Palenque and Tikal. Though Limestone was the most important material they still collected sandstone from Quiriguá and volcanic tuff from Copan.

The Mayan people had taken advantage of mortar on most structural projects. The Mayans used a very difficult process of limestone under large amounts of heat to create their mortar. The mortar was so widely used, the Mayans even used it for sculptures, facades, and floor layers. Their mortar was very effective on a large building lifetime, but humid climates can have a negative effect on the mortar.

For more important construction projects the Mayans would cover the entire structures exterior with stucco, followed by bright paintings, prioritizing red, yellow, green, and blue.