Do You Know These Mesoamerican Civilizations?

The Zapotec people developed the first writing system and the first written calendar in Mesoamerica. Calendars and timekeeping were an important facet of the shared culture. The Zapotec system consisted of two interlinked calendars: a 260-day sacred calendar and a 365-day solar calendar. These were often marked on stone steles, charting the beginning of the world and key historical events.

Amate paper is made by stripping the bark from mulberry, nettle, or wild fig trees. The bark is cleaned and boiled, then beaten flat and left to dry in the sun. This papermaking technology was central to Aztec culture, but it was banned by the Spanish conquistadors, who thought it was used for magic. Fortunately, the craft was not lost, and amate continues to be made in the region today.

Quetzalcoatl, the god of the winds and rain, was an important Aztec deity. Statues and drawings of Quetzalcoatl depict him as half rattlesnake, half bird. Legend holds that Quetzalcoatl, a patron of knowledge and learning, invented books and the calendar. He was also linked to Venus, the morning star, and because of this was a symbol of death and resurrection.

The Mesoamerican sport known simply as the ballgame was played across the region in a number of forms. The exact rules differed from place to place, but the essential elements of a rubber ball and a long open court were universal. Many urban centers had their own courts, and the remains of more than 1,500 courts have been found across Mesoamerica, including one of the largest at Chichén Itzá.

The enormous stone heads carved by the ancient Olmecs first came to the attention of the wider world in the early 20th century, revealing the artistic skill of the culture. To date, 17 stone heads have been discovered, ranging in size from 5 to 12 feet tall and weighing up to 60 tons.

The Olmecs are often considered the “mother culture” of Mesoamerica, as archaeological evidence suggests they were the first great civilization in the region. The Olmecs were based largely in southern Mexico, from around 1200 to 400 BCE. The name translates as “rubber people,” because they were the first to extract latex from rubber trees and mix it with the juice of a vine to create rubber.

Mesoamerican civilizations were pioneers of agriculture, domesticating a number of important crops including maize, vanilla, avocado, and beans. Food was grown in irrigated fields in the tropical lowlands and transported to the large urban centers. Alongside crops, Mesoamerican farmers also raised turkeys, dogs, and ducks.

Mesoamerica, meaning “middle America,” refers to the geographic region covering the modern countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Historically, the region was populated by a number of civilizations with shared cultural characteristics. These included a common calendar, pantheon of deities, and building style.

The ancient city of Teotihuacán flourished more than 2,000 years ago, and was inhabited by several Mesoamerican cultures. Its current name was given by the Aztecs; in Nahuatl, it translates to “City of the Gods.” Teotihuacán was abandoned around 750 CE, but many impressive buildings survive, including the famous Pyramid of the Moon. Located outside Mexico City, the ruins are now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Chichén Itzá was a major political and economic center of the Maya civilization. By 600 CE, the city was densely packed with homes, temples, and shops, covering an area of two square miles, with stone buildings linked by numerous paved streets. Located in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, the Chichén Itzá ruins are an important heritage site today.