18 INTRODUCTION
Figure A.7 High plateau country of Northern Mexico. Photograph by the authors of the text.the edible prickly-pear cactus). Clumps of mesquite (whose pods are edible) and
yucca trees can be found in places with alluvial deposits. Peyote grows naturally in the
zone. Adjacent to the mountains, the streams are lined with cypress, cottonwood,
mesquite, and willow trees. In the low desert zone west of the Sierra Madre Occiden-
tal, the vegetation is more lush and arboreal. Furthermore, the rich river valleys there
have been cultivated in maize, beans, and other crops since before Spanish contact.
Nearctic animals such as deer and rabbits were once abundant in the more lush parts
of the area, and they provided an important component of the inhabitants’ diet in abo-
riginal times. A few neotropical animals were also present, such as the jaguar, pec-
cary, and armadillo.
A sixth natural area, which largely falls outside the region occupied by the
Mesoamericans but nevertheless has been important to them, is the Central Ameri-
can Isthmus. Its geographic features are described in Box A.2.Biological Characteristics of the Mesoamericans
It needs to be stated from the outset that biological differences did not provide an
important basis for social distinctions in the Mesoamerican world prior to the com-
ing of the Spaniards. In general, the Mesoamericans themselves gave little social im-
portance to skin color or biological features. Nor did the Spanish conquistadors
observe major physical differences between the various Mesoamerican peoples,