Category Lost Civilizations

               The Aztecs saw an eagle sitting on prickly pear cactus by the side of a lake. The eagle was eating a snake. The Aztecs took this as a sign to make it their new capital. Thus, Tenochtitlan was born. After 1473, Tenochtitlan was merged with Tlatelolco to form a twin city. Four large districts and several small ones made up the city. Two pyramids stood in the middle of the city. The pyramids were built for the gods Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli. The palaces of the rulers stood near the temple district.

               The Aztecs were under the thumb of the mighty Tepanecs of the Azcapotzalco Empire. King Itzlcoatl shook off the rule of the Tepanec in the fifteenth century. He united Tenochtitlan, Texoco and the new Tepanec centre of Tlacopan under a single rule. His nephew Moctezuma I followed in his footsteps. He conquered the region of Chalco or present day Mexico City and even territories as far as the Gulf Coast. His successors conquered the neighbouring state of Tlatelolco. The image of the eagle eating a snake has become part of the emblem of Mexico. 

               The Aztec society was divided into nobles, peasants, merchants, and slaves. The Great Speaker or the king ruled over the Aztecs. The Aztecs cultivated different types of grain, beans, and pumpkins. Aztec artisans were highly skilled. Wars were frequent. Outstanding warriors became members of rival societies.

               The Aztecs adopted several gods from the Toltecs. Huitzilopochtli, the sun god was believed to be the ancestor of the Aztecs. The god Tlaloc sent rain, as well as diseases. Quetzalcoatl was the creator. Gods fought among themselves. Humans were sacrificed to gain the favour of the gods. 

               Like the Romans, the Incas had an amazing ability to build roads and fortresses. They had a well defined state structure, and division of labour. Legend has it that Manco Capac; the first Inca ruler was the son of the creator God Viracocha. He came to Earth on a sun island in Lake Titicaca. The ruler known as the Sapa Inca was carried in a sedan chair. The taxes were paid by the peasants.

               The Incas counted by putting knots on strings. Knotted strings were known as quipu. The Incas buried gold in their tombs. 

               The Indus Valley Civilization was the largest of the ancient civilizations. As the name suggests, the civilization bloomed on the banks of the Indus River and its tributaries. It included most of present day Pakistan, and extended up to the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab.

               This civilization was amazingly advanced. The cities were defended by walls and forts. Trade flourished. The civilization mastered the craft of making copper, bronze, lead and tin. They had a highly developed sense of hygiene. Mohenjo-Daro alone had over 600 wells and sewers. They even had a language of symbols called the Indus Valley script. This civilization began around 2600 BC, and died out by 1900 BC. According to some historians, Indus Valley Civilization is called as Dravidian because of language and culture. 

                Did you know that some of the cities of the Indus Valley had between 35000 and 40000 people living in them? A vast number of settlements were built on the banks of the Indus River and surrounding areas. These settlements cover a remarkable region, almost 1.3 million square kilometres of land. The most important cities were Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Chanhudaro, Kalibangan, Banawali, Lothal, Dholavira, Sutkagendor, and Surkotada.

                These cities were well planned, and solidly built of brick and stone. They had drainage systems, water storage systems, as well as systems for weights and trade. The people were craftsmen, traders, soldiers, and administrators. The city people got their grain and food from the villages. When the villages became too big, they needed a strong administration. They also began to produce excess grain, so that the people could devote themselves to other activities besides farming. This led to the growth of city civilizations. 

                    The Harappans knew how to write, and over 2,000 stone seals have been found in the Indus Valley. These seals were small tablets which left an impression when pressed into a soft substance like clay. They were quadrangular in shape. These seals are some form writing, but unfortunately they have not been deciphered yet. The Harappan writing consists of short strings of symbols. Some say that each symbol represents a picture or idea; others say it represents a sound. The fact, however, is that no one has actually been able to understand or read the writing of the Harappans.