User:Cornsnek/sandbox/Science and technology in Mesoamerica

Science and technology in Mesoamerica deals with the scientific, technological, and mathematical activity, discoveries, and achievements of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican peoples and civilizations, including the Olmec, Zapotec, Teotihuacan, Maya, and Aztec. Mesoamerican civilizations and the technologies they developed show many stark contrasts to those of Eurasia. Mesoamericans never developed ironworking, draft animals, practical wheeled vehicles, or phonetic alphabets, for example. However, Mesoamericans developed hydraulic cement concrete, aqueducts and pressurized water plumbing, advanced water filtration system s, place-value numerals (including zero), and polymers such as vulcanized rubber and lacquer, among many others.

Mathematics, astronomy, and calendrics
See also: Mesoamerican calendars, Maya astronomy and Maya numerals

Mesoamerican peoples used sophisticated naked-eye observations of heavenly bodies to align architectural and engineering achievements, to create calendars, and to engage in purer versions of the science of astronomy. At the time of Spanish contact, the Maya had a more accurate estimate of the length of the year than the civilization that would conquer them did at the time.

Agriculture
Main article: Agriculture in Mesoamerica



Agriculture in Mesoamerica included forest gardens, milpas, and extremely productive raised fields known as chinampas. Many crops were first developed by Mesoamericans, chief among them maize, which has been called mankind's greatest genetic engineering achievement to date. The Three Sisters—namely maize, beans, and squash—formed the core of Mesoamerican agriculture and diet, but other crops included chia, amaranth, tomatoes, black sapote, cotton, and many others. Due to a lack of suitable animals, no Mesoamerican peoples domesticated large livestock as existed in the Old World, but smaller animals such as stingless bees, pocket gophers, axolotols, insects, and snails made up a significant portion of the diet of Mesoamericans.

Stone tool technology
Mesoamerican stone tool technology was dominated by obsidian and pressure flaking. However, the Maya also made extensive use of small jade tools, and ground stone was also important in forming tools such as manos and metates.

Ceramics
Mesoamerican ceramics consist of various styles of pottery, formed through hand-building or made through molds; the potter's wheel was never developed anywhere in Mesoamerica. Thin-orange ware was a characteristic style of Teotihuacan, which produced it in great abundance throughout the city's existence during the Classic Period.

Engineering and architecture
Mesoamerican engineering and architectural achievements are many, and include cast-in-place concrete, the world's longest bridge span for a time, and the world's largest pyramid by volume.

Hydraulic engineering
Maya engineers applied hydraulic cement concrete to form chultuns, a type of subsurface reservoir for storing water during the dry season. In addition, the Maya knew how to create pressurized water systems, and did so spectacularly at Palenque. In the Postclassic, the Aztecs created a dual aqueduct over Lake Texcoco, and the namesake city-state boasted fountains, baths, and even salt and freshwater fishponds in pleasure gardens.

Chemistry
Mesoamerican peoples were the first to apply vulcanization to rubber, using the juice of a local species of morning glory vine. Archaeological evidence indicates that this technology developed by the time of the Olmec Civilization. Mesoamericans invented a protective lacquer coating independently of East Asia, using crushed insects or chia seeds and applying as a polish.

Metallurgy
Main article: Metallurgy in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica

Though known, metals never became as important to any Mesoamerican people as they were to Old World civilizations. Classic Maya used stingless bee wax to form molds for casting gold in the lost wax process, independently of any Eurasian or African influence. Mesoamerican peoples never developed iron smelting, but during the Postclassic copper was being smelted in parts of West Mexico, and a Bronze Age may have been about to begin.

Canoe
Along with travel by foot, canoes were the only form of transportation used by Mesoamerican peoples.

Medicine
See also: Maya Medicine