Religion is just one of many influences on architecture throughout history. The need for religion to be reflected in architecture drove innovation and inspired many different styles. It is fascinating to learn that religions separated by miles, even oceans, developed their architecture in similar ways. This similarity can be seen in the pyramids found in Egypt and Mesoamerica. This essay will discuss the influence religion had on the construction of the Mayan and Egyptian pyramids. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In both Egypt and Mesoamerica, the pyramids had a strong connection to their culture and the afterlife. The Egyptian pyramid complexes represented the rebirth of the king "unto eternal life in heaven". These complexes were built with the intention of helping the king transition to the afterlife. The Mayan pyramids were built on nine levels to represent the nine levels of the Mayan underworld visible in Fig. 1b. Likewise, the Egyptian pyramids are often linked to the idea of ​​a stairway to heaven. Ancient Egypt is studied from 3100 BC to 641 AD while Mesoamerica is studied from 500 AD to 1521 AD. There is little overlap between the two cultures, which is fascinating when looking at their similarities. From what remains of the Egyptian pyramids during the First Dynasty and Old Kingdom (3100 - 2150 BC), they appear to have been uniformly built, with four identical sides, minus the entrance. The tallest stone in the pyramid was believed to be the king's eye, from which he could observe his kingdom. Inside the pyramids were boats for the king's journey to the afterlife and "air shafts" leading outside. This is an example of the integration of the religious beliefs of the Egyptians and the purpose of the pyramids. The pyramids were both intended to aid the king in the afterlife and to provide them with a connection to the earthly plane. In contrast, the Mayan pyramids have two religious connections. Like the Egyptians, the Maya used the pyramids as funerary spaces. However, the Maya built their pyramids to imitate the mountain landscape. The altepetl, also known as the water mountain, connected the groundwater and the sky through stepped pyramids. These mountains were considered sacred. This in turn would be an influential aspect of the appearance of the pyramids they build, as they are also used as sacred spaces. Looking at the Egyptian and Mayan pyramids side by side, the Mayan pyramids appear to be a baroque version of the Egyptian pyramids. In a side by side comparison, the Pyramid of Kheops is very simple and has a perfect pyramid shape. In contrast, Temple 1 is much more ornate with a staircase leading up to the temple and very clear steps. This may be because there is a richer connection to the afterlife shown by the Mayan pyramids, with an obvious physical representation of the layers of the afterlife. While the connection of the Egyptian pyramids with the afterlife is demonstrated by what they contain inside them. Both pyramids contain inscriptions and paintings within the walls of the structures that explain not only who is buried there and their accomplishments, but also their beliefs about the afterlife. For Egyptian pyramids, the connection to the afterlife shown through the interior is much more discreet, while Mayan pyramids incorporate their beliefs into the actual design of the structure. Not to say the Egyptians didn't do this too, their pyramids were built with extreme precision to replicate the heavens. But if we look at the pyramids side by side, the Egyptian pyramids appear to be the precursors of the Mayan pyramids. It seems that the Mayans used the same context for. 833-854