ultrafacts:

How on earth would you feed a city of over 200,000 people when the land around you was a swampy lake? Seems like an impossible task, but the Aztec managed it by creating floating gardens known as chinampas, then they farmed them intensively.

These ingenious creations were built up from the lake bed by piling layers of mud, decaying vegetation and reeds. This was a great way of recycling waste from the capital city Tenochtitlan. Each garden was framed and held together by wooden poles bound by reeds and then anchored to the lake floor with finely pruned willow trees. The Aztecs also dredged mud from the base of the canals which both kept the waterways clear and rejuvenate the nutrient levels in the gardens.

A variety of crops were grown, most commonly maize or corn, beans, chillies, squash, tomatoes, edible greens such as quelite and amaranth. Colourful flowers were also grown, essential produce for religious festivals and ceremonies. Each plot was systematically planned, the effective use of seedbeds allowed continuous planting and harvesting of crops.

Between each garden was a canal which enabled canoe transport. Fish and birds populated the water and were an additional source of food. [x]

image

(Fact Source) For more facts, follow Ultrafacts

(via zhxngxyi)

  1. abitofwhimsey reblogged this from bunnyharlow
  2. aimlesswalker reblogged this from asecondglassofcinnamonwine
  3. renatoi reblogged this from ultrafacts
  4. yung-and-bludy reblogged this from scarlet-witch-angel
  5. doctor-potterlock-of-the-rings reblogged this from lutzao
  6. absurdnoetic reblogged this from planetaerium
  7. planetaerium reblogged this from jenecheru
  8. jenecheru reblogged this from cowboywithnogender and added:
    Andean Futurism - the way to the future is through the past 💚
  9. lutzao reblogged this from avakining
  10. avakining reblogged this from wehavedonetheimpossible
  11. 7wo7rees reblogged this from boobskin
  12. cirrusin reblogged this from kotababy
  13. sen-b reblogged this from mynadonuts
  14. melancholysage reblogged this from offkilteronbrand
  15. mynadonuts reblogged this from kotababy
  16. kotababy reblogged this from boobskin
  17. boobskin reblogged this from angryirene
  18. realasreality reblogged this from offkilteronbrand
  19. angryirene reblogged this from i-wear-the-cheese
  20. offkilteronbrand reblogged this from i-wear-the-cheese
  21. kla411 reblogged this from i-wear-the-cheese
  22. delinash reblogged this from i-wear-the-cheese
  23. fletchersupergirl reblogged this from i-wear-the-cheese
  24. i-wear-the-cheese reblogged this from thefaultinourheadcanons
  25. thecrankyagnes reblogged this from cramzydays
  26. ultrafacts posted this
ANI