The Aztecs, Mayas, Incas are "ancient" in the way that their way of life is similar to other ancient empires. What makes them interesting is that they're huge "ancient" empires living in close to modern day. It's like being able to step into Babylon and/or the Assyrians. Except we have more than buried ruins and scattered texts, we have actual cities, documents describing meeting these people and how they lived, actual recent descendants, it's getting to peek into ancient life.
Not trying to detract but these empires really are on a level on their own in just how interesting and helpful they are to understanding human history.
secretly_a_zombie t1_j60slqn wrote
Reply to comment by dhrisc in Dozens of pre-Hispanic Zapotec tombs found in San Pedro Nexicho in Mexico by MeatballDom
The Aztecs, Mayas, Incas are "ancient" in the way that their way of life is similar to other ancient empires. What makes them interesting is that they're huge "ancient" empires living in close to modern day. It's like being able to step into Babylon and/or the Assyrians. Except we have more than buried ruins and scattered texts, we have actual cities, documents describing meeting these people and how they lived, actual recent descendants, it's getting to peek into ancient life.
Not trying to detract but these empires really are on a level on their own in just how interesting and helpful they are to understanding human history.