<< INDEX OF MINI-TESTS
The Maya civilization was deeply spiritual, with a polytheistic religion centered on gods of nature, elaborate rituals including human sacrifice, advanced astronomical knowledge tied to their calendar systems, and monumental pyramid temples dedicated to their deities. The Aztecs were a militaristic society whose culture revolved around their polytheistic religion, featuring gods like Huitzilopochtli (god of war and the sun), large-scale human sacrifices to sustain cosmic balance, and grand temple-pyramids such as the Templo Mayor in Tenochtitlan. The Inca Empire emphasized communal living under a centralized government while worshiping Inti (the sun god) as their primary deity, conducting ceremonies at sacred sites like Machu Picchu, and practicing ancestor veneration through mummification of rulers. Test your knowledge of Mayan, Aztec, and Incan civilizations with our quiz!
Answer all the questions and choose one response for each of them.
1. What was the name of the vast and powerful empire established by the Incas?
2. Which Inca deity is revered as the Earth Mother, symbolizing fertility and agriculture?
3. Which civilization is known for its sophisticated writing system called hieroglyphics, used to document history, mythology, and daily life?
4. What is the name of the 260-day ritual calendar used by the Maya for sacred events and divination?
5. Which civilization had its capital city, Tenochtitlán, situated on an island in Lake Texcoco, featuring an intricate system of canals and aqueducts?
6. Which Aztec deity, known as the Feathered Serpent, represented wind, learning, creation, and civilization itself?
The correct answers are the ones corresponding to the letter C. Count the number of times you chose answer C and check your profile below.
0: The Incas, Mayas and Aztecs are a mystery to you!
1-2: You know very little about the Incas, Mayas and Aztecs
3-4: You have some knowledge of the Incas, Mayas and Aztecs
5-6: You are a true authority on the Incas, Mayas and Aztecs
Explanation of answers
1. What was the name of the vast and powerful empire established by the Incas?
The Inca Empire, one of the largest and most sophisticated empires in pre-Columbian America, was known as Tawantinsuyu. This term translates to “The Four Regions” or “The Four Parts Together”, reflecting the administrative division of their empire into four suyus (regions) that converged at its capital, Cusco. The Incas built an extensive network of roads, bridges, and agricultural terraces to unify their vast territory across the Andes Mountains.
2. Which Inca deity is revered as the Earth Mother, symbolizing fertility and agriculture?
In Inca mythology, Pachamama is venerated as the Earth Mother. She represents fertility, agriculture, and nature itself. Pachamama was central to Andean cosmology and rituals, with offerings made to her to ensure bountiful harvests and harmony with nature. Her worship continues today among Indigenous communities in South America.
3. Which civilization is known for its sophisticated writing system called hieroglyphics, used to document history, mythology, and daily life?
The Maya civilization developed a highly advanced writing system known as Maya hieroglyphics. This system combined logograms (symbols representing words or ideas) with syllabic elements to record historical events, religious texts, astronomical observations, and more on stelae (stone monuments), codices (folded books), and pottery.
4. What is the name of the 260-day ritual calendar used by the Maya for sacred events and divination?
The Tzolk’in is the 260-day ritual calendar used by the Maya for religious ceremonies and divination purposes. It consists of 20 day-names combined with numbers from 1 to 13 in a repeating cycle. The Tzolk’in played a crucial role in determining auspicious dates for various activities such as planting crops or conducting rituals.
5. Which civilization had its capital city, Tenochtitlán, situated on an island in Lake Texcoco, featuring an intricate system of canals and aqueducts?
The Aztec civilization established its capital city at Tenochtitlán on an island in Lake Texcoco (modern-day Mexico City). The city was renowned for its advanced engineering feats such as chinampas (“floating gardens”), canals for transportation and irrigation, causeways connecting it to the mainland, and aqueducts supplying fresh water.
6. Which Aztec deity, known as the Feathered Serpent, represented wind, learning, creation, and civilization itself?
In Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl, often depicted as a Feathered Serpent, symbolized wind (Ehecatl), knowledge, creation, art, culture, and civilization itself. Quetzalcoatl was also associated with priesthoods and played a key role in Aztec cosmogony as one of the gods who created humanity.
Disclaimer: Please acknowledge that this quiz, despite being developed by experts in the fields of spirituality and philosophy, is not intended to exhaustively probe your knowledge of ancient South American civilizations. Its primary purpose is to entertain and stimulate the user’s mind and curiosity. Therefore, remember to consider its results as purely indicative and use the explanations provided as food for thought rather than as judgments about yourself.