Aztec Science

Jessica Chang, Taylor Le, Chance Ralphs , Paulina Kho

Aztec History

• 12 rulers.• Legendary Founder was named Tenoch.• Aztecs lasted from about 1375 to 1521.• Built city on small islet in a Lake, this led to Tenochtitlan and an artificial island.• Started out as mercenaries that helped break balance between city states.• Aztecs were conquered by Hernan Cortes in 1521. Many died from hunger and smallpox.

Aztec Medicine: Diet

• Aztec staple foods included maize, beans, and squash. •The maize and beans provided them with a good amount of amino acids.• Did not have lots of protein in diet, but cultivated amaranth for it’s seeds because they provided some protein.• Had a wide food variety. • Had lots of insects because they were high in protein.• Special occasions, such as festivals they might eat domestic animals. •Also found ways to get honey, sugar, and cocoa.

I. Medical PracticesCAUSE OF ILLNESS For not following daily routines Comets, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions caused

illness

TREATMENTA. herbal treatments Doctors used herbal remedies to cure and prevent illnessB. Spiritual cureC. Sweat baths or Steam RoomD. Purging and Bloodletting

Aztec Medicine

Ailments and Treatments1. Headache: "Tzonteconcocolli“= herbal treatment2. Fever : "Motlevia“ = purging3. Skin Sores : "Xixiotl“ = hot bath4. Head Scabies, tinea: "Quatotomoctli/ chaquachtli“= hair

trimmed and cut, then washed in urine5. Roughness of the Face: "Ixchachaquachiviztli“ =face washed in

hot urine then purge6. Swelling of the Throat: "Quechpucaoaliztli“ = purge and

herbal treatment7. Stomach Pain: "Totlatlalia“ = purging8. Broken Skull or Wounded Skull = washed with urine or joined

with bone awl9. The "Divine Sickness" ( Leprosy) =

hot baths

Aztec Medicine

II. Compare/Contrast European Medicine

Similarities

•Europeans=syphilis patients•Aztec= fever or stomach pain

1. Purging

2. Sweat baths

•Europeans=syphilis•women recovering from breast tumors or for individuals suffering skin sores

Differences1. Herbal treatment•Europeans= did not use as much•Aztec=used them more aggressively in treatment of physical ailments

2. Cause of illness

•Europeans= one god•Aztecs= many gods

Aztec Medicine

Aztec Calendars

• Made up of 365 days, at the end of each year, 5 days were made for days when “disasters” were most likely to occur.• The calendar was made of 18 months, 20 days each, divided into four seasons.• Calendar was used for farming, and normal daily life such as best timing to farm, predicting the weather, etc.• Each season had a different ritual to perform.• Similar to the Gregorian calendar that we use in society today, but exception of we have more then 20 days a month, and we don’t share the five unlucky days at the end of the year like the Aztecs had.

Xiupohualli Calendar

Aztec Calendars

• 260 days; no bad luck days like the Xiuhpohualli.• Each day represented a sign out of 20 signs that represented a god to spare the spiritual war of gods competing for power.• Calendar used for religious purposes, when to consult the gods.• Consider to be the sacred calendar.

Tonalophualli Calendar

How it worked:• There were 20 signs each one of different gods, and a 13 day period for the cycle of each day of the signs. There were 13 days a month.• The first sign of one of the gods is a crocodile that is day one, and day two is the wind, so forth, where the 13th day would be the reed.• When the signs of the god reaches to the 13th sign, what would consider to be the 14th day of the 14th sign, since there is only a 13 day period each month, it would then cycle back to day one, but the signs would continue which would be the jaguar, and day two would be the eagle, etc.• Therefore, the 13 days of 20 signs, by the end of the cycle or year, it would return to their initial position and begin again.• At the beginning period cycle of each 13 day, the first day of the first sign would be the ruler of that following period of 13th days or what was consider as a “week”.• It had 52 combinations within the 260 days before repeating itself.

Aztec Religion

• Very important aspect in Aztec life.•Beliefs were based on keeping the forces of nature nondestructive and balanced.• Believed in an afterworld. - Mictlan: The dark underworld and a place of no return. - Tlalocan: The paradise with eternal spring, abundance, and wealth.• Worshipped hundreds of gods and goddesses.• Tonalpohualli calendar: Based on days and rituals divided among gods.• Rituals included bloodletting, prayers, games, offerings, and sacrifices to honor gods and sacrificial deaths.

Aztec Religion

Quetzalcoatl (the plumed serpent): The first god of creation, a giver of life.

Tlaloc (Rain God): a fertility god who controlled floods and droughts (agriculture was important to Aztecs).

Tonatiuh( Sun God): without him, there will be no world.

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Bibliography