【简译】阿兹特克人的食品与农业

2022-08-24 19:17 作者:神尾智代 0人读过 | 我要投稿

The Aztec civilization, which flourished in central Mexico between c. 1345 and 1521 CE, was able to provide an astonishingly wide range of agricultural produce thanks to a combination of climatic advantages, diverse artificial irrigation methods, and extensive farming know-how. Their skills at agriculture gave the Aztecs one of the most varied cuisines in the ancient world.

大约在公元1345年至1521年期间，阿兹特克文明在墨西哥中部蓬勃发展，由于结合了气候优势、多样化的人工灌溉方法和广泛的农业知识，阿兹克特的农业能够提供令人吃惊的广泛的农产品。他们在农业方面的技能使阿兹特克成为古代世界中最多样化的美食聚集地之一。

组织与方法

In Aztec society, land could be owned by communities (calpolli) and parceled out to individual families for cultivation, or farmers could be resident tenants (mayeque) on large, privately owned estates. Rent was paid in kind to the landowners who were either Aztec nobles (pipiltin), warriors given the land as a reward for services rendered, or the king himself (tlatoani), who all managed their estates through intermediary administrators. On a smaller scale, it was also typical for commoners (macehualtin) to have their own garden plot (calmil), which could supply the family with food. At the bottom of the social strata were slaves (tlacohtin) who, besides working in other industries, were also widely engaged in agriculture.

在阿兹特克社会中，土地归属于社区（calpolli），社区将土地分给各个家庭耕种，或者农民可以成为私有大型庄园的常驻租户（mayeque）。租金以实物形式支付给土地所有者，他们要么是阿兹特克贵族（pipiltin），要么是有战功的战士，要么是国王本人（tlatoani），他们都通过中间的行政人员管理其庄园。在小范围内，平民（macehualtin）拥有自己的园地（calimil）也是很典型的，这可以为家庭提供食物。处于社会底层的是奴隶（tlacohtin），他们除了在其他行业工作，还广泛从事农业生产。

Two groups of agricultural workers may be distinguished - the general farm labourers who tended the fields, planted, and irrigated crops, and the more specialised horticulturalists who had knowledge of seeding, transplanting, crop rotation, and the best times to plant and harvest. The latter information could be determined from the tonalamatl almanacs, and they not only considered climatic conditions but also auspicious periods and events after which planting and harvesting should take place.

可以区分两类农业工种，一类是打理田地、种植和灌溉作物的普通农工；另一类是更专业的园艺师，他们掌握着播种、移植、作物轮作以及种植和收获的最佳时间。后者的信息可以从Tonalamatl历书中确定，他们不仅考虑气候条件，还考虑种植与收割应该在什么时候进行。

To maximise crop yields, various measures were taken. For example, terracing to increase the area of farmland was widely used, especially from the reign of Netzahualcoyotl. Irrigation was also employed across the Aztec Empire, sometimes in ambitious large-scale projects, such as the diversion of the Cuauhtitlan River to water surrounding fields, but more commonly via artificially flooded fields known as chinampas (see below). Crops were also fertilized using a combination of sludge dredged from the canals constructed wherever Aztecs took up residence and with human excrement, purposely collected from the urban centres.

为了最大限度地提高作物产量，人们采取了各种措施。例如，可以增加农田面积的梯田技术被广泛使用，特别是在内萨华尔科约特尔统治时期。灌溉技术也在整个阿兹特克帝国得到了应用，有时政府会实施雄心勃勃的大型农业项目，如将夸蒂特兰河改道来浇灌周围的田地，但更常见的农业基础设施是被称为奇南帕的人工水田（见下文）。阿兹特克人居住地修建的运河中挖出的淤泥以及从城市中心特意收集的人类排泄物都可以作为肥土种植农作物。

Still, despite these measures, crop yields could be significantly reduced by unfavourable natural events such as excessive rain and even snow or plagues of such pests as locusts and rodents. Accordingly, reserves of grain were accumulated to be redistributed to the destitute in such hard times.

然而，尽管采取了这些措施，作物产量还是会因不利的自然事件而大幅减少，如过多的雨水，甚至是雪灾，或是蝗虫和老鼠等害虫的困扰。因此，政府会积累粮食储备，以便在困难时期重新分配给受灾者。

All manner of foodstuffs were cultivated, and non-food crops included cotton and tobacco, which was smoked either in a pipe or rolled into cigars. Once harvested, goods were sold in markets held in the central plaza of all towns. The most famous and largest was the market at Tlatelolco, which each day attracted 25,000 shoppers and as many as 50,000 at the special market held on every fifth day.

阿兹克特人会种植各种可食用的植物，非食品作物包括棉花和烟草，人们用烟斗抽烟，或卷成雪茄。粮食或非粮食作物收获后，会在所有城镇的中心广场的市场上出售。最著名和最大的市场是特拉特洛尔科的市场，那里每天吸引25,000名采购者，在每五天举行的特别市场上则能吸引多达50,000人。

奇南帕

Chinampas were artificially raised and flooded fields used for cultivation, and they covered large areas of the Chalco-Xochimilco basin and greatly increased the agricultural capacity of the land. In fact, as many as six crops a year could be grown on the chinampas; no wonder then, that they continue to be used in the present day. Their use in Mesoamerica went back centuries, but it was not until the 13th and 14th centuries CE that they began to spread beyond the lake basin of Chalco-Xochimilco where they eventually covered up to 9,500 hectares (23,000 acres). The chinampas could feed an ever-growing population, which at the capital Tenochtitlan alone was at least 200,000 and perhaps 11,000,000 throughout the empire. Motecuhzoma I, in particular, embarked on an expansion project in the 15th century CE, probably as a direct response to the needs of a rapidly growing population.

奇南帕是人工抬高和淹没的耕地，它们覆盖了查尔科-霍奇米尔科湖盆的大片区域，大大提高了土地的农业能力。事实上，在奇南帕上一年可以种植多达六种作物；难怪这种耕作方式一直使用到今天。它们在中美洲可以追溯到几个世纪前，但直到公元13和14世纪，它们才开始扩展到查尔科-霍奇米尔科湖盆之外，最终覆盖了9500公顷（23000英亩）。奇南帕可以养活不断增长的人口，仅在首都特诺奇蒂特兰就至少有20万人口，整个帝国可能有1100万人口。特别是莫特库赫索马一世时期，在公元15世纪开始了一项扩张计划，这可能是人口快速增长的表现。

Each chinampa field was remarkably similar in size and orientation. Measuring around 30 x 2.5 m, they were pegged out in marshy areas using long stakes. Each plot was bordered with a fence made of intertwined branches which, over time, became more solid as they collected mud and vegetation. The wall was further strengthened by the planting of willow trees at regular intervals. The planting area within the chinampa was filled with sediment and between each plot was a canal which gave access for canoes. The water was provided, and carefully controlled, by a combination of natural springs and artificial constructions such as aqueducts, dikes, dams, canals, reservoirs, and gates. One of the most impressive of these was the 16 km dyke built by Nezahualcoyotl on the edge of Tenochtitlan to block the salty water of Lake Texcoco and create a lagoon supplied by a fresh water spring.

每一块奇南帕地的大小和方向都非常相似。尺寸约为30 x 2.5米，用长木桩钉在沼泽地上。每块地都有一个由交织的树枝组成的围墙，随着时间的推移，这些树枝在收集泥土和植被时变得更加坚固。每隔一段距离就种植一棵柳树，使围墙得到进一步加强。奇南帕内的种植区充满了泥沙，每块地之间有一条运河，可以让独木舟进入。水是由天然泉水和人工建筑（如水渠、堤坝、大坝、运河、水库和闸门）共同供应并精心控制的。其中最令人印象深刻的是内萨瓦尔科约特尔在特诺奇蒂特兰边缘修建的16公里长的堤坝，堤坝阻断特斯科科湖的咸水，并创造一个由淡水泉供应的泻湖。

花圃

The Aztecs also appreciated the cultivation of flower gardens and these were dotted around Tenochtitlan. The most famous example is Motecuhzoma I's exotic botanical garden at Huaxtepec, for which he imported such flowers as the vanilla orchid and cacao trees from the coast, along with specialist gardeners to ensure that they thrived in their new environment. The gardens were irrigated via springs, streams, and artificial canals and featured fountains and artificial lakes. The gardens at Huaxtepec and others such as the ones created by Netzahualcoyotl at Tetzcotzingo were also used to grow foodstuffs and were noted for having plants and trees of medicinal value. In fact, most Aztec upper-class residences had their own pleasure gardens with water features, orchards and herb gardens.

阿兹特克人也很重视花圃栽培，这些花圃遍布特诺奇蒂特兰。最著名的例子是莫特库赫索马一世在华克斯特佩克的异国植物园，他为此从沿海地区引进了香草兰和可可树等花卉植物，还有专门的园艺师以确保它们在新环境中茁壮成长。花园通过泉水、溪流和人工运河进行灌溉，并设有喷泉和人工湖。华克斯特佩克的花园，如内萨华尔科约特尔在特兹科津戈创建的花园，也被用来种植食品，并以拥有的药用价值植物和树木而闻名。事实上，大多数阿兹特克上层阶级的住宅都有自己的娱乐花园，有水景、果园和草药园。

食品与饮料

The Aztec diet was dominated by fruit and vegetables, as domesticated animals were limited to dogs, turkeys (totolin), ducks, and honey bees. Game (especially rabbits, deer and wild pigs), fish, birds, salamanders, algae (used to make cakes), frogs, tadpoles and insects were also a valuable food source. The most common crops were maize (centli, famously used to make tortillas but also tamales and gruel), amaranth (a grain), sage, beans (etl), squash, and chile peppers. Red and green tomatoes were cultivated (but were much smaller than the modern variety), as were white sweet potatoes, jícama (a type of turnip), chayote (vegetable pear), the nopal cactus, and peanuts. The Aztecs also grew many types of fruit including guavas, papayas, custard apples, mamey, zapotes, and chirimoyas. Snacks included popcorn and the sweet baked leaves of the maguey agave.

阿兹特克人的饮食以水果和蔬菜为主，因为驯养的动物只限于狗、火鸡（Totolin）、鸭子和蜜蜂。野味（尤其是兔子、鹿和野猪）、鱼、鸟、蝾螈、海藻（用于制作蛋糕）、青蛙、蝌蚪和昆虫也是宝贵的食物来源。最常见的作物是玉米（centli，著名的用于制作玉米饼，但也用于制作玉米糊和粥）、苋菜（一种谷物）、鼠尾草、豆类（etl）、南瓜和智利辣椒。红番茄和绿番茄都有种植（但比现代品种小得多），还有白甘薯、jícama（一种萝卜，在中国某些地区称番葛、豆薯、地瓜、地萝卜、沙葛、芒光）、chayote（蔬菜梨）、诺宝仙人掌和花生。阿兹特克人还种植了许多类型的水果，包括番石榴、木瓜、奶油苹果、玛米、萨波特斯和奇里莫亚斯。零食包括爆米花和烘烤过的甜味龙舌兰叶子。

Not using oils or fats, most dishes were either boiled or grilled, and extra taste was added using condiments, for the Aztecs loved their sauces and seasoning. Examples of these include epazote, toasted avocado leaves, achiote seeds, and, of course, chile peppers either fresh, dried, or smoked. The other two popular flavours for the Aztecs were vanilla and chocolate. The latter came from the beans of cacao pods from the tree which was widely cultivated in extensive orchards near the coast. Beans were fermented, cured, and roasted. Then the beans were ground into powder and mixed with hot water as chocolate was usually consumed as a warm frothy drink. Bitter to taste, it could be flavoured by adding, for example, maize, vanilla, flowers, herbs and honey. So esteemed was chocolate that beans were used as money (even counterfeited) and demanded as tribute from subject tribes. Other popular drinks were octli (pulque to the Spanish), a light alcoholic beer made from the fermented sap of the maguey and pozolli made from fermented maize dough. These alcoholic drinks were, however, consumed in moderation, as being caught drunk could result in all manner of punishments, even the death penalty.

由于阿兹特克人喜欢他们的酱汁和调味品，所以在做菜的时候不使用油或脂肪，大多数菜肴都是煮或烤的，并使用调味品来增加额外的味道。这方面的例子包括土荆芥、烤牛油果叶、阿奇奥特种子，当然还有新鲜、干燥或熏制的辣椒。对阿兹特克人来说，另外两种流行的味道是香草和巧克力。后者来自可可豆荚的豆子，这种树在海岸附近的大量果园中被广泛种植。豆子经过发酵、腌制和烘烤。然后将豆子磨成粉，与热水混合，因为巧克力通常是作为一种温暖的泡沫饮料来饮用的。巧克力味道苦涩，可以通过添加玉米、香草、鲜花、草药和蜂蜜等进行调味。巧克力是如此受人尊敬，以至于当时的巧克力豆被用作一般等价物（甚至是伪造的），并被要求作为臣民部落的贡品。其他流行的饮料有Octli（西班牙人称之为Pulque），一种用马奎伊树汁发酵而成的淡酒精啤酒，以及用玉米面团发酵而成的Pozolli。然而，这些酒精饮料的饮用是有节制的，因为如果被人发现喝醉了，醉酒者可能会受到各种形式的惩罚，甚至是被判处死刑。