University M’Hamed Bouguera of Boumerdes.

From Avril, 2020

Faculty of Letters and Foreign Languages
English Department
Teacher: Mrs.Diabi Responsible of the
Module: Civilization/S1

The Aztec, Maya and Inca civilization

Introduction

Situated in Southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western portions of

Honduras and El Salvador comprised of Maya. A Mesoamerican civilization started around 2600

B.C., by the Maya peoples, and known for its hierological script (the only familiar fully

developed writing system of the pre-Columbian American) is known as Maya. Maya people

survived in farming villages on the Yucatan Peninsula and the highlands to the south. Maya was

ruled by prince and priests and was not abolished like other cultures, but moderately disappeared.

The Valley of Mexico, a big high-elevation basin in the Sierra Madre Mountains was

the center of Aztec from the period of 1300 to 1521. The valley was appropriate for agriculture

since it had a moderate climate and was also an abundance of natural resources. Tenochtitlan was

the largest and the capital city of Aztecs which was built on an island in Lake Texcoco. Aztec

became well-known farmers, warriors, and temple builders. Finally, the Spanish conquistadors

led by Hernan Cortes conquered Tenochtitlan and overpower the Aztec in 1521.

Around the year 1200, Inca started settling in the Valley of Cuzco in the Andes

Mountains of central Peru. It was the largest empire that developed and extended approximately

2500 miles from north to south and included around 16 million people. The Incan united its
empire by building a huge road network through mountains and across rivers. The Inca was

famous for stonework and build stone temples without using mortars.

Key differences between Maya vs Aztec vs Inca

These are popular choices in the market; let us discuss some of the major differences:

 The Maya were native people of Mexico and Central America, while Aztec covered most

of northern Mesoamerica between c.1345 and 1521 CE, whereas Inca flourished in

ancient Peru between c.1400 and 1533 CE and extended across western South America.

 The Maya were polytheistic but they did not have any particular God, while Aztec

worship Huitzilopochtli as their main god and Inca worshiped Inti as their primary God.

 The Maya created a writing system of hieroglyphics, the Aztec created the famous mask

of Xuihetecuhtli that employed turquoise mosaic, and the Inca created a massive road

network through mountains and rivers.

 Maya builds towering temples and elaborate palaces, Aztec build their capital city

Tenochtitlan on an island, while Inca constructed stone temples without using mortars yet

the stone fit together so well that a knife would not fit between the stones.

 The Maya used two calendars. One which was based on the solar year, while the other

was a kind of sacred almanac. Maya also used a three-symbol numerical system that

allowed them to record numbers into millions. While Aztec used a sacred calendar and a

365-day agricultural calendar, the Aztec writing system was based on glyphs, symbols

that stand for sound or words. The Inca didn’t develop a writing system; their records

were kept on bundles of knotted cords called quipus.

  The Maya architects used local materials, like limestone, which they used at Palenque

and Tikal, while metalwork was the most primary skill of the Aztec. Turquoise was

mostly used with Aztec artists, the most common example is the decorated human skull

which represents the God Tezcatlipoca. The Inca were affected by the art and techniques

of Chimu civilization.

Maya vs Aztec vs Inca Comparison Table

The basis of Maya Aztec Inca

comparison 

Existence They were They lived in They

mainly the Valley of Comprised

settled on Mexico in an empire in

and around Central the Andes

Yucatan Mexico Mountain of

Peninsula in South

Central America

America

Political Maya Aztec was Inca was

Condition comprised ruled by an ruled by

up of city- Emperor Sapa Inca,

 states and whose main the emperor

was not purpose was who had

united to lead in the absolute

politically. wars. The power. This

There was local rulers emperor was

an and also the

independent conquered empire’s

ruler for people had religious

each city- to pay tax to leader.

state. the Aztec.

Religion Maya Aztecs were Inca was

practiced polytheistic. polytheistic.

Human They build They

Sacrifice and huge temples worshiped

was and pyramids their primary

polytheistic in dedication God Inti,

to their god who they

Huitzilopocht called the

li. sun God.

Art & The Maya Monumental The Inca

Architectur built huge sculptures buildings

e arrays of were mainly were in

structures, favorite. They uniformity

and have build statues with huge

left a like that of imperial

considerable colossal structures.

architectural Coatlicue or The Inca

heritage. A very alive and architecture

classic famous incorporated

period city sculpture of a natures

called “Tikal” seated beauty, yet

was Xochipilli. creating an

reconstructe Aztec art amazing

d by Maya portrayed all mixture of

which was varieties of a geometrical

spread over subject but and natural

20 sq. especially forms.

Kilometers. famous were

animals,

plants and
 gods,

specifically

those related

to fertility

and

agriculture.

Decline The fact that Aztec were Inca was

Maya ultimately defeated by

declined is defeated by Spanish

still not Spanish conquistado

known to conquistador rs led by

Archeologist s led by Francisco

s, but Hernan Pizarro. Also,

presently Cortes Smallpox

more than 2 spread

million Maya which killed

people live most of the

in Inca.

Guatemala

and
 southern

Mexico.
Conclusion
Maya vs Aztec vs Inca are like each other in many of the ways, like they all build pyramids,

Maya, Aztec, and Inca were all polytheistic, practiced human sacrifice but still, they are three

different cultures that rose and fell at different times for different reasons.