The cultural regions of Mesoamerica are the Mayan, the Oaxacan, the Gulf Coast, the Central Plateau, the West of Mexico and the northern.
Mesoamerica comprises the southern half of Mexico and countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Mesoamerican cultural regions developed over centuries. They maintained different characteristics in terms of language and ethnicity, but were very similar in terms of economy, art and religion, architecture, among other factors.
The 6 main cultural regions of Mesoamerica
1- Mayan Region
It represents the most extensive area of Mesoamerica. The beginnings of its cultural development are located in the south, in Belize, with the use of ceramics.
Towards the year 1000 a. C. is registered the first settlement of monumental court in that region, fundamental characteristic of its cities.
This region was also highlighted by the use of glyphic writing and its economic development linked to the cultivation of maize.
Another feature of the cities located in the Mayan region is the use of calendrical systems, human sacrifices and astronomical studies.
2- Oaxacan Region
In this region was developed the zapoteca civilization, famous for the elaboration of the calendar of 260 days that would be spread by all the towns of the Mesoamerican regions.
Monte Albán became its most important center, there settled the important Olmec civilization until its sunset, when the zone was occupied by the Mixtecos.
3- Gulf Coast Region
It corresponds to the territories known today as Veracruz and Tabasco. There also developed the Olmec culture; later the area was inhabited by the Huastecas and Totonacos.
It is considered that in that region was devised the construction in resin of the balls for the ritual of the game of ball.
4- Region of the central altiplano
He understood the area known as the Mexican plateau and the valley of Mexico. The most important cultural and archaeological sites were Tlatilco, Zacatenco and El Arbolillo.
The settlement of Tlatilco is recognized for being the place where they began to elaborate stone figures with anthropomorphic representations.
It begins there the adoration to deities with feline traits and was given the antecedent of the representation of which would be the feathered serpent.
5- Region of western Mexico
It is conformed by what is now known as Jalisco, Michoacan, Colima, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Aguas Calientes and Querétaro.
One of the relevant cultural features of this area is that a variety of languages were spoken there at the time of the Spanish conquest.
There lay the Tarascans and the Caxcanes. An example of his advances in architecture is observed in the pyramids of Guachimontones, in Jalisco.
6- Northern Region
In this area flourished one of the largest pre-Hispanic cities: Teotihuacán.
There are different positions regarding the cultural identity of the founders of that city, since the city was abandoned centuries before the arrival of the Spanish.
Peoples like the Mexicas spoke of Teotihuacán to refer to an old abandoned city.
The city of Teotihuacán had an estimated population of one million inhabitants, was built on an urban plan, and contains monumental buildings and sculptures of great cultural and artistic value.
References
- Manzanilla, L. (2001). Ancient history of Mexico. Fundamental aspects of the Mesoamerican cultural tradition. Mexico: UNAM. Retrieved on October 24, 2017 from: books.google.com
- Romero, T. (1999). Mesoamerica: History and reconsideration of the concept. Mexico: Autonomous University of Mexico. Retrieved on October 24, 2017 from: redalyc.org
- Duverger, C. (2007). The first miscegenation: the key to understanding the Mesoamerican past. Mexico: Taurus.
- Wolf, E. (1967). Towns and cultures of Mesoamerica. Mexico: Ediciones Era. Retrieved on October 24, 2017 from: books.google.com
- Florescano, E. (2010). The origins of power in Mesoamerica. Guadalajara: Latin American Chair Julio Cortázar. Retrieved on October 24, 2017 from: jcortazar.udg.mx