Cradles of Early

Science
Development of Science in Mesoamerica
• Mesoamerica includes the entire area of
Central America from Southern Mexico up to
the border of South America. There is no
doubt that the Mesoamerican region is rich in
culture and knowledge prior to the arrival of
its European colonizers.
• The Maya Civilization is one of the famous
civilization that lasted for approximately 2,000
years. These people are known for their works in
astronomy. They incorporated their advanced
understanding of astronomy into their temples
and other religious structures. This allow them
to use their temples for astronomical
observation. For example, the pyramid at
Chichen Itza in Mexico is situated at the location
of the Sun during spring and fall equinoxes.
• Mayan knowledge and understanding about
celestial bodies was advanced for their time,
as evidence of their knowledge of predicting
eclipse and using astrological cycles in
planting and harvesting. The Mayans are also
known for measuring time using two
complicated calendar systems. These
calendars were very useful for their life
especially in planning their activities and in
observing their religious rituals and cultural
celebrations.
• The Mayans also developed the technology for
growing different crops and building elaborate
cities using ordinary machineries and tools.
They built hydraulics system with
sophisticated waterways to supply water to
different communities.
• Furthermore, they used various tools to adapt
themselves to innovations especially in the
field of arts. The Mayans built looms for
weaving cloth and devised a rainbow of
glittery paints made from the mineral called
mica. They also believed to be one of the first
people to produce rubber products 3,000
years before the Goodyear received its patent
in 1844.
• The Mayans are considered one of the most
scientifically advanced societies in
Mesoamerica. They are also famous as one of
the world’s first civilizations to use a writing
system known as the Mayan hieroglyphics.
They were also skilled in mathematics and
created a number system based on the
numeral 20. Moreover, they independently
developed the concept of zero and positional
value, even before the Romans did.
• The Inca civilization is also famous in
Mesoamerica. The Incas made advanced
scientific ideas considering their limitations as
an old civilization. These following were
scientific ideas and tools that they develop to
help themselves in everyday life:
1. Roads paved with stones;
2. Stone buildings that surrounded earthquakes and
other disasters;
3. Irrigation system and technique for storing water for
their crops to grow in all types of land.
4. Calendar with 12 months to mark their religious
festivals and prepare them for planting season;
5. The first suspension bridge;
6. Quipu, a system of knotted ropes to keep records that
only experts can interpret; and
7. Inca textiles since cloth was one of the specially
prized artistic achievements.
Following the Inca, the Aztec civilization has also made
substantial contributions to science and technology and to the
society as a whole. Some of their contribution are the
following:
1. Mandatory education – The Aztec puts value on
education; that is why their children are mandated to get
education regardless of their social class, gender, or age. It
is an early form of universal or inclusive education.
2. Chocolates – The Aztec in Mexico developed chocolates
during their time. In Mayan culture, they used it as
currency. The Aztec valued cacao beans highly and made
it as part of their tribute to their gods.
3. Antispasmodic medication – They used a types of
antispasmodic medication that could prevent muscle
spasms and relax muscles, which could help during
surgery.
4. Chinampa – It is a form of Aztec technology
for agricultural farming in which the land was
divided into rectangular areas and surrounded
by canals.
5. Aztec calendar – This enabled them to plan
their activities, rituals and planting season.
6. Invention of the canoe – A light narrow boat
used for travelling in water systems.
• The Long Count is an astronomical calendar
which is used to track longer periods of time.
The Maya called it the “universal cycle.” Each
such cycle is calculated to be 2,880,000 days
long (about 7885 solar years). The Mayans
believed that the universe is destroyed and
then recreated at the start of each universal
cycle. This belief caused the 2012
phenomenon described above, and it still
inspires a myriad of prophecies about the end
of the world.
• The Haab is a 365-day solar calendar which is divided into
18 months of 20 days each and one month which is only 5
days long (Uayeb). The calendar has an outer ring of Mayan
glyphs (pictures) which represent each of the 19 months.
Each day is represented by a number in the month followed
by the name of the month. Each glyph represents a
personality associated with the month.

• The Haab is somewhat inaccurate as it is exactly 365 days

long. An actual tropical or solar year, the time it takes Earth
to orbit the Sun, takes about 365.24219 days on average. In
today’s Gregorian calendar, we adjust for this discrepancy
by making almost every fourth year a leap year, when an
extra day—a leap day—is added on the 29th of February.
• A glittering paint
made by the Mayans.