Aztec periodReputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
Chinampas: The Floating Gardens
On the timeline · around Aztec period ·
What happened
The Aztecs fed their vast capital with chinampas — artificial islands of mud and vegetation built up in the shallow lakebed. These intensively farmed 'floating gardens' produced several harvests a year of maize, beans, squash and more.
Why it matters
Chinampa agriculture was an engineering marvel that let a huge urban population thrive on a lake, and parts of the system still survive at Xochimilco today.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Chinampas · Reputable source
- World History Encyclopedia. Aztec Food & Agriculture · Reputable source