The mayans were a completely different people. We like to think of the central American cultures as linear and progressing from one into the other like Europe did but its just untrue. The mayans were as far away in time from the Aztec as the Roman Empire was to the Mongolian invasion of Europe. The mayans were a Yucatan people. The Aztec were Mexicano who migrated from northern Mexico into Mexico Valley, found teotihuaca and said "sweet pyramids. Yeah we built these. Sure."
The mayans were a completely different people. We like to think of the central American cultures as linear and progressing from one into the other like Europe did but its just untrue. The mayans were as far away in time from the Aztec as the Roman Empire was to the Mongolian invasion of Europe. The mayans were a Yucatan people. The Aztec were Mexicano who migrated from northern Mexico into Mexico Valley, found teotihuaca and said "sweet pyramids. Yeah we built these. Sure."
They were a thousand years old by that time.