The Difference Between The Aztec, Maya, Inca, And Olmec (2024)

FAQs

What were the differences between the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas? ›

The Aztecs led a more brutal, warlike lifestyle, with frequent human sacrifices, whereas the Maya favoured scientific endeavours such as mapping the stars. The Inca were based much further south in the Andean region (home to modern-day Peru and Chile) and were accomplished builders.

Answer and Explanation:

while they did occupy some of the same space, the Aztec civilization was more widespread, and more importantly, only started truly existing in the late 1200s or early 1300s CE. The Olmecs, meanwhile, were fading as a civilization by 400 BCE.

The Olmec, Zapotec, and Mayan civilizations are similar in having shared cultural principles and artifacts due to cultural exchange and influence from the Olmec civilization. They are different in their unique adaptations and advancements in areas like mathematics, architecture, and sociopolitical organization.

The major difference between the Aztec and Inca civilizations is that the Aztecs had a form of writing, while the Inca did not. The Aztecs used a complex system of hieroglyphs, which is a system of picture writing. Contrastingly, the Incas used a system of knotted strings known as quipus for keeping records.

The Aztecs were fiercer. They warred, captured enemies, practiced cannibalism at times, and believed in sacrifices. The Incas, however, were more peaceful. They did not provide sacrifices to their gods.

The Incas micromanaged their economy and did not center their public religion on human sacrifice. The Aztecs gave more freedom regarding the economy and needed many human sacrifices, which fueled warfare. However, they did both use tribute labor and worshipped sun deities.

The Mayans lived in city-states, each with its own independent ruler. These city-states often engaged in warfare, alliances, and trade with each other. The Aztecs, on the other hand, had an empire ruled by a single Emperor, with Tenochtitlan (modern-day Mexico City) as the capital.

In short, the Maya came first, and settled in modern-day Mexico. Next, came the Olmecs, who also settled Mexico. They didn't build any major cities, but they were widespread and prosperous. They were followed by the Inca in modern-day Peru, and finally the Aztecs, also in modern-day Mexico.

Long before more famous empires such as the Maya, a civilisation called the Olmec were building an impressive legacy. Commonly referred to by experts as the "mother culture" of Mesoamerica, the Olmec civilisation ruled parts of modern-day Mexico and Guatemala between 1200 to 400BC.

What were the major differences between the societies of the Aztec, Inca, and Maya and the Indians of North America? North American Indians were fewer in number, more widely dispersed, and did not have the population size or organized social structures of the Maya, Aztec, or Inca societies.

Did Olmecs and Mayans live together? ›

Experts have traditionally believed that when the Olmec were busy building their civilization at large sites such as La Venta, near the Gulf coast in modern Mexico, the people who would become the Maya were living in loosely associated nomadic groups in the jungles to the east and southeast.

Answer and Explanation:

The Maya adopted many practices established by the Olmec, including ritual bloodletting, the Mesoamerican ballgame, and the Long Count calendar. These things became definitive elements of Maya culture.

Key Differences Between Maya vs Aztec vs Inca. The Maya were native people of Mexico and Central America, while the Aztec covered most of northern Mesoamerica between c. 1345 and 1521 CE, whereas Inca flourished in ancient Peru between c. 1400 and 1533 CE and extended across western South America.

Qhapaq hucha was the Inca practice of human sacrifice, mainly using children. The Incas performed child sacrifices during or after important events, such as the death of the Sapa Inca (emperor) or during a famine. Children were selected as sacrificial victims as they were considered to be the purest of beings.

As I discussed in another answer, while the Aztecs were extremely warlike, the Inca Empire had superior strategy, diplomacy, infrastructure, and logistics, which allowed them to project force much more easily and effectively.

The Mayans worshipped one god, but the Incas worshipped many. The Mayans prayed mainly to the sun god, but the Incas prayed to hundreds of gods. The Mayans used complex calendars to plan activities, but the Incas practiced divination. The Mayans performed human sacrifices, but the Incas did not.

Five facts about the Incas are: they built the mountain city of Machu Picchu, they worshipped the Sun, they created the largest empire in the world at that time, they had no writing but used quipu (string and knots), and they had a very efficient postal system which used their excellent road system.

The two civilizations have a lot in common. Both were desert-dwelling societies who were aggressive and bellicose. They both performed human sacrifices. They are also both still known for their architecture, vibrant clothing, and influence upon smaller societies.

The Aztec Calendar also incorporated a series of symbols and images that represented the gods, natural elements, and other aspects of Aztec culture. The Mayan Calendar, on the other hand, was a more complex system of timekeeping that was based on a combination of solar and lunar calendars.