Organization and method
In Aztec society, land can be owned by the community (calpolli) and distributed to families for farming, or farmers can become residents of large private estates (mayeque). The land rent is paid to the landlord in kind. They are either Aztec nobles (pipiltin), soldiers who get land as service rewards, or the king himself (tlatoani). They all manage their inheritance through intermediary managers. On a small scale, it is also typical for civilians to own their own gardens (calmil), which can provide food for their families. At the bottom of society are slaves (tlacohtin), who are engaged in agriculture in addition to working in other industries.
Two types of agricultural workers can be distinguished. One is ordinary farm workers who take care of fields, grow and irrigate crops. The other is more professional gardeners, who master the knowledge of sowing, transplanting, crop rotation and the best planting and harvesting time. The latter information can be determined from the tonalamatl calendar, which not only considers the climatic conditions, but also considers the auspicious periods and events that should be planted and harvested.
In order to maximize crop yield, various measures have been taken. For example, terraces were widely used to increase farmland area, especially during the reign of Netzahualcoyotl. The Aztec Empire also carried out irrigation, sometimes for ambitious large-scale projects, such as diverting water from the Cuauhtitlan River to the surrounding fields, but it was more common to irrigate through artificial flood fields called chinampas (see below). Mud excavated from canals built anywhere the Aztecs lived and human excrement deliberately collected from the city center also fertilized crops.
However, despite these measures, adverse natural events may greatly reduce crop yield, such as heavy rain or even heavy snow or plagues of pests such as locusts and rodents. Therefore, during this difficult period, grain reserves were accumulated for redistribution to the poor.
The most famous and largest market is the Tlatelolco market, which attracts 25,000 shoppers every day.
All kinds of food are planted. Non-food crops include cotton and tobacco, which are either smoked with pipes or rolled into cigars. After the harvest, the goods are sold in all the markets in the central square of the town. The most famous and largest market is the Tlatelolco market, which attracts 25,000 shoppers every day, and the special market held every five days attracts as many as 50,000 shoppers.
China pass.
Chinampas is an artificially planted and submerged farmland, which covers a large area of Chalco-Xochimilco basin, greatly increasing the agricultural production capacity of the land. In fact, Chinapass can grow up to six crops every year; No wonder they are still in use today. Their use in Central America can be traced back centuries, but it was not until the 13 and 14 centuries that they began to spread out of the Charco-Zochi Lake mirko basin, eventually covering 9,500 hectares (23,000 acres). Chinampa can support a growing population, with at least 200,000 people in tenochtitlan alone, and the population of the whole empire may be11million. In particular, Montezuma I started the expansion project in the15th century, which may be a direct response to the rapidly growing population demand.
The scale and direction of each chinampa oilfield are very similar. They are about 30 x 2.5 meters and are fixed in the swamp area with long stakes. Each plot is bounded by a fence composed of intertwined branches. Over time, as they collect soil and vegetation, these fences become stronger. By planting willows regularly, the Great Wall has been further strengthened. Sediments are everywhere in the planting area of Chinampa, and there is a canal between each plot for canoes to enter. Water is provided and carefully controlled by natural springs and artificial buildings (such as aqueducts), dams, dikes, canals, reservoirs and gates. One of the most impressive projects is the16km dam built by Nezahualcoyotl on the edge of tenochtitlan, which is used to block the salt water in Lake Teskoko and form a lagoon provided by fresh water springs.
garden
The Aztecs also like to grow gardens, which are scattered around tenochtitlan. The most famous example is Montezuma I's exotic botanical garden in Waterpeck. To this end, he imported flowers such as vanilla orchids and cocoa trees from coastal areas and cooperated with professional gardeners to ensure that they thrive in the new environment. The garden is irrigated by springs, streams and artificial canals, as well as characteristic fountains and artificial lakes. Huaxtepec's garden and other gardens (such as the garden created by Netzahualcoyotl in Tetzcotzingo) are also used to grow food and are famous for their plants and trees with medicinal value. In fact, most Aztec houses have their own amusement gardens, orchards and herb gardens with waterscape.
diet
The Aztecs' diet is mainly fruits and vegetables, because domestic animals are limited to dogs, turkeys, ducks and bees. Game (especially rabbits, deer and wild boar), fish, birds, salamanders, algae (used to make cakes), frogs, tadpoles and insects are also valuable food sources. The most common crops are corn (centli, famous for making tortillas and steamed corn meat and porridge), amaranth (a grain), sage, beans (etl), pumpkin and Chilean pepper. Red and green tomatoes (but much smaller than modern varieties) are planted, as well as white sweet potatoes, jícama (a radish), bergamot (a vegetable pear), cacti and peanuts. The Aztecs also grow a variety of fruits, including guava, papaya, cream apple, Meimei, Zapotus and Chirimoas. Snacks include popcorn and sweet roasted agave leaves.
Since there is no oil or fat, most dishes are either cooked or baked, and seasonings are used to add extra flavor, because the Aztecs like their sauces and seasonings. Such as epazote, roasted avocado leaves, achiote seeds and, of course, fresh, dried or smoked Chilean peppers. Two other popular tastes of the Aztecs are vanilla and chocolate. The latter comes from cocoa pods of cocoa trees, which are widely planted in large orchards near the coast. Beans are fermented, pickled and baked. Then grind the coffee beans into powder and mix them with hot water, because chocolate is usually eaten as a warm foamed drink. It tastes bitter and can be seasoned by adding corn, herbs, flowers, herbs and honey. Chocolate is so respected that beans are used as money (even counterfeit money) and asked affiliated tribes as tributes. Other popular drinks are octli (pulque, Spain), a low-alcohol beer made from maguey and pozolli fermented juice, and fermented corn dough. However, among these alcoholic beverages, the consumption is moderate, because being caught drunk may lead to various punishments, even death.