The Aztec Religion

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The Aztec Religion
The bloodiest culture in history.
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Tenochtitlan

• One of the main cultural centers for the Aztec
  civilization.
• Said to be consecrated by both Tlaloc and
  Huitzilopochtli.
• All religious ceremonies were directed on the
  main temples.

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TenochtitlanTemple Pyramid
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The Gods

• Huitzilopochtli
• Tezcatlipoca
• Quetzalcoatl
• Tlaloc
• There are actually hundreds of gods associated
  with the Aztecs. These are the most prominent.
  Also called the Creator gods.

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Huitzilopochtli

• Also called the Hummingbird Wizard
• War and Sun God
• Main God of the Aztecs
• Conquered warriors were sacrificed to him yearly.
  As many as 20,000 a year may have been killed.

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Tezcatlipoca

• Also called Smoking Mirror
• God of Night and all material things.

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Quetzalcoatl

• The Plumed Serpent
• The god of civilization, priesthood and learning.

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Tlaloc

• The Rain God
• Children were drowned as sacrifices to him.
• Main agricultural god.

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Sacrifice

• Sacrifice was an important part of the religion.
• Every god was sacrificed to.
• Some only required blood letting.
• Others required human sacrifices of varying
  numbers.
• Numbers of people sacrificed could get into the
  thousands and many of those sacrificed were also
  cooked and eaten once they had been rolled down
  the steps of the temple.

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Skull Rack
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Chacmool

• Ritual statue used to hold blood during
  sacrifices
• This one was found in Tenochtitlan.
• Sacrifices blood was drained into bowl and then
  left there.

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Aztec Calendar

• Each day controlled by two gods. One good one
  bad.
• Had a ritual year and a solar year.
• Ritual year had 260 days
• Solar year had 365 days
• The calendars would synchronize together in 52
  year cycles.
• Aztecs believed the world could end every 52
  years so they had elaborate ceremonies at the end
  of each 52 years to mourn the death of the world.