The cultural regions of Mexico during pre-Hispanic times arose as a consequence of the population settlements that gradually occupied their territories, contributing to the shaping of present-day Mexico.
For millennia, the primitive nomadic groups of hunters and gatherers were formed in various regions of the Mexican geography and some Central American countries.
Scattered throughout the territory, these cultures gradually developed, influenced above all by the environmental characteristics of each area.
From the interaction between the different cultural practices and the particular characteristics of the inhabited ecosystems, the sedentarization of indigenous societies took place.
This led to the definition of the three main cultural regions of ancient Mexico: Mesoamerica, Aridoamérica, and Oasisamérica.
The 3 main cultural regions of Mexico
1- Mesoamerica
It was the cradle of the most important pre-Hispanic civilizations: Olmecs, Teotihuacanos, Zapotecs, Mayans, Aztecs, Chichimecas and Mixtecas.
These sedentary agricultural civilizations occupied the northern part of Central America and the central-southeast region of Mexico.
The territory of Mesoamerica was characterized by being endowed with great natural wealth: from extensive coastlines to mountainous areas.
The great productive potential of the region was taken advantage of by the different cultures that lived there.
Agriculture was its main engine of development; corn and cotton stood out as the main products of their livelihood and economy.
In addition, they discovered the healing properties of plants and used herbal medicine for magical-medicinal purposes.
Socially, the civilizations that make up this cultural area were divided into two marked classes; those belonging to these classes were a dominant minority, made up of priests and warriors, to which the rest of the population was subordinate.
The artisan and peasant class was obliged to participate in the construction of public works and the payment of taxes.
Within the cultural area of Mesoamerica, the following subregions stand out: North, Gulf Coast, Mayan, Oaxaca, Central Highlands, and Western Mexico.
2- Aridoamerica
The Acaxees, Cazcanes, Cochimís, Huachiles, Huicholes and Yoremes tribes were nomads, but they subsisted in this semi-arid region located in the north and center of Mexico, and the south of the United States.
This was a territory that had little ecological diversity, scarce vegetation and a climate of extreme variations: from dry and arid in summer to incessant cold in winter.
These conditions prevented the practice of agriculture. For this reason, the different cultures settled in this region survived thanks to hunting, fishing and gathering.
In their simple social organization there were no substantial class differences. The tribes and their traditional chiefs were distinguished; however, all participated equally in the production process and the goods were communal.
Within the Aridoamerica region, the following subregions stand out: the Tamaulipas mountain range and the Chihuahua desert.
3- Oasisamerica
This cultural region was located in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, in the middle of the high Mesoamerican cultures and the nomadic cultures of the Aridoamerican desert.
The prevailing climatic conditions in Oasisamerica were more favorable than in Aridoamérica, for which the practice of agriculture was possible but only in certain seasons when the climate allowed it.
Oasisamerica and Mesoamerica were regions that were closely related as a result of the commercial exchanges they carried out.
In the territory of Oasisamerica, three main cultures developed: the Anasazi, the Hohokam and the Mogollón.
References
- Aridoamerica. (sf). Retrieved on October 22, 2017 from: portalacademico.cch.unam.mx
- Murra, J. (2016, November 22). In: britannica.com
- Oasisamerica. (sf). Retrieved on October 22, 2017 from: portalacademico.cch.unam.mx
- Pre-Columbian Civilization. (May 28, 2015). In: newworldencyclopedia.org
- Pre Columbian Mexico. (September 05, 2017). In: en.wikipedia.org
- Williams, E. (nd). Prehispanic West México: A Mesoamerican Culture Area. Retrieved on October 22, 2017 from: famsi.org