The Mexica grew a remarkable variety of crops on the chinampas, and the diversity of the crops was one of the keys to the productivity of the agricultural system. The most important crops were maize, beans, squash, tomatoes, chili peppers, amaranth, and chayote, but the Mexica also grew a wide range of other crops, including chia, quelite, verdolaga, and a variety of herbs and medicinal plants. The Mexica also grew flowers on the chinampas, which were an important source of income for the Mexica state.
The Staple Crops
The most important crops grown on the chinampas were the staple crops, which formed the basis of the Mexica diet. Maize was the most important of these, and it was grown on the largest area of the chinampas. The maize was prepared in a wide variety of forms, including tortillas, tamales, atole, and pozol.
Beans were another important staple crop, and they were a common source of protein in the Mexica diet. The beans were eaten fresh, dried, or in combination with maize. The combination of maize and beans provided a complete protein, and it shaped the Mexica diet.
Squash was another important staple crop, and it was prepared in many forms, including soups, stews, and stuffed squash blossoms. The squash was also used as a source of oil, and the seeds were eaten as a snack.
The Vegetables and Fruits
The Mexica also grew a wide variety of vegetables and fruits on the chinampas, and these were an important supplement to the staple crops. The most important of these were tomatoes, chili peppers, amaranth, and chayote.
Tomatoes were used in sauces and stews, and they shaped the Mexica cuisine. The tomatoes were also eaten fresh, and they were a popular snack. Chili peppers were used to flavor almost every dish, and they were prepared fresh, dried, smoked, or ground into powder. Amaranth was used in candies and in ritual foods, and it shaped the Mexica religious life. Chayote was prepared in a variety of ways, and it was a popular vegetable in the Mexica diet.
The Flowers
The Mexica also grew flowers on the chinampas, and the flowers were an important source of income for the Mexica state. The flowers were used in the religious rituals, and they were also used in the clothing and ornaments of the elite. The most prized flowers were the flowers of the dahlia, the marigold, the sunflower, and the tuberose.
The flowers were traded in the Tlatelolco market, and they shaped the Mexica economy. The flowers were also used as offerings to the gods, and they were a central part of the religious life of the Mexica.
The Herbs and Medicinal Plants
The Mexica also grew a wide range of herbs and medicinal plants on the chinampas, and these shaped the Mexica medical tradition. The most important of these were tlapatl, which was used to treat fevers, tzompitzahuac, which was used to treat respiratory ailments, and chapulistle, which was used to treat digestive ailments.
The herbs and medicinal plants were used by the Mexica physicians in the treatment of a wide range of ailments, and they shaped the Mexica medical system. The herbs and medicinal plants were also traded in the Tlatelolco market, and they shaped the Mexica economy.
The Survival of the Chinampa Crops
Many of the crops grown on the chinampas have survived in the modern Mexican cuisine, and they are a central part of the Mexican national identity. The basic ingredients of maize, beans, squash, and chili remain central to the Mexican diet, and the techniques of preparation, including the use of the metate and the comal, are still practiced in many parts of Mexico.
The chinampa system is also being rediscovered by modern chefs, and it is becoming an important part of the contemporary Mexican cuisine. The flowers and herbs that were grown on the chinampas are particularly prized, and they are used in some of the finest restaurants in Mexico City.
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- How many crops could chinampas produce per year? — the productivity
- Aztec Cuisine, Food, and Drink — the food produced
- Founding of Tenochtitlan — the city fed by the chinampas
- Aztec Economy, Agriculture, and Trade — the broader context