AZTEC GODS

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Pre-Columbian Civilizations In the Americas
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Early Human Migrations
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Sculpture from the Americas
Origins of the Peoples of the Americas?
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Major Pre-Columbian Civilizations
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The Aztecs
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Lands of the Aztecs
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The Aztecs

• Hunters and warriors, the Aztecs lived in central
  Mexico
• Named their capital city Tenochtitlan
• Today- Mexico City
• According to legend, Aztec priests told people to
  settle where they would find an eagle sitting on
  a cactus and holding a snake in its beak

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The Codex Mendoza The FoundingofTenochtitlan
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Aztec View of Tenochtitlan
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Ruins of the City Center, Tenochtitlan
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Life in Tenochtitlan

• Located on an island in Lake Texcoco
• Land was scarce, so artificial islands were
  created as floating gardens
• Grew corn, beans

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Tenochtitlan The Venice of the Americas
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Aztec Chinampa or Floating Garden15ft. to 30ft.
wide
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Tenochtitlan - Chinampas
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The Aztecs Were Fierce Warriors

• Conquered surrounding areas, until they
  controlled most of modern Mexico and Central
  America
• Population of Tenochtitlan estimated around
  150,000 in year AD 1500.

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Government/Society

• Hierarchy- levels of authority
• Emperor
• Nobility
• Commoners (priests, merchants, artisans)
• Serfs
• Slaves (criminals, prisoners of war)

• Male prisoners of war were sacrificed to the
  Aztec Gods
• Believed they were needed to keep the gods
  pleased and prevent natural disasters

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Aztecs Sacrifice Neighboring Tribes to the Sun God
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Heart Sacrificeon an Aztec Temple Pyramid
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Wall of Skulls, Tenochtitlan
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• Calendar-
• Used a 365 day solar calendar
• The Sun god was the chief god

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Aztec Sun Motifs
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Aztec Writing
Aztec Math
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Aztec Codex (15c Manuscript)
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Aztec Gold
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AZTEC GODS
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Aztec Gods

• Religion was extremely important in Aztec life.
• They worshipped hundreds of gods and goddesses,
  each of whom ruled one or more human activities
  or as aspects of nature e.g. sun, rain.
• They believe that everything in life is
  controlled by the gods, they bring good things,
  such as rain to make the crops grow, but also bad
  things like disease, drought and bad luck.

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• The Aztecs thought that the power of the gods
  should be acknowledged and thanks given to them,
  so as to avoid the catastrophes that their rage
  could cause.
• For this reason monuments temples and statues
  were built, and sacrifices performed as gifts to
  the gods.

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Huitzilopochtli(Hummingbird)

• He is the god of war and the rising sun and
  special guardian of Tenochtitlan.
• He is the special god of the Aztec people, they
  believed he brought them success in war.
• His temple on the main pyramid was the focus of
  fearsome sacrifices of the prisoners captured by
  Aztec warriors. Victims heads were strung as
  trophies on a great rack.
• He is always shown as a warrior. He wears a
  warriors cotton oversuit and carries a shield
  and a snake of fire. His body and clothes are
  painted blue.

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Quetzalcoatl(Feathered Serpent)

• He is the wind god and also the god of knowledge.
• He is usually a friend to the people. He has
  taught them many skills, such as picture writing,
  art and science.
• He taught men the calendar and devised ceremonies
• He is shown with a beard to represent age or an
  old man.
• He wears the mask of a serpent and a hat
  decorated with the feathers of a quetzal bird.

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Tlaloc

• Tlaloc is the rain god.
• He is known as he who makes things sprout.
• The rain he brings allow crops to grow.
• Tlaloc also controls storms, thunder and
  lightning.
• He is shown holding lightening in the form of a
  snake in one hand.
• In the other hand he holds an axe which makes
  thunder-bolts.
• The jaguar he sometimes has coming from his
  mouth is the roar of thunder.
• Tlaloc is always shown with goggle eyes and long
  teeth.

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Xochipili

• Xochipili, the Flower Prince, is the god of
  flowers, pleasure, feasting, frivolity and
  artistic creativity.Xochipili is closely
  related to Macuilxochitl (Five Flower), who is
  one of the Ahuiateteo, the gods that embody the
  dangers of excess.Xochipili rules over the
  eleventh day of the tonalpohualli, day Ozomahtli
  (monkey)

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Your task

• Your task is to create an Aztec god of your own.
  Remember that they had a god or goddess to
  represent everything.
• Describe what it is they represent and this can
  be more than one thing.
• Describe what they look like and what the things
  they hold or wear represent (this should be to do
  with what they are god/goddess of).
• Create a colored illustration of your god/goddess
  and label each important part.
• Then
• Write a myth or story about your god/goddess.
  (minimum of 5 sentences)