THE AZTECS
ORIGINS• Migrants from the north “Aztlan” • One of seven Chichimecan tribes• Mexica vs. Aztec• Looking for eagle with serpent• “People without faces” • Took on culture of previous
cultures (Toltecs)
LANGUAGENahuatlMany Spanish words derive from Nahuatl• Tomate/tomatl• Milpa/ milpa• Atole/atolli• Camote/comotli• Tecolote/tecolotlOver a million speakers today in Central Mexico (rural)Place names abound (Xochimilco, Acapulco, Chapultepec, etc.)
TENOCHTITLAN1325Lake TexcocoVision of/from Huitzilopochtli (patron god) in form of an eagle, with serpent on cactus (Mexican Flag)Swampy, marshy setting
TEMPLO MAYOR
TRIPLE ALLIANCEMexica of Tenochtitlan were most powerful group. Allied with two other city-states to control most of current-day Mexico
HUITZILOPOCHTLI
• Aztec God of War
• Often represented like a hummingbird
• Warrior spirits said to come back as hummingbirds
QUETZALCOATL• God of learning and
patron of priests• Plumed serpent• Was tricked by jealous
gods, drunken, fornicated with his sister, and fled to the east in horror, promising to return
• Aztecs initially thought Hernan Cortes was Queztalcoatl returning
HUMAN SACRIFICE• Debt: Return for gods sacrificing selves for creation of
sun, moon, earth. • Human blood needed to keep the light, the sun, life• Enemy captives• Victims placed on special stones atop temple pyramids• Hearts cut out by special priests, offered up to gods• Form of intimidation vs. enemies• One part of larger religious practices, including domestic
altars, non-human sacrifices, music and dance • exaggerated by Spaniards for own purposes
AZTEC TIMEFive Suns: Each ends in a cataclysmic eventWe are in fifth sun Must keep it going to survive
Two calendars: 365 day xiuhpohualli (year count)120 day tonalpohualli (day count) sacred calendar (13 x 20)
AZTEC GOVERNMENT• King (tlotoani)
• Ruled the city-state; selected by council of nobles
• Lords with titles (tecuhtli)
• Lesser nobles (pilli)
SOCIAL CLASSESNobility vs. commoners
Commoners (90%)
Calpolli tlacotin (servants)
ARTS AND SCIENCESPictographic written languagePoetryStone sculpturesObsidian toolsAstronomical observationsHealth and medicine