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Question for January 2009

Why did they call them ‘chinampas’?? Asked by College House Junior School. Chosen and answered by Our In-House Team

‘Chinampa’ comes from the Náhuatl (Aztec) word chinamitl meaning ‘on the square made of canes or stakes’ or on the ‘fence of reeds’.

To build a chinampa, according to Professor Manuel Aguilar-Moreno (who’s on our Panel of Experts) ‘... posts were driven into the shallow lake bottom. Between the posts, vines, and branches were interwoven to form an enclosure. Soil was placed inside. The structure was eventually anchored more securely by roots of water willow (ahuexotl) trees, which were planted at the corners and along the perimeter. The entire plot thus served as a deep foundation filled with dark organic soils for continuous cultivation. It was bordered by canals and walkways, and irrigation was provided by an adjacent canal.

‘Chinampas were generally rectangular, but of varying sizes, on average 300 feet by 15-30 feet (100 meters by 5 to 6 meters). Construction of a chinampa 200 by 8 meters required eight days and a group of four to six men.’ (From Handbook to Life in the Aztec World).

Photos by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore

Learn more about the chinampasWatch a 4-minute Google Arts & Culture video on chinampas

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