Water and the Aztec Empire

The Aztec or Mexica civilization, a well-known Mesoamerican culture located in what is now central and southern Mexico, had a strong relationship with water in various aspects of their lives. Their capital Mexico-Tenochtitlan was founded over a complex watershed consisting of five interconnected lakes. This city and its innovative hydraulic structures and agriculture techniques are some of the characteristics that exemplify the Aztecs close relation with water. As for any civilization, water distribution was an essential need, the Aztecs constructed a network of aqueducts to fulfill the needs of the population. These hydraulic structures not only allowed for daily distribution of freshwater but also served as a water reserve. The Chapultepec aqueduct also known as the “great aqueduct” is a great example of such aqueducts that can still be seen in Mexico City nowadays. Yet, being a city surrounded by water also brought challenges, such as the need for structures for flood control. These led to developing a system of roads and a dike of 16 km long and 20 m wide designed to control the water levels. Another fundamental part of their development was certainly their innovative agricultural hydroponic system of chinampas that allowed providing food for more than 100,000 habitants of the Aztec capital. This article will thus describe the undeniable close relationship between water technology and development for the Aztec society, from its particular location, complex hydraulic infrastructure to its innovative farming techniques.