All about the ancient tribes
Chinampas were constructed by the Aztecs by enclosing a rectangular area with wattle fence. After that, the Aztecs stuffed the wattle barrier with sediment from the lake, muck, and decomposing plant matter. The chinampas would soon reach a height that was higher than the water level as a result of the debris.
The Aztec civilisation was responsible for the development of the chinampa. Chinampas are artificial islands that were formed by interweaving reeds with pegs beneath the surface of the lake to build underwater walls. These islands are also known as ″floating gardens.″
Chinampas were agricultural plots created in the center of lakes and were constructed by the Aztecs in this picture from the valley of Mexico that dates back to the sixteenth century. Chinamperos began piling mud that was dredged from the lake on top of a lattice construction made of reeds after they had sounded the bottom of the lake to find an ideal location.
In order to construct the chinampas, parcels of land of around 30 meters by 2.5 meters were staked out on the lake bottom. A fence would be weaved between the posts, and the space in between would be filled in with dirt and plants.
The creation of chinampas was a straightforward procedure. At first, canals were dug across the wetlands and marshes in the area. After that, the farmer laid out a square plot and used mud and plants to construct walls around it in order to keep the water at bay. After that, mud was spread onto mats woven from reeds that had been laid around the base of the area.
In order to build a garden, workers woven together sticks to form a gigantic raft. Next, they poured muck from the bottom of the lake on top of the raft to make a layer of soil that was three feet deep. The willow trees that were placed at the corners of the rectangular gardens served as a point of attachment to the lake.
Growing their food in beautiful chinampas, which are also known as floating gardens, allowed the Aztecs to do so without negatively impacting the surrounding ecosystem.
When the Aztecs were constructing the metropolis of Tenochtitlan, they dug up through the marshy fresh lakes and piled the mud and lake debris on top of one other to form islands, canals, and drained fields known as chinampas. Because the Aztecs resided on an island in the center of Lake Texcoco, they were forced to construct causeways in order to go from one side of the lake to the other.
The Aztecs constructed a vast network of aqueducts that supplied water for agricultural purposes as well as for bathing and drinking.
Chinampas were dependable sources of food for the Aztecs, and it’s possible that they supplied a variety of products, including beans, squash, amaranth, chili peppers, maize, tomatoes, and flowers.
Wooden pilings were driven into the ground on each island, and these were then joined to a foundation that was made of sand, lime, and rock. The aqueduct was built out of wood, carved stone, and compacted dirt. Portions of it were fashioned of hollowed-out logs so that boats could pass below it.
It was a really marshy environment. They started constructing rafts so that they could expand their property. The rafts were coated in the thick muck that was found at the bottom of the lake. They evolved into the chinampa, which are floating gardens.
Even though Tenochtitlan was a very spectacular city, it was still quite a ways away from any farming in the surrounding area, and the people who lived there required food. The Aztecs came up with a solution to this problem by developing chinampas, which are floating gardens that can be utilized to cultivate crops even in the midst of a lake.
The Chinampas were utilized to enhance the amount of food that was produced.
In order to expand their kingdom, the Aztecs entered into several alliances and collaborations. The Aztecs demanded tribute from the peoples they conquered, which may take the form of cotton, money, or even food. The Aztecs maintained control over a vast commercial network. The markets in the Aztec Empire attracted consumers and merchants from all throughout the empire.