Zona Arqueológica de Uxmal © Laure Nashed
To learn about the two most famous and formative peoples of Mexico, the Aztecs and the Mayans, I searched for interesting film documentaries and podcasts. There are many indigenous tribes that have left their mark on the country. The two best known are the Maya and the Aztecs, which I have focused on.
History of Mexico
” Völker, Zivilisation und Hochkulturen in Mexiko” (Peoples, civilisation and advanced civilisations in Mexico), travel blog in german
This page contains a clear timeline and short descriptions of the most important indigenous peoples of Mexico.
“Mexikanische Geschichte kurz und bündig”, travel blog in german
The most important events in Mexican history up to the present day are listed here in 1-2 sentences each.
History of the Aztecs
“Der geheime Azteken-Code”, documentary Terra X, 2009, in german.
In this documentary, the viewer accompanies the scientist Eduard Seler and his wife Caecilie on their journey to Mexico City in 1887. Seler was the first researcher to question the reports of the Spanish conquerors and decode Aztec pictorial writings.
Besides the passionate research of Seler and his wife, one learns a lot about the culture of the Aztecs and the city of Tenochtitlan. Highly recommended.
“The Aztecs”, Podcast BBC, 2003
The podcast begins with the question of who the Aztecs were. The nomadic origin of this people and the name “Aztecs” is discussed. The expansion to the powerful Aztec empire through sacrifice and war are core topics. The rapid decline of the Aztec empire is presented and finally the successful missionary work of the population of former Tenochtitlan.
“21 Facts About the Aztec Empire”, Blog History
A compact account of the most important historical events and features in the Aztec Empire.
History of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan.
“The Siege of Tenochtitlan”, BBC Podcast, 2011.
This podcast focuses on the historical events and what the Spanish found when they arrived.
History of the Maya
“The Mayan Code”, documentary arte, 2008, in german.
“The word is the bearer of tradition and history,” says the narrator of the arte documentary. The walls of the Maya temples are covered with hieroglyphs and posed a riddle to archaeologists for a long time. The decipherment work of various renowned archaeologists such as Thompson, Proskouriakoff and Knorozov, as well as the rivalries among them, are revealed in this exciting documentary. The result of the research reveals what fascinating storytellers the Mayans were. Stories that are being brought back to the descendants of the Maya through decoding. Also explained in this documentary are the achievements in mathematics and the amazing astronomical understanding of the Mayans.
So far my favourite documentary on Mayan history.
“The Maya Civilization”, BBC Podcast, 2016.
It discusses urban features as well as the Mayan code. Also explains the very current topic of the great archaeological hope of laser technology.
“Lost Treasures of the Maya”, documentary National Geographic, 2018.
A documentary series by National Geographic follows a team of archaeologists as they discover Mayan ruins under forest canopies using “LiDAR” laser technology.
“Naachtun – die verborgene Stadt der Mayas”, documentary arte, 2018, in german.
The city of Naachtun in the Guatemalan jungle survived the collapse of the Mayan high culture for almost 200 years. Because of the difficult accessibility of this Maya site, it was not explored for a long time. The arte documentary accompanies the Maya experts on their adventure.
History of the Aztecs and Maya
“Engineering an Empire / The Aztecs” – “Engineering an Empire / The Maya”, Documentary KPI Productions, 2006
The Youtube title is somewhat misleading here. It is actually two documentaries shown one after the other. The first part shows “Engineering an Empire / The Aztecs”, the second shows “Engineering an Empire / The Maya”. The original title of this American documentary reveals that the focus is on the technical achievements of the Aztecs and the Maya, embedded in the historical context.
After a somewhat dramatic docu-start of an offering, according to American tradition, this docu is particularly convincing with explanatory 3D presentations on the following topics:
– The Aztecs:
– The foundations of the pyramids in Tenochtitlan
– Transport of materials and water in Tenochtitlan
– Aqueduct and “Bath of the King” in Tezcotzingo
– The engineering work at Nezahualcoyotl
– The floating gardens – Chinampa
– City infrastructure in Tenochtitlan
– The early post: the messengers of the Aztecs
– Templo Mayor and the “concrete” of the Aztecs
– Temple complex Malinalco
– The conquest of Hernan Cortes
– The Maya:
– The city of Tikal
– The city of Calakmul
– The work of craftsmen and transporters
– Maya Stucco
– The city of Palenque
– The development of a vault in Palenque
– The Maya code and geometric proportion of a temple in Palenque
– Amazing drainage and water supply system in Palenque
– Leaving the Maya cities
– The Sacbe road system
– The city of Chichen Itza
– The astronomical understanding of the Maya
– The development of the round pillar
– The Spanish conquest
Later historical events
A blog entry on further historical events will follow. For the impatient already a few links:
On the war against the USA 1846-1848
On the French invasion 1862-1867
