The Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations built three powerful ancient cultures that thrived in Mexico and throughout South America hundreds or even thousands of years ago.
The Maya
The oldest among these is the Maya, who lived on the Yucatán Peninsula. Their name comes from the city of Mayapan, an ancient site in Yucatán. The Maya inhabited agricultural villages and cities in Central America from nearly 3000 years ago (starting around 250 AD). They constructed magnificent pyramids (that’s right, Egypt is not the only place with pyramids!) and large buildings (called plazas) made from gigantic stone columns.
The materials used by the Maya to build their grand structures were sourced from limestone quarries in the Yucatán Peninsula. The volcanoes located in the southern part of the island produced a type of nutrient-rich volcanic soil, ideal for agriculture. The land of the Maya stretched from Mexico to Central America.
Maya Pyramid.
Despite being an ancient civilization, there are still Maya people living in the very areas where their ancestors once thrived. Many of them still speak ancient Maya languages. At one time, there were rumors that the Maya civilization had completely vanished, but this is not true. Although modern life may differ from the past, many contemporary Maya still perform rituals identical to those of their ancestors.
You may have heard about the mysteries surrounding Maya culture, often centered on the end of the calendar system they created, which was said to conclude on December 21, 2012. Many believed this was a warning sign of the apocalypse, yet we are still here. Why? Because the Maya calendar did not actually end on that date.
The Maya had their own belief system, beginning with the idea that nothing is born and nothing truly dies. When you “die,” you continue to live; you merely move on. They had temples dedicated to their own deities, as well as concepts related to “hell” and “heaven.”
The Maya had a government and ruling kings. Their civilization was divided into cities. They had laws, but no prisons. Instead of being incarcerated, offenders were tried and punished in one of the following ways:
- 1. Required to pay a fine
- 2. Enslaved
- 3. Humiliated
- 4. Executed
The Inca
The Inca built an empire in Peru around the year 1200, and they thrived for over 300 years thereafter. Although the Inca no longer exist today, their modern descendants in Peru still practice many cultural rituals learned from their predecessors.
When you visit Peru, you will feel as if you have stepped back into the era of the Inca as you admire their stone structures and explore the silk weaving culture passed down through generations. Even though the Spanish invaded the Inca in 1523, their stories and way of life have not been erased from history. The Spanish preserved the art, culture, and events of the Inca up to the present day.
Machu Picchu ruins.
A must-visit site for anyone interested in Inca history is Machu Picchu. It is a stronghold that was once home to the Inca ruler, Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui. Machu Picchu is located on a mountain and was built in the 15th century, but it wasn’t discovered until 1911. The Inca were likely the largest empire to ever exist in the Americas.
The Inca had a powerful military force, and their government enforced strict regulations on the populace. Like modern societies, they established mandatory laws. They had their own language and calendar system. Many Peruvians still speak Quechua, the original language of the Inca.
You might think that roads are a modern invention, but the Inca constructed thousands of miles of roads, bridges, and tunnels. To mitigate hunger, the Inca developed irrigation systems to bring water to farms located in hilly areas.
The Aztec
The Aztec civilization is perhaps the most vibrant among the three ancient civilizations discussed here, known for its artistic and sculptural works. They lived in central Mexico from the 14th to the 16th century. The capital of the Aztec was Tenochtitlan, which is present-day Mexico City.
Like the Maya and Inca, the Aztec had a rich agricultural system. They cultivated corn and built magnificent temples akin to those of the Maya and Inca. Similar to the Inca, the Aztec possessed a powerful warrior army – conquerors with the skills to win in every battle.
The Aztec referred to themselves as Mexica.
While we call them “Aztec,” the Aztec people referred to themselves as Mexica. They spoke Nahuatl, and in their indigenous language, the term “Aztec” describes those who came from the legendary area of Aztlan in southern Mexico.
During the time of the Aztec, the royalty held the throne, and their empire resembled those in European history. The Aztec population was ethnically diverse, but the government was not strictly regulated – in fact, their system of governance leaned towards tribute. They conquered neighboring nations and provided them with improved livelihoods. However, this came with a rather grim practice: the sacrifice of living beings during all 18 annual festivals (the Inca also practiced human sacrifice, though not to such an extent).
The Spanish conquered the Aztec in 1521, erasing them from the earth. However, the Nahuatl language continues to be spoken by the Indigenous people of Mexico, and Aztec culture is preserved by their descendants. The Spanish conquerors plundered the treasures of the Aztec, which were later discovered in the ruins of the Aztec capital, now Mexico City.
Conclusion
From treasure hunts, ancient deities, beautiful works of art, to ancient ruins (with architecture that still awes modern society), the aforementioned ancient civilizations have left us with many precious legacies to enjoy and learn from. Perhaps the skills in building roads, homes, and agricultural structures that we modern people know were partly inherited from these ancient peoples.
