What were the Aztec artificial agricultural islands called?

The Aztec artificial agricultural islands were called chinampas. They were raised plots built in the shallow lakes and wetlands of the Valley of Mexico, especially around Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco.

Farmers formed chinampas by staking out areas with reeds and branches, then layering lake mud, sediment, and decaying vegetation inside the enclosure. Canals around the plots kept the soil constantly moist and provided routes for small boats. Willow-like ahuejote trees were often planted along the edges to stabilize the beds.

Chinampas are sometimes called “floating gardens,” but that description can be misleading: many were anchored to the lakebed rather than freely floating. The technology existed before the Aztec Empire, although the Mexica developed it on a large scale. Crops included maize, beans, squash, amaranth, tomatoes, chilies, and flowers, helping support Tenochtitlan’s dense population.