It’s very obvious for humans to think that discoveries or inventions are only made by people who have high IQs and higher degrees and most of them are intellectuals like Scientists. This is how we picture Scientists crafting experiments, Engineers making machines and Astronauts discovering secrets of space.
But that’s not the reality! Most inventions and discoveries come from a layman or ordinary person who has a thirst for curiosity or during times of necessity. There is a metaphor that says “Necessity is the Mother of the Invention”, this can truly be regarded as those people who try to take advantage of their creativity and intelligence and craft something that helps them during their necessities.
In ancient times, our ancestors faced many problems due to insufficient technology and lack of resources. Thus, with the help of their creativity, curiosity and necessity they came up with innovative ideas or solutions to make their lives easy. They even made such inventions that are still useful till date, this shows their bravery and remarkable intelligence to discover and invent new things that are necessary for their survival.
We’ll delve into ten such kinds of inventions by the Aztecs, an ancient civilization that flourished in America (present-day Mexico) who developed these inventions during times of necessity:
Table of Contents
10) Chinampas:
During the ancient times, as the resources were scarce and the population started to grow the need for nutrition and survival was increasing rapidly. This necessity gave rise to new farming methods by Aztecs to produce enough food so they could feed their families. This clever system of farming was called Chinampas. It was founded in the 14th century. The Chinampas are artificial islands built in rivers or streams that are found to be floating. These islands allow high production of crop yields without the need for an irrigation system.
These islands consist of rich minerals so they can easily grow a variety of vegetables or crops for the population. Today, they are still an important part of farming culture and a need for the production of a source of food. This remarkable advancement brought innovation in the agriculture sector.
9) Gum:
This incredible invention that is loved by all was invented by the Aztecs. They discovered the gum from the sapodilla tree and its practical uses. In ancient times it was called “Chicle”, which was extracted from the bark of sapodilla trees and then it was processed to create the present-day gum. The Aztecs were the first people who discovered the use of gums as a mouth freshener. Hence, they put strict rules for the usage of gum. Men had to chew the gums to keep their teeth clean while married women were not allowed to chew it in public.
8) Aqueducts:
When the black plague and famine spread across Europe, the hygiene standards were dropped. The Aztecs’ engineering prowess made a remarkable advancement for the prevention of this deadly disease. They developed an excellent solution to maintain cleanliness. They built an engineering system known as Aqueduct. This aqueduct had a provision to steadily supply fresh water across the capital. It also enabled the waste to be washed away with the flowing water system.
This remarkable invention highlights the intelligence of Aztecs who had a clear understanding of public health, prevention and hygiene standards that even Europeans were not aware of.
7) Ball Game:
The ball game that we enjoy today is an invention of the Aztecs. They established this game and gave it the importance that even when the new settlement was made, the ball court was the first structure to be constructed. It was a part of their vital culture and was played with a rubber ball. However, the rules and regulations were different. They were very challenging, requiring a skill and strategy to play. It’s amazing that the ball game still exists to the day showing the testament of Aztec culture and tradition.
6) Rubber:
The Aztecs are credited for the innovation of products made from rubber including the rubber ball used in the ball game. They discovered the art of mixing latex extracted from the trees to create different variants of rubber. They experimented with all the types to make a durable rubber of good quality.
Today, vast industries have learned from Aztecs about this art and have implemented it in the making of rubber.
5) Red Dye:
The Aztecs are accredited to the discovery of red dye and its unique process of producing this vibrant color. The processes that they underwent to extract this dye were harvesting, drying and powdering the cochineal bugs. This art was then part of their culture as they represented themselves with this vibrant red extract. This innovative technique amazed the world including Spain. Inspired by the Aztecs, the Spanish people also followed the same steps to extract the dye.
4) Chocolate:
Chocolate is the delight that was created by the Aztecs. Although, according to many sources there have been different tribes that discovered cocoa and its use before. But, the Aztecs were the only civilization that perfected the chocolate and refined it to give it a unique flavor that could be easily enjoyed. The cocoa is too bitter to taste hence, due to the Aztec’s efforts we can enjoy the delicious chocolates today. During ancient times, cocoa had a great value. It was used as a currency by many merchants and traders.
3) Antispasmodic Medicine:
No doubt with many great inventions, Aztecs also found many medicinal remedies for skin infections. They also developed the antispasmodic treatment from the passion flower. It had great benefits in treating many conditions like insomnia, epilepsy and high blood sugar.
They also developed muscle relaxants from various herbal flowers and plants that helped prevent the spasm. They were highly intelligent and could manipulate herbal treatments excelling in the field of herbal medicine.
2) Saunas:
We often think Saunas are luxurious items adopted in the modern era but they have existed for very long since the Aztecs were born. The Aztecs were the first people who came up with this idea and concept, creating a structure for a steam bath called “Temazcales”. These temazcales were part of the wealthy families in the Aztec empire. The Aztecs would store extremely hot stones in the center of the surface of temazcal structure and then pour the cold water over the stones, allowing the steam to flow creating a comfortable experience for the bather.
1) Popcorn:
It’s very interesting to know that popcorn that we enjoy today while binge-watching our favorite shows was invented in the era of the Aztecs. They were called totopoca by Aztecs and were a staple for them. They were also included in their culture and traditions, where young women would wear garlands made of popcorn and dance in the ceremonies. This dance was called “popcorn dance”. This was enjoyed by all the people from the Aztec culture. The popcorns were also roasted and heated in sand and consumed as a main staple for the Aztecs.
Conclusion
These inventions are the testament to the power and excellent skills of Aztecs, who were the most influential and advanced in their era. They were genius in every field, thus contributed in agriculture, medicine and engineering.
