Mesoamerica, Aridoamérica and Oasisamérica: characteristics and maps

Mesoamerica, Aridoamérica, and Oasisamérica were three cultural super-areas that occupied what is now Central America, Mexico, and the southwestern United States between 2500 BC. C and 1500 d. C

Let us remember that a cultural super-area is a region in which several communities or human groups coexist that share traditions, customs or forms of social organization.

Mesoamerica, Aridoamérica and Oasisamérica had their own natural and geographic characteristics that facilitated the development of various pre-Hispanic cultures, such as the Mayas, the Aztecs, the Olmecs or the Mogollón, to mention some.

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Mesoamerica	Aridoamerica	Oasisamerica
Location	From the Mexican northwest to the west of Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.	Current Mexican states of Coahuila, Chihuahua and Sonora, as well as part of California and Arizona, in the United States.	Current northern Mexico and southwestern United States
Historical period	From 1000 a. C to AD 1521. C	500 BC C to 1500 AD. C	From 1200 to 1341 of our era.
Weather	Temperate, with moderate rains.	Dry, with little rainfall and without access to rivers or other water sources.	Dry, with little rain, but with access to rivers.
Subsistence type	Sedentary.	Nomadic.	Sedentary.
Cultural legacy	Complex civil and religious works. Ceramics. Painting. Writing system Creation of calendars. Development of mathematics.	Complex religious system. Embalming techniques for corpses.	Rainwater storage techniques. Channeling of rivers.
Representative cultures	Mayas Aztecs Olmecs, among others.	Huichol Acaxee Zacatecos, among others.	Anazasi Hohokam Mogollón, among others.

Mesoamerica: the cradle of the Mayans, Aztecs and Olmecs

Map of Mesoamerica, created by user heraldry — Map of Mesoamerica, created by Heraldry

Mesoamerica was a cultural super-area that ranged from present-day western Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, to the current states of Sinaloa and Nayarit, in northwestern Mexico.

This region was characterized by the existence of fertile land thanks to the existence of rivers and lakes, which influenced the development of agriculture. In addition, the abundance of natural resources in the area led to the creation of commercial exchange networks between the different societies that coexisted in this super-area.

Three of the most important pre-Hispanic cultures originated in Mesoamerica:

Mayan culture

It was a civilization that developed in what is now Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, and southern Mexico. Part of his cultural legacy includes the invention of his own writing system, the invention of the number zero, and the creation of cities with complex architectural design.

The Mayans also designed their own system for measuring time expressed in various types of calendars. The most important were the 260-day Tzolkin calendar, used for agricultural, religious purposes and social, and the 365-day Haab calendar, which served to keep track of the years elapsed.

Aztec culture

The Aztecs or Mexica were a civilization located in what would now be the center of Mexico and that later expanded both north and south of the region. They were characterized by their military and religious organization, their hierarchical-based social organization, and their civil works.

The Aztecs also stood out for their system of measuring time. They created the 260-day Tonalpohualli calendar, which marked religious dates, and the 365-day Xiuhpōhualli, used to know the dates of harvests and social celebrations.

Olmec culture

It developed in the southeast of what is now the state of Veracruz and western Tabasco. They had a hierarchical society and political power was transferred through inheritance, something that did not happen in other civilizations.

Aridoamerica: land of nomads

Map of Aridoamérica, created by heraldry — Map of Aridoamérica, created by Heraldry

This cultural super-area encompassed the current Mexican states of Coahuila, Chihuahua, Tamulipas, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis de Potosí, Nuevo León, Baja California, Baja California Sur and Sonora.

It also occupied part of the current states of California, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Arizona, in the United States.

As its name indicates, this region was characterized by its aridity, that is, by the presence of not very fertile and dry lands due to low or no rainfall and the scarcity of water sources. This prevented the development of agriculture, influencing the adoption of a nomadic way of life based on hunting and gathering.

The cultures that coexisted in Aridoamérica did not have as notable an influence as the Mesoamerican civilizations, since their constant movements prevented them from leaving a legacy permanent. Furthermore, they did not coincide in the same historical periods.

Some of the most relevant were the Huichol, Acaxee, Zacatecos, Tepecanos and Tecuexe, among others.

However, historical records show the existence of a complex religious system and special treatment of the bodies of the dead. The latter could indicate the existence of some kind of death cult.

Oasisamérica: territory of the Anasazi, Hohokam and Mogollón

Map of the cultures of Oasisamerica, created by Yuchitown, derivative work of Tceditwiki — Map of the most representative cultures of Oasisamérica, created by Yuchitown

Oasisamérica was a super-area located in what is now northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It existed from 1200 to 1341 AD.

The societies that developed in Oasisamerica were sedentary and agricultural, like the Mesoamerican ones. However, the geographical and climatic conditions were not so favorable. Their lands were arid and they had to supplement their subsistence system with hunting, fishing and gathering.

Despite the absence of fertile land, Oasisamerican cultures were able to take advantage of their nearby water sources, such as the Bravo, Colorado and Casas Grandes rivers. This was due to the development of water channeling techniques and the storage of rainwater.

The territory of Oasisamerica was rich in turquoise, a raw material valued by the culture Mesoamerican, which contributed to the strengthening of a solid commercial relationship between both super areas.

Three of the most relevant cultures of Oasisamerica were:

Anasazi culture

The Anasazi settled in what are now the states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah, in the United States between the 1st century BC. C and the sixteenth century of our era. They were characterized by their advanced knowledge of architecture and engineering. This allowed them to create large irrigation systems that made agriculture prosper. In addition, they stood out for the creation of multi-story homes.

Hohokam culture

The peoples that made up the Hohokam culture lived in what are now the deserts of Sonora (Mexico) and Arizona (United States). There are not many records about their way of life, but it is known that they survived the drought and low rainfall in the desert by creating irrigation systems and channeling rivers. This allowed them to grow corn, their main food source, along with pitahaya and mesquite.

Mogollón Culture

The Mogollón thrived in what are now the states of Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico and in the areas that are now New Mexico and Texas in the southwestern United States. It is estimated that they existed between 1000 BC. C and 1350 d. C They were characterized by settling on plateaus and cliffs, since this allowed them to see the advance of their crops. In addition to practicing agriculture, they were dedicated to hunting and gathering.