A Monolith is a
structure or sculpture which has been excavated as a unit from a
surrounding matrix or outcropping of rock. Is commonly used
for a large carved stone object, such as a Pre-columbian Statue or
Stelae (Stele).
Monolithic
architecture is a style of construction in which a building is
carved, cast or excavated from a single piece of material. The most
basic form of monolithic architecture is the monolith.
Monoliths also are used in the construction of structures, such as
the giant stones that form the walls of Inka cities (Machu Picchu and
Cuzco as examples of this).
A stele (from Greek:
στήλη, stēlē, IPA: /ˈstiːli/; plural: stelae, στῆλαι, stēlai, IPA:
/ˈstiːlaɪ/; also found: Latinized singular stela and Anglicized
plural steles) is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it
is wide, erected for funerary or commemorative purposes, most
usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or
living—inscribed, carved in relief (bas-relief, sunken-relief,
high-relief, etc), or painted onto the slab. Stelae were a
common feature of most Mayan, and other Mesoamerican cultures, as
well as the ancient cultures of Nicaragua such as the Contales
columns, or Peru such as the Moche and Sechin cultures. |
