WEB SITES RELATED TO THE AZTECS, THE INCAS AND THE MAYA

Access these sites through your computer’s Internet connection. Open the underlined address or click on the link. Information can be printed or downloaded to your computer. Be sure to follow links to other sites and find your way back with the “back” button.

All of the sites listed were active as of October 25, 2004. The evaluation is by the AVA Center staff according to the amount of information given and its potential use in the classroom.

Note: Different sites refer to the Maya, Mayas, Mayans, etc. and the Incas, Incans, Inka, etc. We try to stay with whatever usage is used on that site.

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS MUSEUM ON THE WEB NEW URL!

http://kidsnewsroom.org/kidsnewsroom.org_non_ssl/elmer/infoCentral/frameset/civilizations/

A student-produced site on ancient civilizations: China; Maya; Canaan; Indus River Valley; Mesopotamia; and Ghana, Mali, Songhai. The Maya: Culture, Daily Life, Geography, Government, Industry, Social Levels, and Other. Excellent

ANCIENT MESOAMERICAN CIVILIZATIONS – MAYA, MIXTEC, ZAPOTEC, AND AZTEC http://www.angelfire.com/ca/humanorigins/index.html

A page of links to sites on Mesoamerican cultures. Excellent

ANCIENT MEXICO NEW!

http://www.ancientmexico.com/

The art, culture and history of ancient Mesoamerica. Sections: The Map, The Gods, The Conquest, The Timeline, The Documents and The History. Includes flash animation. Outstanding. Excellent

THE AZTECS/MEXICAS http://www.indians.org/welker/aztec.htm

This site pulls together information on the Aztecs from a large number of scattered sites. Sections: Aztec Creation Story, Aztec Culture, Aztec Images, Aztec Information Exchange Center, Aztec Languages, Aztec Game Patolli, Aztec Graphics, Aztec Poems, Aztec Web Page, Aztecas Page, Indigenous Mexican Images, Mixtec Nutall Codex, Mundo Azteca, Nahuatl Language of the Aztecs, and Sun Stone, Aztecs, Aztec Temple, Aztec Calendar and much more. Excellent

THE CONQUISTADORS – START THE ADVENTURE NEW!

http://www.pbs.org/opb/conquistadors/home.htm

This is a PBS companion site to the series The Conquistadors available from the AVA Center.

“Welcome to the Conquistadors On-line Learning Adventure! We have created this innovative educational resource for middle and high school classrooms to learn about the Spanish Conquistadors in the New World – and the legacy of their contact with Native Americans. There are extensive lesson plans for teachers and in-depth online content for students available in both English and Spanish.” Sections: Timeline of Conquest, Michael’s Journal, What Do You Think? and Teaching Guide. Click on the figure for each region (North America, Mexico, Peru and Amazonia) for in-depth information on each culture. Excellent

COPAN VILLAGE AND MUSEUM NEW URL!

http://www.maya-archaeology.org/museums/copan/copan.html

Online exhibits and photos from the Copan Museum, the Carlos Pellicer Museum in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico and the Popol Vuh Museum in Guatelmala. A large number of interactive panoramas of Copan, the museums, streaming video. A terrific site. Make sure to visit all the links. Excellent

CULTURES OF THE ANDES

http://www.andes.org

Music, pictures and literature from the Andes Mountains of South America in English, Spanish, and Quechan. Includes the lyrics to songs in all three languages, language lessons, dances, and jokes. Excellent

FORGOTTEN WONDERS http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/Forgotten/index.html

“Forgotten Wonders” of the ancient world. There are four sites for Central and South America: The Aztec Temple in Tenochtitlan (Mexico), The Inca City of Machu Picchu (Peru), The Mayan Temples of Tikal (Guatemala) and the Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque (Mexico). Excellent

INCA MYTHS – INCA CREATION, INCA CULTURE, INCA PANTHEON NEW!

http://www.mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_inca_full.htm

Flash animation tells the legend of Inca creation. Sections: Inca, Inca Creation, Inca Culture, Inca Pantheon and Inca Exercises. Excellent

INCA TRAIL AND MACHU PICCHU (PERU)

http://www.raingod.com/angus/Gallery/Photos/SouthAmerica/Peru/IncaTrail/index.html

“The real Inca Trail is a walking route that leads through the mountains above the Urubamba river, following (at least partly) the course of an old Inca roadway leading to the city of Machu Picchu.” This Virtual Inca Trail saves your feet and keeps you at sea level as you follow the trail and “visit” several ruins before reaching Machu Picchu. Terrific photos carry you right along. Excellent

LATIN AMERICAN PREHISTORY

http://emuseum.mankato.msus.edu/prehistory/latinamerica/

Mankato University’s site on Latin American Prehistory. Sections: Geography; South American Sites and Cultures; Meso American Sites and Cultures; Technology and Society. Themes: Peopling, Big Game Hunting, Transition to Domestication, History of Latin American Archeology, and Spanish Conquest. Note: This is just a small part of their EMuseum. Excellent

LORDS OF THE EARTH – MAYA/AZTEC/INCA

http://www.mayalords.org/

Site on the archaeology and anthropology of the Americas including the Aztecs, Mixtecs, Incas, Maya, and North American Indians. Excellent

LOST KING OF THE MAYA – NOVA ONLINE NEW!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/maya/

A companion site to the NOVA episode. Sections: Tour Copan with David Stuart (includes several video clips), Incidents of Travel, Map of the Maya World, Reading Maya Hieroglyphs. Includes a Teacher’s Guide and Resources (Links). Excellent

MAYA ADVENTURE

http://www.sci.mus.mn.us/sln/ma/

Interactive web site that highlights science activities and information related to the Maya. Includes Maya Sites, Activities, Maya Photo Archive and Start Your Adventure. Excellent

MAYA MYTHS – MAYA CREATION, MAYA CULTURE, MAYA PANTHEON NEW!

http://www.mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_Maya_full.htm

Flash animation tells the legend of Maya creation. Sections: Maya, Maya Creation, Maya Culture, Maya Pantheon and Maya Exercises. Excellent

MAYA RESEARCH PROGRAM

http://www.mayaresearchprogram.org

The web site for an archaeological dig at Blue Creek Ruin in Belize. Includes a discussion group, ruins map, the story of the archaeological site, photos and more. Now includes an Interactive Tour of Blue

Creek. Excellent

MAYAN KIDS INTERACTIVE NEW!

http://www.mayankids.com/mkintro.htm

Information for children on the Mayan civilization. Sections: People, Places, Beliefs, Glossary, Games and Clipart. Note: The games include a Word Search. Excellent

THE MESOAMERICAN BALL GAME – THE SPORT OF LIFE AND DEATH NEW!

http://www.ballgame.org/

Uses the central importance of the Mesoamerican ball game and its profounds effects on the culture to present Mesoamerican civilization through flash animation and more. Includes interactive maps, timelines, artwork and more. Click on the Site Map (bottom) for full access to all the many sections of the site. Classroom Connections includes classroom activities. Outstanding. Excellent

MESOAMERICAN PHOTO ARCHIVES

http://studentweb.tulane.edu/~dhixson/

A fairly large collection of photos of artifacts and museum objects from MesoAmerican cultures. Scroll down the main page for links to each gallery. Excellent

MEXICO: SPLENDORS OF THIRTY CENTURIES

http://www.humanities-interactive.org/splendors/

An online exhibit covering 3000 years of Mexican history, from the Olmecs to modern times. Navigate through the outline or the gallery. Includes: Learning Games, Learning Exercises, Timeline, Exhibit Essays and much more. Outstanding. Excellent

MUSEO DEL TEMPLO MAYOR http://archaeology.la.asu.edu/tm/index2.php

“The museum has eight halls exhibiting thousands of objects, many of them from the more than 110 offerings uncovered in the Archaeological Zone, as well as sculptures, reliefs and other elements found in this area. Here, the Templo Mayor of the Mexica is reproduced symbolically and in the form of museum displays.” Excellent

PROJECT INCA! - A THINKQUEST SITE NEW URL!

http://library.thinkquest.org/C004980/index2.htm?tqskip1=1

The user takes on the role of a time traveler who follows a journal into the past to view the Incan culture up close. Two sections: the Present (2000 AD) – Archive, Virtual Dig, Forum, Links and more. The Past (1520 AD) – Trail, Lifestyle, Religion, Technology, Assimilation, and a Game (Save Your Beloved From Sacrifice). For elementary students. Excellent

QUTEZACOATL: THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND NEW!

http://weber.ucsd.edu/~anthclub/quetzalcoatl/quetzal.htm

“Quetzalcoatl. We've all heard the name before. "He's that Feathered Serpent of Ancient Mexico". However, that only answers the WHAT. Ask, WHO he was, and you might get an answer along the lines of an unintelligble stare; or the standard response, "Yeah. He was the guy who was suppose to return from the East to reclaim his power, but the Indians mistook Cortés for him instead". Though it might seem a simple enough question, a far more involved and complicated answer is necessary.”

A very detailed site. Excellent

RABBIT IN THE MOON – MAYAN GLYPHS AND ARCHITECTURE NEW!

http://www.halfmoon.org/index.html

Information on the Mayan culture, its hieroglyphs and architecture. Note some sections of this site appear separately on this list. Mayan Hieroglyphic Writing; the Mayan Calendar & Date Calculator; The Culture, Games & Resources; Mayan Architecture Models; Languages, The Talking Syllabary; and Meetings, Classes & Books. Excellent

TENOCHTITLAN

http://www.cse.cuhk.edu.hk/~csc5460/mirror/handbook/

This is a gateway to a virtual reality tour of the city of Tenochtitlan in the early part of the 16^th century. Note: This downloads as a large file and directions are given to use the virtual reality program. Needs software (you can download) and 32 MB of space. Excellent for its purpose. Excellent

TEOTIHUACAN – THE CITY OF THE GODS NEW!

http://archaeology.la.asu.edu/teo/

Information on the ancient city of Teotihuacan. Sections: Maps, Chronology, Movies, Internet Journal, News Update, Introduction, Avenue of the Dead, Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon, Feathered Serpent Pyramid and Ciudadela. Includes excellent photos. Includes several short video clips showing certain features. Excellent

YAXUNA ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT NEW URL!

http://maya.csuhayward.edu/yaxuna/YaxFrames.html

A tour and description of the Yaxuna archaeological site in the Yucatan. Includes articles, reports, photos, video clips, and maps. Sections: Battle, Maps, QTVR, Movies and the Yucatan. (Note: Some of the video clips wouldn’t open) Excellent

ANCIENT AND LOST CIVILIZATION LINKS NEW!

http://www.crystalinks.com/ancient.html

Scroll all the way down the page for links to the Aztec Civilization, the Inca Civilization and the Mayan Civilization. Very Good

THE ANCIENT AZTECS NEW!

http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/?tqskip1=1

A site created by students for students on the ancient Aztecs. Sections: Aztec Life; Spanish Conquest, Rulers, Timeline, Religion, Technology, Culture, and Resources. Very well done. Good for elementary students. Very Good

ANCIENT AZTEC, OLMEC AND MESOAMERICA – GATEWAY SITE NEW!

http://www.historylink101.com/1/aztec/ancient_aztec.htm

A gateway to information on the Aztecs, Olmec and Mesoamerica. Sections: Daily Life, Art, Pictures, Maps and Research. Each section leads to a page of links. Very Good

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS – THE AZTECS – CYBERSLEUTH KIDS NEW!

http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/History/Ancient_Civilizations/Mayans/

Links to websites suitable for students on the Aztecs. Very Good

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS – THE INCAS – CYBERSLEUTH KIDS NEW!

http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/History/Ancient_Civilizations/Incas/index.htm

Links to websites suitable for students on the Incas. Very Good

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS – THE MAYANS – CYBERSLEUTH KIDS NEW!

http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/History/Ancient_Civilizations/Mayans/index.htm

Links to websites on the Mayans. Very Good

ANCIENT MAYAN – GATEWAY SITE NEW!

http://www.historylink101.com/1/mayan/ancient_mayan.htm

A gateway to information on the Mayan. Sections: Mayan Daily Life, Mayan Art, Mayan Pictures, Mayan Maps and Mayan Research. Very Good

CITIES OF THE ANCIENT MAYA NEW!

http://www.isourcecom.com/maya/

Extensive information and photos of the cities of the Maya. Sections: Cities, The Maya, Journal, The Conquest, Books and Links/Misc. Very Good

CIVILIZATION OF THE ANCIENT MAYA NEW!

http://www.internet-at-work.com/hos_mcgrane/maya/eg_maya_menu.html

A student-created site about their study of the Maya. A good example. Very Good

THE CIVILIZATION OF THE INCAS NEW!

http://www.internet-at-work.com/hos_mcgrane/inca/eg_inca_menu1.html

Brief paragraphs on several aspects of Inca culture and history. Includes: Inca Clothing, The End of the Inca Empire, Family Life, Craftsmen, An Inca Highway and more. Good for students doing research. Very Good

CIVILIZATIONS IN AMERICA NEW!

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CIVAMRCA/CIVAMRCA.HTM

Information on the civilizations in the Americas. Sections: Civilizations in America, Olmecs, Teotihuacan, Toltecs, Mexicas/Aztecs, Mayas, Chavin, Tiahuanaco, and Incas. Very Good

DESCENDANTS OF THE INCAS – INCA WEAVING TRADITIONS AND FAMILY TIES

http://www.incas.org/

“fulfills one of the major goals of the Center For Traditional Textiles of Cusco, Peru: to share information with you and others about the Native American culture of the Andes. The Center's overall purpose is to help preserve and celebrate Andean textiles and assist their makers in carrying on a tradition practiced for more than 2000 years.” The site showcases life in Chinchero village, the Incan ruins in Chinchero, and the traditional weaving done by the descendants of the Incans. Very Good

THE GODS OF THE MEXICANS

http://www.mindspring.com/~coatl/pages/append.htm

Information on the religion of the Aztecs plus drawings of the different gods. Includes pronunciation of the names of the gods. Very Good

HACH WINIK HOME PAGE (THE LACANDON MAYA)

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/3134/

The history and culture of the Hach Winik (Lacandon Maya), the indigenous people of Chiapas, Mexico who have lived in the Lacandon Rainforest for centuries and whose traditions, stories, rituals, dream interpretations and agricultural principles are “pure Mayan”. Very Good

HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF PERU NEW!

http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/hst/southamerican/HistoryoftheConquestofPeru/toc.html

An online book on the conquest of Peru. Very Good

ICE MUMMIES OF THE ANDES

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/peru

On-line version of the Nova special on the frozen 500 year-old mummies found in the Andes and what scientists have learned from them. Very Good

ICE TREASURES OF THE INCA – AN INTERACTIVE EXPEDITION NEW!

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/andes/index.html

Re-create the 1995 expedition by Johan Reinhard to search for Incan mummies. Contains: Photos, Map, Journal, Audioclips and more. Very Good

IMAGES OF SITES IN MESOAMERICA

http://www.le.ac.uk/archaeology/rug/image_collection/hier/am/r2.html

A collection of photos of a large number of sites in Meso America including: Campeche, Chichen Itza, El Templo Mayor, Monte Alban, Teotihuacan, and Uxmal. Very Good

JOURNEY THROUGH TIKAL NEW!

http://www.destination360.com/tikal/

An virtual visit to the Mayan city of Tikal. Sections: Temples, Treasures and Culture. Very Good

LOS MAYAS – A THINKQUEST SITE NEW URL!

http://library.thinkquest.org/C004825F/homee.htm?tqskip1=1

A student-developed site on the Mayan culture. Section: History, Maps, Geography, Archeology, Legends, Did You Know? And Photos. Very well done. Very Good

MACHU PICCHU – JEWEL IN THE CLOUDS NEW!

http://www.he.net/~mine/inca/

Photos of the Inca city Machu Picchu. View individually or as a slideshow. Very Good

THE MAYA ASTRONOMY PAGE NEW!

http://www.scns.com/earthen/other/seanachaidh/godaztec.html

Information on Mayan astronomy, mathematics, calendar, etc. Sections: Geographic Orientation, Maya Mathematics, the Maya Calendar, Maya Writing, Maya Astronomy, Maya-related WWW Links, and more. Very Good

MAYA CALENDAR

http://www.astro.uva.nl/michielb/maya/calendar.html

Gives interpretations of Mayan words and an explanation of the Mayan calendar. Very Good

MAYAN FOLKTALES

http://www.folkart.com/~latitude/folktale/folktale.htm

Five Mayan folktales still told today. Very Good

MAYAN HIEROGLYPHIC WRITING

http://www.halfmoon.org/writfork.html

Information on the Mayan hieroglyphic system of writing. Very Good

MESOAMERICA AND CENTRAL AMERICA TIMELINE 8000-2000 B.C. NEW! http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/ca/ht02ca.htm

A timeline for Mesoamerica and Central America from 8000 BC to 2000 BC. At the bottom, click on Next Timeline for: Very Good

MESOAMERICA AND CENTRAL AMERICA TIMELINE 2000 BC TO 1000 BC NEW!

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/03/ca/ht03ca.htm

A timeline for Mesoamerica and Central America from 2000 BC to 1000 BC. At the bottom, click on Mexico for Mexico Timeline (see below): Very Good

MESOAMERICA CROSSWORD PUZZLE NEW!

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/xwords/20000301.html

A NY Times crossword puzzle using words from Mesoamerican cultures. Very Good

MESOWEB – AN EXPLORATION OF MESOAMERICAN CULTURES

http://www.mesoweb.com/

A very large mixed-bag collection of articles and images on Mesoamerican Cultures. Includes vocabulary, field reports from archeologists, newspaper articles, gods and legends, animations and photo tours. Well worth a look. Very Good

MEXICO TIMELINE 1000 BC TO 1 AD NEW!

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/04/cam/ht04cam.htm

A timeline of Mexican history from 1000 BC to 1 AD At the bottom, click on Next Timeline for:

NOTE: THERE ARE SEVERAL INTER-RELATED TIMELINES LEADING FROM ANCIENT HISTORY TO THE PRESENT. Very Good

THE MYSTERY OF QUETZACOATL

http://www.rjames.com/Toltec/

The story of Quetzacoatl. Sections: The Myth, Mesoamerica, The Borgia Codex, The Toltecs, and The Cities. Very Good

MYSTERY OF THE MAYA NEW!

http://www.civilization.ca/civil/maya/mminteng.html

Website for the film Mystery of the Maya. Sections: Maya Civilization, Exhibits on the Plaza, The Imax Film and People of the Jaguar. Very Good

ONE DAY, IN CHICHEN ITZA – VIRTUAL TOUR NEW!

http://www.exn.ca/mysticplaces/nazcalines.asp

Choose whether you want to be a Priest, a Warrior, a Girl or a Prisoner. Each takes you different sections of Chichen Itza. Very Good

PARCARITAMBO - MACHU PICCHU MAGAZINE NEW!

http://www.pacaritambo.com/

An online magazine about Machu Picchu. Sections include: Archeology News, Cities of Empire, Copan, Culture, Cuzco, Deity of the Month, Fauna and Flora, History and much more. Note: This doesn’t seem to have been updated since 2001. Very Good

SOUTH AMERICA TIMELINE 1600 AD TO 1800 AD NEW!

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/09/sa/ht09sa.htm

A timeline of South American history from 1600 AD to 1800 AD. FOLLOW THE NEXT TIMELINE LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR 1800 AD TO 1900 AD AND THEN 1900 AD TO PRESENT Very Good

TOUR OF CHICHEN ITZA

http://www.mysteriousplaces.com/mayan/TourEntrance.html

A virtual tour of Chichen Itza, an ancient Mayan city. Plus a description of the history and culture of the Maya. Very Good

UNMASKING THE MAYA NEW!

http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/maya/

A Museum of Natural History site on the Mayan civilization and the Mayans today. Sections: Introduction, The Ancients, Maya Today, Preserving the Culture, Speaking Out and Other Resources. Very Good

ANCIENT INCA POETRY – THE SACRED HYMNS PACHACUTEC NEW!

http://www.red-coral.net/Pach.html

Samples of ancient Inca poetry. Good

ANCIENT MESOAMERICAN WRITING NEW!

http://pages.prodigy.net/gbonline/ancwrite.html

“The symbolism and iconography of writing systems found throughout the ancient world are fascinating, but none more than those that evolved in ancient Mesoamerica. Developing independently of Mediterranean or Asian cultures, there are several different types of pre-conquest writing that represent a unique intellectual achievement in this part of the new world.” Sections: Aztec, Borgia Group, Maya, Mixtec, and Most Ancient. Good

AN AZTEC ACCOUNT OF THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO NEW!

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/aztecs1.html

A single page essay on the conquest of Mexico. Good

AZTEC CALENDAR

http://www.azteccalendar.com/

An explanation of the Aztec calendar. Good

AZTEC CALENDAR: THE POINTER

http://www.earthmatrix.com/serie02/cuad02-1.htm

Explains the pointer of the Aztec calendar in detail. Includes the different cycles and their significance. Fairly advanced. Good

AZTEC COLORING PAGES NEW!

http://www.mrburnett.net/3rdGradeBurnett/ColoringPictures/Aztecs.html

Pages to print out and color. Note: These are much more detailed and are for older children. Good

AZTEC EMPIRE 1427-1521 NEW!

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/latinamerica/meso/cultures/aztec_empire.html

A short page of information for students on the Aztec Empire. Good

AZTEC MYTHOLOGY NEW!

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mythology/aztec_culture.html

Sections: The Earth: Coatlicue; The Rain: Tlaloc; The Moon: Coyolxauhqui; The Sun: Huitzilopochtli; Venus: Talhuizcalpantecuhtli; and The Pleiades: Tianquiztli. Good

AZTECA OR MEXICA?

http://www.azteca.net/aztec/mexica.html

The difference between the cultures of the Aztecs and the Mexicas. Good

AZTECS NEW!

http://www.42explore2.com/aztec.htm

Information for students on the Aztecs. Includes links, activities and vocabulary. Good

THE AZTECS NEW!

http://lsa.colorado.edu/~lsa/texts/Aztecs.html

Brief information on the Aztecs. Sections: Territory, Agriculture and Trade, Aztec Lifestyle and Beliefs, Artistic and Scientific Contributions, and The Spanish Conquest. Good

AZTECS AT MEXICOLORE NEW!

http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs.htm

A UK site aimed at teachers and students there. Good information for the rest of us. Sections include: Aztec Life, Aztefacts, Aztec Artifacts, Aztec Links, Aztec Stories, Aztec Pronunciation, and more. Good

THE AZTECS – SCHOOL WEB SITE NEW!

http://www.nettlesworth.durham.sch.uk/time/aztec.html

A primary school website (UK) about the Aztecs. A good example of a student project. Good

CHICHEN ITZA NEW!

http://facultysenate.villanova.edu/maya/itza.html