THE AZTEC`S

WHAT WAS ANCIENT AZTEC ART AND CULTURE LIKE?  WHAT ABOUT THE AZTEC RELIGION?  AND THE LEGENDARY AZTEC SACRIFICES?

THE AZTEC EMPIRE WAS PEOPLED BY A GROUP THAT WAS ONCE NOMADIC, THE MEXICAS.  THEIR CHRONICLERS TOLD THEM THAT AFTER THEIR LONG JOURNEY FROM AZTLÁN, THEY FOUND THEMSELVES TO BE OUTCASTS, UNTIL THEY FOUND THE SIGN SENT TO THEM BY THEIR GOD HUITZILOPOCHTLI, AND BEGAN TO BUILD THEIR CITY.  AND SO THE MEXICA PEOPLES CONTINUED, AND THE AZTEC EMPIRE BEGAN.

THE CITY OF TENOCHITLAN WAS SOON TO BECOME ONE OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN THE WORLD.  THE POWER OF THE MEXICA PEOPLES BECAME MORE CONSOLIDATED, AND THEY BEGAN TO FORM ALLIANCES.  THEIR MILITARY POWER GREW AS WELL, AND THEY BEGAN TO CONQUER PEOPLES IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

Click icon to add picture

AT THE HEIGHT OF ITS POWER, THE AZTEC EMPIRE WAS ORGANIZED AND STRONG, BUT RULED WITH FEAR.  IN 1519, A CLASH OF CULTURES WAS TO TAKE PLACE, UNLIKE ANYTHING BEFORE IT.  ALTHOUGH THERE WAS MUCH TRAGEDY IN BOTH THE SPANISH AND AZTEC EMPIRES BEFORE THIS, THE MEETING OF THE TWO CIVILIZATIONS WAS DISASTROUS.  IN A FEW SHORT YEARS, THE CULTURE AND STRUCTURE OF ONE OF HISTORIES GREATEST EMPIRES WOULD HAVE VIRTUALLY VANISHED.

Click icon to add picture

IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW TO BE DRUNK IN PUBLIC IN THE AZTEC EMPIRE, UNLESS YOU WERE OVER 70 YEARS OLD!

EACH AZTEC HOME HAD A STEAM BATH!

IT IS SAID THAT THE MAJOR AZTEC WEAPON COULD CHOP OFF THE HEAD OF A HORSE WITH ONE BLOW!

AZTEC SACRIFICEIN SPITE OF ALL THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE EMPIRE, IT'S THE AZTEC SACRIFICE THAT THE PEOPLE ARE OFTEN REMEMBERED FOR.  WHY WERE SACRIFICES OFFERED?  WHAT WERE THEY LIKE?  

Types of sacrifices

Though the human sacrifice is the most talked about, there were actually many types of sacrifices in the empire. The people believed that they owed a blood-debt to the gods. They wanted to avert disaster by paying the endless debt. Blood was a common theme - the sacrifice that the gods required

So, animals would be sacrificed, as well as humans. Also, there was ritual blood-letting, where people would cut themselves to offer their blood to the gods.

HUMAN SACRIFICEHUMAN SACRIFICE WAS PRACTISED TO SOME EXTENT BY MANY PEOPLES IN MESOAMERICA FOR MANY CENTURIES.  BUT IT WAS THE AZTEC EMPIRE THAT REALLY TOOK THE RITUAL TO NEW HEIGHTS.  HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE SACRIFICED BY THE AZTECS?  WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WERE SACRIFICED OVER THE YEARS - IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME ACCOUNTS ARE EXAGGERATED - BUT IT WAS PROBABLY THOUSANDS EACH YEAR - TENS OF THOUSANDS OR MORE ALL TOGETHER.  SOME ESTIMATES CLAIM 20,000 A YEAR

Click icon to add picture

The Aztecs had 18 months in one cycle, and for each of the 18 months there was ritual sacrifice.  The victim would be painted as a part of the ritual, they would be placed on a slab where their heart would be removed and held up to the sun.  The body would be thrown down the stairs of the temple/pyramid. The body would be disposed of in various ways, such as feeding animals at the zoo or putting on display (the heads).  There are some accounts of cannibalism, but it's uncertain if this was practised to any great extent.There were other ways that humans would be sacrificed - shot with arrows, drowned, burned, or otherwise mutilated.  Killing in a fight also took place.

Both the empire's own people, and their enemies were sacrificed.  The warriors were often involved in a special ritual war called a xochiyaoyotl . The object was not to gain territory or kill the enemy, but to capture them as food for the gods.  Both sides of the battle were required to fight, and they usually were willing participants.  The people would be captured instead of killed, and then sacrificed.

BY KELSEY IGOE