Is there any pre-Columbian American cartography on a large scale? Would an educated person in the Aztec or Inca empires know about the geography of the American continent?

by dynaboyj
Mictlantecuhtli
ericurrr

Fascinating posts linked! Former SW archaeologist here.

Trade routes were incredibly well established throughout Mesoamerica and into America (although none of them would have classified themselves as belonging to any of those regions!). I have personally encountered a ton of marine shell, a peruvian-style ceramic vessel, and a variety of obsidian and semiprecious stones that traveled hundreds of miles to arrive at my AZ sites. In other Southwest-centric site reports people have found macaw remains, copper bells, rubber balls, and stone motifs that assuredly came from Mesoamerica. In addition to ceramic motifs, jewelry styles, and bodily modifications (notched teeth, intentional cradleboarding, etc) that suggest trade of goods, culture, and people across many miles.

So of course they had methods of conveying long-distance geography, and people who routinely traded along those routes. How well known those routes are to others is impossible for me to say though, as the culture I study conveys information and history orally rather than through a formal system of writing. Super cool question though! Loved learning more about this!

slimjimjohnson

I'm sorry to ask in this thread but I can't seem to find them anywhere on Google or in this Reddit. You guys kept referencing Roman maps. I'm curious are there any examples or pictures of maps that were drawn during antiquity ?