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Mesoamerica

Left; A cacao tree with fruit pods in various stages of ripening. Right; Ripe cacao ready to pick.	Source: Left, Public Domain, Right, Pantira/Adobe Stock

Scientists Map the Genetic Evolution of Cacao to Chocolate

Researchers have mapped the ancient dispersal of the cacao or cocoa plant from South America to Central America. Not only did they discover the plant was a central commodity in ancient trading, but...
Aztec daily life seen in the Mural of the Aztec market of Tlatelolco by Diego Rivera. Palacio Nacional, Mexico City. Source: Diego Rivera/CC BY-SA 3.0

Daily Life of the Aztecs: A Blend of Agriculture, Hierarchy, and Culture

In the history of the Mesoamerican civilizations, the Aztecs occupy a major position. A lot of their history is known to us, mostly because of their contact with the Spanish conquistadors. But we...
Top image:  Moche pottery depicting copulation.  Museo Larco – Lima, Perú

Sexuality and Nudity in Ancient Mesoamerica

The ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica left behind a rich artistic legacy that continues to captivate and intrigue modern scholars and enthusiasts. Among the myriad of themes that Mesoamerican art...
A Mayan woman in a sweat lodge. Source: Peopleimages - AI / Adobe Stock.

Shocking Weird Things That Were Normal for Mayans! (Video)

The Mayan civilization , known for its enigmatic rituals, had customs that may baffle us today. Their saunas, rather than places of relaxation, were considered gateways to the afterlife. Blood...
The Olmec mask in The Met Collection. Public Domain.

Uncovering the Met’s 3,000-Year-Old Olmec Mask (Video)

This ancient Olmec face, on display at the Met, stands as a remarkable exhibit that underscores the enduring power of art and the intriguing craftsmanship of the Olmec culture. While commonly labeled...
Aztec warriors. Source: Arthur / Adobe Stock.

The Ancient Aztec Took Hygiene Very Seriously (Video)

Thanks to their penchant for human sacrifice the Aztecs have a rather gruesome reputation, but what was their hygiene like? As it turns out, they upheld remarkable standards of hygiene. Their...
Mexico’s 600-Year-Old Dance of the Flying Men (Video)

Mexico’s 600-Year-Old Dance of the Flying Men (Video)

For six centuries, the vibrant skies above Papantla, Mexico , have been graced by the enduring tradition of the Danza de los Voladores (Dance of the Flyers). This captivating spectacle unfolds as a...
Detail of the Huastec statue which was discovered in Mexico. Source: INAH

Statue of Huastec ‘Boss’ Found by Road Workers in Mexico

Road works in Hidalgo, Mexico, hit a snag when workers unearthed a rare stone statue. Turns out, it's a boss-level indigenous ruler who got relocated for his own safety, according to Mexican...
Mayan ball game. Source: Sputnik / CC by SA 2.5

Juego de Pelota: Ancient Mayan Sporting Tradition Resurrected (Video)

In Mexico, a dedicated group of athletes is embarking on a remarkable mission: to revive an ancient sporting tradition that pays tribute to the game once cherished by their ancestors. The...
Olmec stone head. Source: marmoset / Adobe Stock.

The Olmecs: Mesoamerica’s Forgotten Mother Culture (Video)

Long before the Maya and Aztecs rose to prominence, the Olmec civilization flourished in Mexico and Central America, leaving behind an enduring legacy. Often hailed as the " mother culture " of...
Carvings on the peak of the El Castillo pyramid (Structure A6) at Xunantunich, Belize (cjuneau /CC BY-SA 2.0)

11,000 Years Of Ancient Culture In Belize

Not even 50 years ago, Belize, in Central America, gained independence on September 21, 1981, but its history dates back to 9,000 years. In prehistory the territory was home to several ancient...
Human remains of the burials found of the Huastec people of Mexico. Source: INAH

Archaeologists Unearth Trinket Filled Tombs from Mexico’s Huastec Culture

Archaeologists working on a site in southern Tamaulipas, Mexico, known as El Naranjo, have discovered tombs and ruins from Mesoamerica's Classic period (250 AD to 900 AD). The remains include...
A modern depiction of the Aztec fertility goddess Tlaltecuhtli. Source: Public Domain

Tlaltecuhtli: Fearsome Fertility Goddess of the Aztecs

Tlaltecuhtli was a Mesoamerican earth goddess predominantly worshiped by the Aztec people. In most religions, fertility goddesses are depicted as the culture's epitome of beauty, like Aphrodite of...
A Maya lord forbids an individual from touching a container of chocolate. (Public Domain)

Six Sexy Semi-Divine Superfoods Of Ancient South America

One need not search too long ago into South American history to identify a range of consumable drinks that would challenge and defeat, hands down, any of their modern derivatives - which are mostly...
Replica of a sculpture made by the Olmecs, the ancient rubber people of Mesoamerica. Source: Stoica / Adobe Stock

The Ancient Rubber People of Mesoamerica

Ancient civilizations in Mexico and Central America were making rubber decades before Michelin ever entered into business. For the Aztecs, Maya, and Olmecs, rubber production was a central part of...
Central Mayapan showing the K’uk’ulkan and Round temples. Source: Bradley Russell / Nature

Drought-Induced Conflict Caused Collapse of 15th Century Maya Capital

An international assembly of scientists with impressive credentials in a diverse range of fields has completed an extensive study of climate change in the post-classical Maya Empire, which existed...
El Tepozteco temple in Mexico. Source: Tolo / Adobe Stock

El Tepozteco – The Aztec Temple Dedicated to the Drunken Rabbit God

On a lonely peak of the Sierra de Tepoztelan in the state of Morelos in Mexico stands the Aztec temple of El Tepozteco. The temple is dedicated to an unusual deity, Ometochtli - Tepoztecatl, one of...
INAH collaborates in the exploration of a submerged Maya city in Lake Atitlán, in Guatemala.	Source: INAH

Maya City Sunk in Lake Atitlán Explored By Underwater Archaeologists

In the placid waters of Central America’s deepest lake, an international team of scientists has been engaged in an exciting multi-year research project. Under the authority of Mexico’s National...
Temple of Kukulcán, Chichen Itza, Mexico.	Source: Pixabay

New Research Shows Maya Civilization Could Have Survived Droughts

Did the great Maya civilization collapse because of drought-related crop failures and starvation? New research has raised significant doubts about the viability of that theory, which in recent years...
Flotation survey at the Ek Way Nal Maya salt making site in Belize, with flags marking the locations of wooden posts below the sea surface. 		Source: Heather McKillop / Ancient Mesoamerica journal

Maya Salt Makers in Belize Worked From Home, Reveals Study

A fresh analysis of artifacts collected from a salt-making facility submerged beneath a lagoon in Belize has revealed enlightening details about the organization and functioning of the Maya salt...
A photo composition of the nearly 14 known megalithic stone slabs from the site of San Miguel Ixtapan. 	Source: Marco M. Vigato

Precision Stone Carvings of San Miguel Ixtapan – the Mexican Tiwanaku?

Over the past century, dozens of carved megalithic stone slabs of unknown origin and function have been uncovered in the southern part of the state of Mexico and the north of Guerrero, mostly around...
Olmec and Maya architecture have more than a few things in common as has been recently revealed by a massive LiDAR survey project in southern Mexico. The Olmecs came first but the Mayas copied their approach to ritual architecture. This image shows a Maya building in the Lamanai archaeological reserve in Belize.		Source: vadim.nefedov / Adobe Stock

Aerial Survey Reveals Hundreds of Olmec and Maya Sites in Mexico

Researchers from the University of Arizona recently completed a groundbreaking and breathtaking aerial survey of large areas of southern Mexico that were once occupied by Olmec and Maya civilizations...
The ruined pyramids at Tzintzuntzan. Source: Secretaría de Turismo de Michoacán

The Pyramids of Tzintzuntzan: Vestiges of the Purépecha Empire

On the banks of Lake Pátzcuaro in Mexico, the stone ruins of Tzintzuntzan pay homage to the great capital of the pre-Columbian Purépecha civilization which existed from the 14th to the 16th century...
Maya Cities Had Unique Neotropical Forest Parks Says New Study

Maya Cities Had Unique Neotropical Forest Parks Says New Study

The Maya civilization was renowned for its progress in the fields of art, architecture, mathematics, astronomy, and the calendar systems. Part of their highly developed architecture is missing even...

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