1. “Uic athan” Contrasting views and confusion
Aztec
“Uic athan”
Contrasting views and confusion

2. Quetzalcoatl : Feathered Serpent

3. Sources Accounts of the Spanish Accounts of the Aztec Archaeology
Conquistadores
Priests
Accounts of the Aztec
Codex Mendoza
Codex Florentine
Archaeology

4. Modern reenactment.
Recent resurgence in Aztec “identity” within descendant communities.

5. Route taken by Cortez

6. Great military leader who expanded the empire. Emperor 1440-1469
Moctezuma I
Great military leader who expanded the empire. Emperor
Moctezuma II
Very religious and philosophical leader. Emperor II

11. Codex Mendoza depicting different warrior classes.

13. Nezahualcoyotl of the Tetzcoco
Eagle Knight. Lifesize statue.
Nezahualcoyotl of the Tetzcoco

14. Major origin story portrayed in post conquest codex.

16. Capital of Aztec Empire; Tenochitlan

18. Virtual model of Templo Major

21. Religion Bloody by modern standards.
Some rituals gruesome (Xoce Totec ritual of renewal)
Sacrifice meant to exhibit power and elicit fear and feed the dieties.
Political purposes: Fear of Aztec helped reduce resistance.

22. Warrior Priest King
Note earplugs as signs of rank.

23. Priest
Water deity

24. The Texcocoans erected a temple for the one almighty god (Tloque Nahuague) which did not include a sacrificial altar. He is said to have resided at the highest point of heaven and did not interfere in human lives.
Mexica resolved to include pantheon of gods.

25. As with Maya, gods often had many forms and responsibilities
As with Maya, gods often had many forms and responsibilities. Quetzacoatl could be a wind god, god of life, represent Venus, a reincarnated king…
Everyone feared the gods and priestly predictions affected behavior.

26. Sacrifice Blood sacrifice was an important feature of Aztec religion.
Thousands were sacrificed each year.

27. Bloodletting was thought necessary to ensure the Sun was fed, to maintain the cycle of life.
Priests formed a special class.
During 1300’s rivals within Aztec religious authorities debated over pantheistic or monotheistic system.

28. Flint knife with mosaic handle.

30. Anthropohagi in perspective
The word cannibal was first used by Columbus to equate anthropophagi to the tribes of the Khan (Kublai Khan in China) based on misinterpretation of Arawak accounts.
Survival
Ritual/sacrificial
Subsistence

31. The Arts
Aztec flute.

32. Craft specialization Obsidian workers feather crafters stone workers
weavers
architects
physicians
painters
Gold workers
traders
merchants
Pochteca
materials scientists
teachers
civil servants
pharmacists

33. Musical instruments

37. brazier

38. Legal Structure

39. Laws applied to all.
Strict laws according to class distinctions.
Serious offences were punishable by death.

44. Excavation of mass burial. Possible Aztec resistance fighters.

45. Social Roles Women and men had distinct social obligations and status
Much of what we know comes from post-conquest manuscripts of the Aztec.
Separate Schools for boys and girls.

46. The game Patolli. Players use beans with numbers like dice to gamble on outcome. Invoke the name of Maculixochtli.
Four directions divided in 13 equal sacred 52

48. Midwife.

49. Diet. Household kitchen duties.

50. Insignia and heraldry.

51. Marriage ceremony; commoners

53. Farming tasks. Maize to feed the multitudes.
Eggs and insects

54. Invasion and Conquest Cortez arrives at Vera Cruz in 1519.
Aztec population at time of invasion over 2 million.
Three years later population reduced to 70,000.
Many contemporary critics of Cortez.
His cousin Pizarro will invade Peru.