The Olmec civilization dominated what is now Southern Mexico from roughly 1500 BCE to 400 BCE, laying the groundwork for the later civilizations of the Maya and Aztec. The most familiar and most impressive part of their civilization that has survived are basalt sculptures of heads that weigh between 6 and 50 tons, and which took extraordinary coordination to have the stones moved and sculpted into their proper forms.

The Aztec Sun Stone (also known as the Aztec Calendar Stone) is an elaborately carved stone disk that represents a link between humanity and the divine through the current ruler of the Aztec Empire at the time of its carving. It is not a working calendar. It may also have at some point been anointed with blood sacrifices to please the gods the Aztecs believed in.

Atlantean figures have been found in various different areas of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, most notably in Hidalgo, Mexico, which was previously occupied by the Toltecs. Their purpose is generally as support pillars. Atlantean refers to the Titan god Atlas, from Ancient Greek mythology, who was doomed to hold up the heavens for all eternity. They are generally carved to represent fierce, bellicose men. When the Aztecs found these pillars after the Toltecs abandoned their city, they imagined that the pillars represented their own gods, and considered the city divine.

Image accessed at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Telamones_Tula.jpg

Photograph by Luidger

The term "Pre-Columbian" refers to a time before European colonization of the Americas. The term can be deconstructed as "Before Columbus," as Christopher Columbus' arrival to the Americas is seen as the beginning of European influence in what was then known as the "new world."

The Aztecs occupied a large portion of central Mexico and Mesoamerica from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century. They were the last surviving major civilization of the Mesoamerica by the time that Spanish sailors invaded the area. Much is known about their art and culture, as they were (historically-speaking) very recently conquered by Spain. Although Spain did destroy a very large amount of their artwork and culture as part of their takeover of Latin America, much remains, and was later studied.

Shiva is depicted asymmetrically. Three hands gesture to his right while one hand gestures to his left. In addition, his left leg is raised to his right while his other leg is rooted firmly to the ground. Shiva's front left hand, which points to his raised left foot, signifies refuge for the troubled soul.

Sandstone was one of the most easily obtainable building materials in the region and was often employed in works commissioned by Ashoka.

Image: Great Stupa at Sanchi commissioned by Emperor Ashoka, c. 300 BCE–100 CE. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanchi#/media/File:Sanchi_Stupa_from_Eastern_gate,_Madhya_Pradesh.jpg.

The Gates bears a strong resemblance to Japanese Torii gates. They are often found at the entrance to Shinto shrines, and traditionally Japanese businessmen would buy them to pay tribute to the god Inari (the god of prosperity).

Image accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gates#/media/File:FushimiInariTorii.jpg

Image accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gates#/media/File:Gates_a.jpg

Angkor Wat, meaning City Temple, is the world's largest religious monument. It is located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was built for Vishnu, a main Hindu god. 

The mausoleum the First Emperor built in the Qin Dynasty was filled with over 7,000 terracotta statues of warriors, horses, and chariots. Archeologists also found jade jewelry and gold and silver ornaments. High levels of mercury were found in the mausoleum and indicate that it ran in troughs all throughout the building.