Page:Historia Verdadera del Mexico profundo.djvu/23

 to have a healthy diet. Knowledge about the human body, plants, animals and minerals was the base that allowed ancient Mexicans to enjoy incomparable good health. The development of an efficient educational system allowed the training and education of their children in order to develop a long-term civilizing process that maintained the "social purpose" for centuries, while their scientific infrastructure allowed them to start their studies of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, engineering, linguistics, architecture, botany, zoology. They learned an artistic language which enabled them to express, aesthetically and universally, their perception of the immeasurable and marvelous in human existence, and its complex and wonderful relationships with nature and the cosmos. They possessed a sophisticated and effective system of social organization that allowed them to develop monumental works that spanned several generations to complete and maintained their original purpose throughout. In short, a myriad of knowledge, which formed the foundations of what will later be known as the Classic or the flourishing period.

Agriculture.

"The agriculture —invention— was in fact a prolonged process, which took place in the region in the course of several millennia, starting at about 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, according to recent dating technologies. Between 1500 and 1000 years BCE, the first permanent agricultural villages began appearing at various points of the future Mesoamerica. They domesticated over 70 local species of plants like pumpkins, corn, avocado, amaranth, beans, chili pepper, green tomato, century plants, prickly pear cactus and cotton, among others, totaling over 70 different species, in addition to others from