What important technology was absent from Mesoamerican civilization?
a. The wheel b. Maize/Corn c. The quipu
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is a. The wheel.
Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Maya, Aztec, and Olmec, made impressive advancements in many fields, but one key technology that was notably absent was the wheel, at least in terms of its practical use for transportation or machinery. While the wheel existed in Mesoamerican cultures, it was used primarily in toys or ceremonial objects, not for practical purposes such as carts or vehicles. The absence of the wheel in these societies has been a subject of much scholarly discussion.
The reason the wheel wasn’t adopted for transportation could be related to the geography and the environment of Mesoamerica. The region is characterized by dense jungles, steep mountains, and rough terrain, which would have made the use of wheeled vehicles impractical. Additionally, the indigenous people had developed other methods for transportation, such as portaging goods and utilizing human labor to carry heavy loads. They were skilled at building extensive networks of roads, particularly in the Inca Empire, but these were often designed for foot travel, not wheeled carts.
On the other hand, maize (corn) was a crucial agricultural product for Mesoamerican civilizations, and quipu was an important tool used by the Inca civilization for record-keeping and communication. These innovations, along with others like advanced calendar systems, architecture, and astronomy, played a key role in the success and development of Mesoamerican societies. The absence of the wheel, however, remains one of the defining technological differences when compared to other ancient civilizations, such as those in the Old World.