The Mausoleum Architectural Project: Reinterpreting Palenque's Temple of the Inscriptions Through 3d Data-Driven Architectural Analysis

Abstract

The Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque, Mexico, is an outstanding example of Classic Maya architecture erected in the seventh century as the funerary building for ruler K'inich Janab Pakal. For decades, scholars have speculated on its construction sequence and the potential existence of hidden rooms on either side of Pakal's mortuary chamber. This article aims to advance understanding of the Temple's architectural context in light of new 3D data. After reviewing the application of drone-based photogrammetry and terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging in the Maya area, we argue that these techniques are capable of enhancing the architectural analysis of the Temple of the Inscriptions and showing that this structure was part of a larger architectural project, encompassing the adjacent Temple XIII, and the connecting stepped building platform. Our findings demonstrate that the basal platforms for the Temple of the Inscriptions and Temple XIII were erected contemporaneously and that the design of their mortuary chambers follows a tripartite layout we identified in Palenque's elite funerary architecture and associated mortuary practices. We conclude that these three buildings were part of a mausoleum architectural project, the construction of which was initiated by Pakal to reshape Palenque's site-core and enshrine the ruling family's power and ancestors.

Understanding taphonomy through 3D and 2D records: a case study from the tropical Maya area

“…Using digital photogrammetry, archaeologists have extensively demonstrated the utility of producing 3D virtual visualization of stratigraphic excavations (Berggren et al, 2015;Charquero Ballester & López Lillo, 2012;De Reu et al, 2013;Howland, 2018;Lercari, 2018;Losier et al, 2007;Nigro et al, 2003). Recently, our team at Palenque proved the viability of merging digital photogrammetric and 3D laser scanning data with "legacy data" (i.e., drawings and maps produced by earlier excavations and topographic surveys), to provide new hypotheses on the construction of the so-called Mausoleum Architectural Project, a constructive effort that involved the building of earlier phases of the Temple of Inscriptions and Temple XIII (Campiani et al, 2021).…”

Building Cultural Heritage Resilience through Remote Sensing: An Integrated Approach Using Multi-Temporal Site Monitoring, Datafication, and Web-GL Visualization

“…This study employed well-established geospatial and 3D capture techniques, such as topographic surveying by total station and differential GPS, stationary TLS [62,63], SLAMbased scanning [64][65][66], ground and drone-based IBM to produce 3D models [67][68][69], high-resolution ortho maps, Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), and Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) that can be analyzed in a GIS or CAD environment for further analysis [70][71][72]. A multi-temporal site monitoring methodology was developed to detect decay, material loss, non-structural issues in specific historic buildings and significant areas over time.…”

Filtering and Enhancement Method of Ancient Architectural Decoration Image based on Neural Network

“…Ancient buildings are one of the most important cultural heritages left over by the history of various countries, marking the national civilization, the pride of various countries and the wealth of all mankind [1][2]. The comprehensive protection of ancient buildings is conducive to the promotion of national traditional culture and can benefit future generations of mankind.…”