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There were many great civilizations in Mesoamerica and the Andean region. This section focuses on the Inca in the Andes region and the Maya in Mesoamerica (Figure 15‑34). The earliest Andean civilization was in 3200 BC. Civilizations were in Mesoamerica since 1800 BC.
As with Egyptians and Sumerians, Mesoamerican and the Andean civilizations built huge pyramids (Figure 15‑35). The Maya developed mathematics, an accurate calendar, and a hieroglyphic writing system. This was the only writing system in Mesoamerica. As with early Sumeria, the culture generally consisted of city-states; however, the region was united as an empire for brief periods. Although the empire no longer exists, there are still 7 million Mayan people alive today. The Mayan cultures were ruled by kings, who were considered to be semi-divine. The society was divided into elites (10%) and commoners (90%). As with other civilizations with city-states, there was periodic war between cities. Trade was a key part of the Mayan Civilization, with frequent long-distance trade. Gold and turquoise were imported from Columbia and New Mexico, respectively. There were no pack animals so all trade goods were carried by human porters. The staple foods of the Mayans were maize (corn), beans, and squash. There is evidence of complex farming systems.
Figure 15‑34. Mayan region. Credit: Simon Burchell. Used here per CC BY-SA 4.0.
Figure 15‑35. Mayan El Castillo pyramid. Credit: Daniel Schwen. Used here per CC BY-SA 4.0
Figure 15‑36. Incan region. Credit L’Americain. Used here per CC BY-SA 3.0.
The Inca Empire ( Figure 15‑36) was the last of the Andean civilizations. Although most of the Andean civilizations were in river valleys to the west of the Andes, the most famous Incan site is Machu Picchu in the mountains (Figure 15‑37). It was an amazing example of Incan engineering. They used bricks but no mortar. This was possible because they precisely cut the stones. The fit was so precise that the blocks vibrate during the many earthquakes in the region, but the walls do not fall apart. One of the most amazing aspects of the construction of Machu Picchu is that the Incans had no wheeled vehicles or draft animals.
The staple food of the Incans was chuno, which was derived from potatoes. The Incan culture was destroyed by the Spanish in the 16th century.
Figure 15‑37. Incan site Machu Picchu. Credit: Martin St-Amant. Used here per CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Inca "Sacred Valley." Credit: Emmanuel Dayan. Used here per CC BY 2.0.
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