Aztec human sacrifice

Human Sacrifice of the Aztecs

 

 

 

                Human Sacrifice formed a major part of the Aztec culture and later influenced the lifestyle and art of this culture in Mesoamerica.  In these rituals of sacrifice, a human was killed and the body was offered to the gods.  Being a polytheistic people, the Aztecs practiced human sacrifice quite. 

                These sacrifices were offered to one of the many gods to keep them ‘happy’ so he keeps doing what he should.  For example, if one year there was a great harvest of corn, but the next nearly all crops withered and died.  The primary thought of the Aztecs was that the god of corn was ‘angry’ and wanted a sacrifice.  The result was the Aztecs offered several people, usually young adults and virgins, and hoped to fulfill the hunger of the god. 

 

-          Form of the sacrifice; Sacrifices were performed by special people, somewhat like priests, and they were performed usually to young adults, children, and virgins.  The best “quality” of people were offered in hopes to gain liking of a god. 

o   These were often performed in terrible and inhumane ways; examples:

§  Heart torn out; the victim had a cavity carved into his or her chest, and the performer of the sacrifice would tear the victim’s heart out of the chest, all while the victim is still alive.  Also, this was the most common among the Aztecs

§  Beheading; Not much explanation needed, the victim was tied and beheaded with a sword like weapon

§  Weeping boys, skinned alive; For this ritual, children were the victim.  They were sometimes shot with arrows beforehand, but remained alive at the time they were skinned.  The more the victim suffered, it was thought the more effective the offering was.

This image shows the sacrificial ceremony held in honor the Aztec gods.  The heart was torn out of the body while the victim was still alive, in order to make the victim suffer and make the sacrifice more efficacious, as was the belief at the time.

 

 

 

 

This apparent cartoon shows all the main gods to whom sacrifices were probably offered. 

Aztec Art

Aztecs: Recognizable Artistic Geniuses

 

 

 

What was ancient Aztec art like?

The art of the Aztecs was influenced by hundreds or even thousands of years of artistry of this very culture.  Techniques and themes changed over time with little to no external influence from other cultures. 

Aztec art was primarily a form of religious expression and a means for paying tribute to one’s gods.

-          Although primarily a religious expression, art was also a means of communication for the Aztecs

o   Art such as pictographs can still be seen on the walls of their temples.

§  Pictographs were small pictures that represented objects or sounds

§  These Aztec drawings were used extensively within their counting system

-          The most famous and recognized Aztec pictograph is the Aztec calendar

o   365 Day calendar much like, if not identical, to our modern calendar

o   It is also a form of art

§  In the center, an image of an Aztec god is shown with extreme attention to detail.

 

 

       

Pottery:

-          Pottery of the Aztecs was not only useful to the Aztecs; it was an important religious craft within the Aztec arts.

-          Pottery of all shapes and sizes depicted a variety of designs that were meaningful to the Aztec culture and religion.

-          The designs typically placed on the pottery were meant to depict or pay reverence to specific Aztec gods or to represent an Aztec tribe.

o   Pottery could be as simple as a rustic plate, or elaborate like this pot:

*Noteworthy: all Aztec culture is strongly based upon religion                       : (not ancient Aztec plate)

 

Sculpture:

-          Primary sculpting material was stone

-          Aztecs showed their deep religion through a variety of sculptures made of stones

-          Days were spent carving freestanding idols as well as relief wall sculptures to be placed within their temples.

o   The stone sculptures were created to represent their gods or the sacrificial victims.

§  Aztecs meticulously carved small realistic figures of animals and people out of jade, obsidian, and quartz.

 

Artistic Rituals:

-          Ceremonies and rituals such as sacrificial rituals formed are the most important part of all the Aztec culture, since culture is based on religion, thus making rituals the lifestyle of the Aztecs. 

-          Craftsmen were called upon to make items specialized for use in religious ceremonies;

o   Best examples include: Aztec masks and warrior art  

*Masks were used in religious ceremonies such as human sacrifice rituals

 

What did we Learn???

Art is just as important as religion or even survival for the Aztecs

 

Work Cited:

 

"The Aztecs." Aztec Indians. N.p., 2010. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.

 "Appealing--Aztec Masks." AvaxNews. Avax, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.

Mursell, Ian. "Mexicolore." Aztec Pottery. Mexicolore, 16 Nov. 2009. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.

 

 

 

Aztecs: Recognizable Artistic Geniuses

 

 

 

What was ancient Aztec art like?

The art of the Aztecs was influenced by hundreds or even thousands of years of artistry of this very culture.  Techniques and themes changed over time with little to no external influence from other cultures. 

Aztec art was primarily a form of religious expression and a means for paying tribute to one’s gods.

-          Although primarily a religious expression, art was also a means of communication for the Aztecs

o   Art such as pictographs can still be seen on the walls of their temples.

§  Pictographs were small pictures that represented objects or sounds

§  These Aztec drawings were used extensively within their counting system

-          The most famous and recognized Aztec pictograph is the Aztec calendar

o   365 Day calendar much like, if not identical, to our modern calendar

o   It is also a form of art

§  In the center, an image of an Aztec god is shown with extreme attention to detail.

 

 

       

Pottery:

-          Pottery of the Aztecs was not only useful to the Aztecs; it was an important religious craft within the Aztec arts.

-          Pottery of all shapes and sizes depicted a variety of designs that were meaningful to the Aztec culture and religion.

-          The designs typically placed on the pottery were meant to depict or pay reverence to specific Aztec gods or to represent an Aztec tribe.

o   Pottery could be as simple as a rustic plate, or elaborate like this pot:

*Noteworthy: all Aztec culture is strongly based upon religion                       : (not ancient Aztec plate)

 

Sculpture:

-          Primary sculpting material was stone

-          Aztecs showed their deep religion through a variety of sculptures made of stones

-          Days were spent carving freestanding idols as well as relief wall sculptures to be placed within their temples.

o   The stone sculptures were created to represent their gods or the sacrificial victims.

§  Aztecs meticulously carved small realistic figures of animals and people out of jade, obsidian, and quartz.

 

Artistic Rituals:

-          Ceremonies and rituals such as sacrificial rituals formed are the most important part of all the Aztec culture, since culture is based on religion, thus making rituals the lifestyle of the Aztecs. 

-          Craftsmen were called upon to make items specialized for use in religious ceremonies;

o   Best examples include: Aztec masks and warrior art  

*Masks were used in religious ceremonies such as human sacrifice rituals

 

What did we Learn???

Art is just as important as religion or even survival for the Aztecs

 

Work Cited:

 

"The Aztecs." Aztec Indians. N.p., 2010. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.

 "Appealing--Aztec Masks." AvaxNews. Avax, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.

Mursell, Ian. "Mexicolore." Aztec Pottery. Mexicolore, 16 Nov. 2009. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.

 

 

 

Aztec Architecture and City-Structure

Aztec Architecture and City-Structure

 

 

 

          The capital city of the Aztec empire was Tenochtitlan, which was in what we now call México City, the fifteenth most populated city in the modern world.

The city layout was planned and made so that it was divided into four city sections called campans.  Tenochtitlan had several canals as well, for the purpose of transporting goods across the city with ease.  Tenochtitlan, being the capital of the Aztec nation housed the majority and all of the besttechnology and architecture found in the empire.

          Around the island were series of chinampa beds which were used to plant food and were used to increase the size of the island.  They were incorrectly named “floating gardens” since they were used to grow up to seven different types of crops a year.  One hectare of these “gardens” could feed 20 people, and about 9000 hectares were found.  The reasons I consider them a type of architecture is that they were most likely man-made and they did provide much of the food the Aztecs needed.  

          The cities like Tenochtitlan were not rare among the Aztecs.  Several like these were made all across the empire, but only a few structures like the great pyramid of the Aztecs were made.  The Tenochtitlan Pyramid, also known as the Tenochtitlan Sun Pyramid, was about 60 meters tall.  This Aztec Pyramid was also called ‘el Templo Mayor’ because it was surrounded by several smaller buildings which were associated with this temple.  It was a place of worship for the Aztecs, who had no true established religion, they simply worshiped many minor gods like the god of corn or the god of water.  Sadly, the Pyramid of Tenochtitlan was destroyed by the Spaniards when the Aztecs were invaded, conquered, and forced to convert to Christianity.  Although the Pyramid of Tenochtitlan was an amazing piece of architecture of the time it was not the only one of the time.  Several other smaller pyramids were made outside of Tenochtitlan and they all had similar purposes, one which all had in common was the use as a sacrificial temple.  They usually had four stages, with platforms in between each. The pyramids had stairs up all four sides, and at the top, there was a sacrificial temple.  Both human and animal sacrifices took place in these temples and the sacrifices were offerings to the many gods.

          Tenochtitlan houses the majority of advanced architecture in the Aztec lands.  When anyone hears the word “Pyramid” they immediately think of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Worthy of mention is the fact that many civilizations like the Mayans and other unknown civilizations used the shape of a pyramid to build important buildings.  This was a popular structure across the ancient world most likely because they are very stable structures, yet they are extremely simple.  Architecture I had never heard of before, however, is of something like chinampa beds.  They were natural but they were purposely placed to expand the island of Tenochtitlan and add to the amount of land in which crops could grow.

 

 

Map of what Tenochtitlan most-likely looked like when it was still standing, according to GNU.

 

This picture describes the chinampa beds which expanded the city of Tenochtitlan and helped

provide food for most of the city’s population.

 

http://www.aztec-history.net/tenochtitlan

http://library.thinkquest.org/16545/data/low/aztec.htm

 

                            

Aztecs: History of the People

Aztecs: History of the People

 

 

 

                The Aztecs originated from the Nahua peoples who began to migrate to Mesoamerica from northern México in the 6^th century.  The Nahua peoples began populating central México and established their beliefs and culture in that area.

 

          The true origin of the Méxicas, origin of the Aztecs, is unknown to this day.  According to Aztec legends, the place of origin was Aztlán, somewhere to the north of the Valley of México.  Based on these tales, historians seem to have located the place of settlement of the Méxicas was in modern-day Chapultepec during the early 12^th century.   According to the legend, the Méxicas were conquered by the Tepanecs.  The Tepanecs allowed them to resettle in the barren lands of Tizapan.  According to Aztec legend, in 1323, the Mexicas were shown a vision of an eagle perched on a prickly bear cactus, eating a snake. This vision indicated that this was the location where they were to build their home.  Eventually they got to a swampy land where they found the eagle on the cactus and they built a city there, a city by the name of Tenochtitlan.  This is not a fact, it is based on the tales told by the Aztecs and they are not very reliable.

          For a fact we do know that the Aztecs expanded and thrived as an empire.  Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan formed an alliance which would dominate the Valley of Mexico for the next 100 years and extend its power to both the Gulf of México and the Pacific shore. Over this period, Tenochtitlan gradually became the dominant power in the alliance.

          The empire reached its height during Ahuitzol’s reign in 1486–1502.  His successor, Motehcuzōma Xocoyotzin, better known and Moctesuma II, had been Hueyi Tlatoani for 17 years when the Spaniatds, led by Hernan Cortez, landed on the Gulf Coast in the spring of 1519.  The Spaniards came to conquer the Aztecs and drive them out of their land. The Spaniards and their allies were not exactly welcomed in the city of the Aztecs and they had long been planning to drive them out. In June 1520, hostilities broke out, all of which caused the massacre in the Main temple and the death of Moctezuma II. The Spaniards fled the town on July 1, a date known to the Spanish even to this day as “La Noche Triste”, the sad night; this name was given because it represented the defeat of the most powerful nation of the time.  In 1521, the Spaniards came back and sieged the city of Tenochtitlan.  The battle ended on August 13 as a result of the destruction of the city.  

Despite the decline of the Aztec empire, most of the Mesoamerican cultures were intact after the fall of Tenochtitlan, which is surprising since it was the most important city in Mesoamerica.

          In the history of most ancient civilizations we see a pattern of events, which is consistent with each civilization.  We see a beginning or declaration of the nation or empire, followed by a neutral period, then its golden age, and it slowly falls from that point.  The Aztec civilization is not an exception to this pattern of events.  Like most great ancient civilizations, the Aztecs were defeated and the result is the end of the culture itself, yet some people still carry Aztec blood.

 

This picture shows how some parts of the Aztec civilization did not disappear, they just evolved into Méxican culture.

 

This is the geographic location of what was the Aztec empire; it was located on the southern part of what is now known as México.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec#History

http://www.crystalinks.com/aztec.html