Comparative Analysis of the Aztec, Inca and Mayan Civilization
Introduction
Pre-Columbian civilizations in Latin America are considered to have been highly organized and intricately built in terms of economic activity, social classification, political structures and mode of governance, as well as, their relationships with neighboring societies. Among these civilizations, Aztecs, Incas and Mayans have garnered immense research interest. They are revered for having practiced farming, raised armies, adopted organized religions, established social structures, and embraced methodical modes of political administration. The Mayan civilization thrived in Central America between 250CE and 900CE, long before the emergence of the Aztec and Inca empires. The Aztec flourished in Central America between what is present day Mexico from 1200 to 1521 CE, while the Inca occupied South America along the Andes Mountains between 1200 and 1572 CE. This paper examines these civilizations, noting that they a range of commonalities, such as engaging in farming as an economic activity, rising to gain social dominance in their respective surroundings, and political ideology/organization.
Food Production
In terms of economic activity, all three civilizations engaged in farming. Mayan agriculture is purported to have laid the foundation for this civilization. In spite of the fact that the lands in which they lived was not conducive to crop growing, their farming techniques allowed them to produce staple crops, particularly corn or maize, beans, chili pepper, and squash. They managed to produce surplus food for trade by putting in place techniques such as use of underground reservoirs, crop rotation, and slash/burn techniques. Mayans also increased the capacity of their agricultural systems through raised fields, terraces, and household gardens, making it possible to produce surpluses for their high demands.
The Aztecs also farmed corn, squash, and beans, but went a step further to farm vegetables such as tomatoes. Just like the Mayans’ their lands were in drought-prone areas characterized by poor soils. They managed to produce surplus food by building floating islands through swamp reclamation; a farming system referred to as chinampas. This was in addition to using terracing, as a ways of conserving moisture.
Just like the preceding two civilizations, agriculture was of critical importance to the Inca. Geographically positions in the Andes close to rivers, they had elaborate irrigation systems and also practiced terrace farming. Incas further utilized guano, compost from birds and bat waste, to increase soil fertility. The Incas grew corn, potatoes as staple foods, as well as, cotton. Overall, with in-depth understanding of soil drainage, irrigation techniques, and importance of fertilizers, they had the capacity to produce food in large amounts.
Social Classification and Political Governance
Mayan civilization was characterized by different classes of people in well-organized city states. The city states had kings and queens at the apex of the hierarchy. With lower rungs occupied by social classes such as warriors, followed by farmers and their families, and the lowest comprising of prisoners. Given the religious nature of the Mayan civilization, judging from the majestic temples, it is assumed that priesthood was highly revered, with heirs to the kingship and sons of lords taking on the role of priests. The Aztecs also had different social classes, with an overall powerful emperor. Unlike the Mayans whose city states shared political authority despite being headed by kings, the Aztecs’ government was highly centralized. There was stratification into upper, middle and low classes. The upper class comprised of elite warriors and individuals in other government supporting functions, while the middle class had commoners and typical peasants that could fight or work their way up, while the lowest class consisted of slaves and pawns. Finally, the Inca were also under a monarchial political system, with at least two lords overseeing about 12 ethnic groups.
Conquering Neighbors
War was an inherent part of the three civilizations. For Mayans, war was for tribute hence the great reverence for warriors. For the Incas, war was for conquest, while for the Aztecs it was both for tribute and conquest, thus involving both warriors and captives. The Incas were renowned for conquering large swaths of land and having pre-planned the conquest, managed to bring the acquired lands to thriving state, as later praised by the Spaniard colonists. As a result, the Incas were considered to be considerably advanced, instead using tactical means to study and lure the enemies to their side, before meting out serious punishment in case of resistance. Apparently, the Incas could send out scouts to survey their enemies prior to launching a strategic attack. This allowed them to carefully gauge the situation and prepare sufficiently through building fortifications and ensuring that their opponents would not receive any support. Incas further allowed rulers of target communities to maintain their leadership roles and although all the conquered groups had to worship the sun god as per Incan beliefs, they could still practice their religious and cultural customs. The Aztec rulers on the other hand were known for establishing alliances, although they did not appear to have a sustainable plan for expanded empires. Therefore, unlike the Mayans and Aztecs whose primary focus when conquering neighbors was for tribute and captives, the Incas were more strategic, hence the thriving empires from the Spaniards’ account.
Civilization Decline
Ultimately, the three civilizations declined and came to an end. The Mayans abandoned their cities and virtually disappeared. The end of the Mayan civilization is often linked to environmental constraints. It is argued that their lands could not sustain them following rampant population growth and accompanying misuse of land. On the other hand, the Aztec civilization was crippled by the death of the king and dismantling of leadership following the Spanish invasion. The same applied to the Inca civilization, which was dealt a significant blow by civil war and eventually the Spanish conquest.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Mayan, Aztec, and Inca civilization had more commonalities than differences. They all practiced farming in large scale, with all using terracing as a way of conserving land. However, the Aztecs and Incas had more advanced farming techniques as characterized by better understanding of drainage, irrigation, and soil fertilization. In terms of social and political organization, the three also had notably hierarchical structures with different social classes and kings at the top of the hierarchy. Nonetheless, unlike the Aztec and Inca that developed into empires, the Maya had distinct city states operated autonomously. They diversely used war to advance their interests, with Incas portrayed as more strategic about their conquests. Ultimately, these civilizations left behinds legacies that resonate to the modern world. In addition to providing insight into organized political administration, they put to use agricultural practices that were before their time highlighting the importance of continued innovativeness. The civilizations, especially the Mayans, who had to abandon their vast cities serve, also show the need for caution in environment usage, especially at a time rife with environmental degradation and accompanying climate change.
Works Cited
- Birx, James. 21st Century Anthropology: A Reference Handbook. New York, NY: SAGE. 2010.
- Cieza, Pedro. How the Incas Achieved so Much. The Incas of Pedro de Cieza de Leon. Oklahoma Press.
- Lovgren, Stefan. Climate Change Killed off Maya Civilization, Study Says. National Geographic News. 2003.
- Bushnell Geoffrey and Murray John. Pre-Columbian Civilizations. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. 2019. https://www.britannica.com/topic/pre-Columbian-civilizations
