[Aztlan] Hilltop cities

[Michael Smith]

I am looking for cases of ancient cities (Mesoamerica and elsewhere)
with these spatial characteristics:

 

(1) Most housing is on hillsides or mountainsides; and 

(2) Most civic architecture is at the BOTTOM of the hill.

 

This is the situation at Calixtlahuaca. Most hilltop cities in
Mesoamerica and other regions had their civic architecture at the TOP of
the hill, for reasons of defense (and/or for symbolic reasons). But at
Calixtlahuaca, the royal palace and a large platform are at the base of
the hill, on the edge of the urban settlement, and two large temple
complexes (the circular Temple 3 and the rectangular Temple 4) are built
on massive terraces only a short distance up the slope. There is little
evidence for defensive architecture (walls, ditches) at the site. This
layout remain enigmatic, and perhaps knowing about comparative cases
will help us solve the mystery of the urban layout of the site.

 

If anyone knows of examples of other urban hilltop sites whose civic
architecture is at the bottom of the hill, please let me know.

 

Mike

 

Dr. Michael E. Smith

Professor of Anthropology

School of Human Evolution & Social Change

Arizona State University

www.public.asu.edu/~mesmith9/