1. Aztec Religion and Worldviews
People of the Sun
Aztec Religion and Worldviews

2. Our Beliefs vs. The Aztec
What things impact the decisions you make in your life?
How important is religion in the decisions you make?

3. Aztec Gods
The Aztecs believed that all things has spiritual power and they looked to the gods for signs on how to live.
The Aztecs believed in the periodic distruction and re-creation of the world.
The most influential God of the Aztecs was Huitzilopochtli
He guided them to settle in the Valley of Mexico. He demanded sacrificial blood and was a war-like God.

4. Huitzilopochtli

5. Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl
The most powerful of the Gods
Lord of the Night Sky
Saw visions of the future
“Feathered Serpent”
It was said he would return in the year “One Reed,” bringing destruction to the Aztec empire

6. Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl

7. Tlaloc
The God of rain
The Aztec feared him because he could unleash deadly floods or withhold rain for years

8. Keeping Records
Codices and Calendars

9. Codicies Aztecs used a Codex (Codices) to record events.
These record books held information about their belief and activities performed in honour of various Gods
A Condex may be similar to a diary today
Codices did not use written language; they used symbols and images only
Most were destroyed by the Spanish after their conquest

10. Calendars Aztecs used two sets of calendars to monitor time
1. Solar Calendar – 365 days
2. Sacred Calendar – 260 days
The Sacred Calendar was dedicated to Huitzilopochtli
It showed how the world would begin and end
The Aztecs believed there were four eras before the present one and each had been destroyed…

11. Tonatiuh The first era was destroyed by jaguars,
the second by hurricanes, the third
by fiery rain and the fourth by
a flood
According to legend,
earthquakes will destroy the
fifth sun
Tonatiuh, the god of the fifth
sun, is in the centre of the calendar
showing he wants to be fed blood

12. Human Sacrifice

13. Human Sacrifice: Why?
Aztecs called themselves people of the sun because they believed it was their job to provide human blood to sustain the sun – feed Tonatiuh
Aztecs would engage in warfare to capture prisoners to sacrifice.
Sometimes priests and nobles would eat the flesh of sacrificed victims

14. A Growing Empire

15. Tenochtitlan: Centre of the World
The Aztecs believed that earth was flat, round, and divided into four sections. In the middle was Tenochtitlan.
The Aztecs designed their city around their religious beliefs: divided city into sections and had various temples throughout
The temples were built in a pyramid shape to resemble a sacred mountain

16. The Great Temple
Located in the centre of Tenochtitlan, the Great Temple was considered the Physical and Spiritual centre of the universe for the Aztec people

17. Trade & Warrior Society
The Aztecs conquered many tribes around them to gain control and power of the land.
The warrior was a very important member of society, so much so that when a boy was born he was given a tiny bow and arrow
Military service was required of all male children
The Aztecs did not have everything they needed in Tenochtitlan; thus, trade and warfare became important.