This Is What The 4 Main Mesoamerican Cultures Were Like
Much is said, vaguely, about the aboriginal cultures of the American continent, especially in the center and south of it. The Mayan or Aztec cultures are the most important historically, due to the great influence they had. However, there are more than a dozen Mesoamerican civilizations and cultures which are more than 20,000 BC years old in some cases.
According to the findings and archaeological experts, Mesoamerican cultures existed in this area of the planet, such as the Huastecs, Tlaxcalans, Chichimecas, Toltecs and Zapotecs, among others. In this sense, it seems America was discovered long before the arrival of Christopher Columbus (1492) and the Spanish Empire that arrived to establish its bases due to the wealth of these lands.
As we have indicated in the introduction, Mesoamerican culture or civilization dates back to pre-Hispanic times in the regions that now make up countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica. The beginning of cultural and demographic proliferation occurred during the thaw, around the year 7000 BC, a fact that led to the development of agricultural activity so that the inhabitants could subsist.
As the years (millennia) passed and as the different Aboriginal communities evolved, other more complex skills were developed, such as architecture and the establishment of cities. As happened in the beginnings of almost any type of society, it also the foundations of a religion in which to lean perform rituals and worship the gods who were asked for help in difficult times.
Although it may seem that these societies emerged at the same time, research points to a temporal disparity between them. Below you will find a brief explanation of the most important Mesoamerican cultures.
1. Aztecs
Curiously, in the beginning the Aztecs They were considered an inferior Mesoamerican culture due to their nomadic nature, until the 15th century arrived and they decided to establish their own empire. They worked the land to improve cultivation, built boats to use for fishing and invented an irrigation system to supply water to the territory where they governed.
The Aztecs began to use the term Mexihco, which in their language means “in the navel of the moon”, whose city – which ended up being the capital – founded in 1325 as Tenochtitlán, would end up being the current capital of Mexico. As the dominant tribe, the Aztecs decided to assimilate the weaker ones, creating a homogeneous community that would end up bringing together 38 provinces all of them tax for the development of the economy.
The religion they professed has been considered bloodthirsty due to the offerings they had to make to their gods, which often involved the sacrifice of human lives, prisoners of tribal wars or even family members. According to their belief, they had to feed the god of the sun, fertility and water in order to survive.
2. Mayans
This is one of the most brilliant civilizations of the Mesoamerican cultures. This exceptional characteristic is attributed to them because they influenced the development of knowledge in the region. Regarding the American continent, From them came astrology, mathematics or writing The Mayans were at the same time considered the trading community par excellence, and were pioneers with cocoa, silk and cotton cultivation.
The religion was equally polytheistic, referring to the worship of various gods, especially that of corn, which was the basic source of income and food. Coinciding with the Aztec culture, human sacrifice is also resorted to to please the gods, especially to avoid chaos and destruction.
3. Olmecs
The Olmec culture can be considered the mother of the previous two, the architect of what the settlement of Mesoamerican cultures encompasses. They are credited with the creation of writing and epigraphy, the invention of zero and the Mesoamerican calendar Regarding the artistic section, the Olmec culture is easily distinguished from the rest, since its most emblematic iconography is made up of large statues in the shape of heads.
Olmec society was governed exclusively based on theological laws. It is considered a theocracy of antiquity The worship of the gods (it was also polytheistic) was represented in temples dedicated to them and sculptures of idolatry. In addition, there was an authority to regulate the creed: the figure of the Shaman, the equivalent of the Roman Pope.
4. Teotihuacan Culture
Perhaps it is the least known and most enigmatic civilization of all of them, since It is believed to have disappeared long before the Spanish invasion There is very little data about her. The knowledge we have of the Teotihuacans arises from the founding of the city of Teotihuacán, which means “place of the gods.”
Archaeological work led to the discovery of the city, which at its peak was considered a prestigious metropolis and the nerve center of Mesoamerica. Religion once again takes a tremendous role in this civilization, and the temples of Quetzalcoatl, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, are witnesses of this.
