General Aztecs Maya Tocuaro Kids Contact 19 Mar 2024/2 Death
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An Aztec couple

Aztefacts

Some little known facts about the Aztecs/Mexica - and ancient Mesoamerica in general - you might find interesting.

We’re adding continuously to these pages (last updated December 2023) - all suggestions welcome...

And don’t forget to leave your comments on a particular page by clicking the button at the bottom...!

Intrigued by our little animated couple, shown here? Click on ‘Swingalong’ in the r/h menu to learn more...

Women who died in childbirthMexica women who died in childbirth

were likened to ‘spinners who had woven nothing’

Throwing bodies down temple stepsThrowing victims’ bodies down temple steps

was a ritual reenactment of a Mexica myth

Ritual parallels in smoking and fightingTo the Mexica a tobacco smoking tube

also denoted a warrior’s spear...

Aztec lime plasterSome Aztec lime plaster remains

as hard as modern concrete...

The glyph for the city of TenochtitlanThe glyph for Tenochtitlan city

was a shield and set of arrows

Even stones have spirits inside them...In the Nahua cosmovision, everything

that exists has a spirit/energy inside

Quetzal feathers and maize leavesMesoamericans identified quetzal feathers

with the leaves of the maize/corn plant

Raining flowers and flintsIn the codices rain deities can be seen

bringing life and death to crops...

Infancy: life and language in limboLife’s meaning

came with weaning...

Jade bead in the mouth: afterlife insuranceA jade bead in the mouth of the deceased

helped protect their spirit in the afterlife...

The Mexica cosmos - ‘a house writ large’The Mexica cosmos

- ‘a house writ large’...

104: a VERY special age for the Aztecs...Reach 52 and you’d made a ‘century’ -

reach 104 and respect turned to fear...

Sacred geometry was at the FOURfront of Aztec life and world (1)Sacred geometry - at the FOURfront

of the Aztec landscape and world...

Mirrors could deter citizens from lyingMirrors could be used by rulers

to deter citizens from lying...

Slave: ‘To secure your freedom, tread on poo...!’ Eh??A slave’s freedom could depend

on ritually stepping on human poo...

Left hand side rules!The body’s left-hand side contains

more ‘vital force’...

The fate of your {italictonalli} after deathWhat was the fate of

your tonalli after death?

A new medicine - thanks to deer...How the Mexica discovered a new herbal medicine

- thanks to the animal world...

Mexica jaguar warriors did NOT wear jaguar skinsJaguar knights did NOT wear

real animal skins as uniforms...

Human waste was put to good useIn Aztec times, pee and poo

were put to very good use...

Ritual fire on a mountain summit: ancient signals...Lighting a ritual fire atop a sacred mountain

gave out ancient signals in four directions

Drumming up support in battleSmall drums were carried and played

by Mexica warriors to give signals in battle

Tenochtitlan - Centre of the Aztec WorldTenochtitlan, ‘The Great City of Mexico’

was the centre of the Aztec World...

The metaphor of jewelleryThe Aztecs spoke of stringing together

the 20 day signs as a ‘precious necklace’...

The great market at TlatelolcoThe noise of the great market at Tlatelolco

could be heard ‘a league off...’

Aztec birth symbolsAn Aztec baby was given a naming ceremony gift

- that pointed to his or her future career...

Dancing with snakes - and swallowing them!Every 8 years the Mexica danced with snakes

and raced to be the first to swallow them...!

Rare ‘rain-gold’Aztec ‘rain gold’ was actually

a rare crystal-filled meteorite!

Which was the highest rank in the Aztec army?Jaguar and Eagle Warriors were NOT

the highest rank in the Aztec army...

(Feathered) Snakes and LaddersAncient Mexican gods played

out ‘Snakes and Ladders’...

The Luck of the StrawWinner takes all in

the Mexica straw poll game!

The Sea - ‘water which reaches the heavens’For the Mexica, heavens and ring

of celestial water meet on the horizon

Synchronized blood-lettingDid blood coursing in Mexica veins

match the coursing of stars above?

Mice: Aztec spies!The Aztecs wouldn’t ‘rat’ on you

but you could get ‘moused’...!

Teaching children to GROW (up)Aztec/Mexica parents taught and

‘grew’ their children a bit like plants...

‘Like father, like son...’There was a close personal bond

between Aztec captor and captive...

Why did Mexica priests have matted hair?The matted, tangled hair of Mexica priests symbolized

the ‘disordered filaments of the underworld’

And one to hold the head?Were human sacrifices

performed by 5 priests... or 6?

Aztec pleasure gardensThe world’s first botanic gardens

may well have been Aztec...

The ‘deer-killer’ beetleThe awesome Aztec pinauhuiztli beetle

has just been identified as the ‘deer-killer’!

Water-Dog DetectiveThe Aztec Water-Dog

has been positively identified...!

Name your style - the Mexica wore it!There are 5 basic ways to design clothes

- and the Mexica wore them all...

Gold dustEach bowl of gold dust tribute had to fill

‘the hollow of both hands placed together’

See you later, Alligator...See you later Alligator!

- death was a final homecoming...

Mum and Dad‘Our father’ -

- the cypress tree...

Smoke signals - an Aztec archaeologist’s best clueSmoke signals gave the game away

to something precious underneath...

Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli - The god with the longest name?Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli

- The god with the longest name?

A nose plug fit for a water goddessA nose plug

fit for a water goddess

Potty about potsDid the modern piñata...

... evolve from Aztec rain-god pots?

Get a grip!I can’t ‘handle’ life on my own...

... I just need to get a grip!

Ear, ear...For the Aztecs if you’d ‘made it’ in life...

... you were compared to a ripe ear of corn

Ultimate headgearThe ultimate in headwear...

... but isn’t the original in the wrong place?

Swingalong...No time for leisure?

Ancient Mexican life had a real swing to it...

Super-fertile ‘floating gardens’!Strictly they didn’t float...

... and they were rich enough to feed thousands of Aztecs

Who were the Mexica?How come a heron...

... was a special symbol for the Aztecs?

A people’s bed1 petate .. 2 petate .. 3 petate

The Aztecs slept fitfully...

Just ‘toying’ with wheels?The wheel -

Did the Aztecs just ‘toy’ with the idea?

Nahual or daemon?Dark materials indeed

Where did Phillip Pullman get his ‘daemon’ idea from?

Aztecs had herbal remediesThe Aztec recipe for hiccups...

... was used in Europe for 200 years

Meals on sandals ...Ultrarunning

Fresh fish from the coast daily ... on foot!

A Dog’s (for) Dinner...Guide dogs -

- for all?

A Rabbit in the Moon?Because of its lunar connections...

... the rabbit was an important day and year-bearer sign

The World’s Healthiest SuperfoodSuperfood

Did the Aztecs eat nutritious green goo?

Oh balls!Playing ‘ullamaliztli’...

... required an awful lot of balls!

Did the Aztecs invent the sauna?The Aztecs gave themselves...

... a healthy thwacking!

Give yourself an Aztec life check!Aztec life check

Do you give as much as you receive?