Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica is the great cultural region that covered central and southern Mexico and part of Central America, where Olmecs, Maya, Zapotecs, Teotihuacanos, Toltecs and Mexica shared common traits. Maize was the staple crop of their diet, and cacao beans served as money in the markets.

Other shared traits were the ball game, a ritual sport played on stone courts, and codices, pictorial manuscripts on deerskin or bark paper that recorded historical, religious or tribute information.