The Aztec Practice of
Human Sacrifice
Great Temple Stairs, Mexico City
The Great Temple in Tenochtitlan had two stairways of access to the top, where there were two shrines or
chapels dedicated to Tlaloc, the god of water on the left side (as you face the structure), and to Huitzilopochtli, god of war, on the right side. Human sacrifices were
conducted in these shrines.
Victims would ascend the steps of the pyramid, wearing a sacrificial mask, where priests would then stretch them across a
convex stone and rip their hearts out with a sharp knife.
Folio 58 Magliabechiano Codex
Sacrificial Knife currently in the British Museum. The sacrificial knife was called Tecpatl Ixcuahua,
"The Knife With the Broad Forehead".
After the sacrifice, bodies were thrown down the temple steps. There the bodies were divided up and pieces given to the
captor and to the king.
Scene from the Florentine Codex
The Wall of Skulls, Tenochtitlan
Scene from the Codex DuránSkulls were displayed in the plaza around the base of the
Great Pyramid.
In Mesoamerica, the most obvious practice of human sacrifice was found in the Aztec Culture.
Under the leadership of the king, sacrifice became a key element in their ritual and worship to many gods. The Aztecs were constantly at "war" with neighboring tribes and groups. The goal of this
constant warfare was to collect live prisoners for sacrifice. The Flower Wars began with a mutual
agreement between the Aztecs and the Tlaxcalans to capture live men for future sacrifice (Meyers &
Sherman:65).
The Aztecs worshipped a war god called Huitzilopochtli, who took on the likeness of the sun over time. It was thought that in order to insure the
sun's arrival each day, a steady supply of human hearts had to be offered in holy sacrifice (Hogg:43). They believed that the sun and earth had already been destroyed four times, and in their time of the
5th sun, final destruction would soon be upon them. In order to delay this dreadful fate, the practice of human sacrifice became a major element in Aztec
society and livelihood (Meyer & Sherman:67).
Folio 54 Magliabechiano Codex
The most common form of sacrifice was performed outside, on the top of a great pyramid. The victim was spread-eagled on a round stone, with his back arched. His limbs were held, while a priest used an
obsidian knife to cut under the rib cage and remove his heart. This method was used when
honoring the sun god, Huitzilopochtli.
Scene from the Codex Durán
Each god apparently preferred a different form of sacrifice. For the fertility god Xipe Totec, the person was tied to a post
and shot full of arrows. His blood flowing out represented the cool spring rains (Meyer & Sherman:69). The fire god required a newly wed couple. They were thrown into the
god's altars and allowed to burn and at the last minute they were taken out and had their hearts removed as a second
offering (Hogg :48). The earth mother goddess, Teteoinnan, was extremely important. At harvest time, a female victim
was flayed and her skin was carried ceremoniously to one of the temples. Her skin was worn by an officiating priest who
then symbolized the goddess herself (Meyer & Sherman:44)
No. Name of Month Patron Gods and Rituals
I. Atlacacauallo (ceasing of water) Tlaloc, Chachihutlicue
Children sacrificed to water gods
II. Tlacaxipehualiztli (flaying of men)
Xipe-Totec
Gladitorial sacrifice; dances by priest wearing the flayed skin of victims
III. Tozoztontli (little vigil) Coatlicue, Tlaloc
Flayed skins buried, child sacrifices
IV. Hueytozoztli (great vigil) Centeotl, Chicomecacoatl
Blessing of new corn; maiden sacrificed
V. Toxcatl (dryness)
Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli
Impersonators of these major gods sacrified
VI. Etzalcualiztli (meal of maize & beans)
Tlaloques
Impersonators of water dieties sacrified by drowning; ritual bathing and dances
VII. Tecuilhuitontli (small feast of the lords)
Huixtocihuatl, Xochipilli
Impersonators of the gods sacrificed; ceremony of salt workers
VIII. Hueytecuihutli (great feast of the lords)
Xilonen
Feast for godess of young corn, lords offer gifts and feast for commoners
IX. Tlaxochimaco (birth of flowers)
Huizilopochtli
All the gods festooned with garlands; feasting on corn-meal cakes and turkey
The Aztec Civil Calendar
The solar year was the basis for the civil
calendar by which the Aztecs determined the many ceremonies and
sacrificial rituals linked to agricultural cycles. The calendar was made up of 18
months, each lasting 20 days
X.
Xocotlhuetzin (fall of fruit)
Hueymiccaihuitl (great feast of the dead)
Xiuhtecuhtli
Ceremonial pole climbing competition
Sacrifice to fire gods by roasting victims alive
XI. Ochpaniztli (sweeping of the roads)
Tlazolteotl
Sweeping of house and roads; mock combat
XII. Teoleco (return of the gods)
Tezcatlipoca
Ceremonies welcoming gods returning to earth; ceremonial drunkeness, sacrifices by fire
XIII. Tepeihuitl (feast of the hills)
Tlaloc
Ceremonies for mountain rain gods; human sacrifices and ceremonial cannibalism
XIV. Quecholli (precious feather)
Mixcoatl-Camaxtli
Ritualistic hunt following fast; sacrifice of game and ceremonial feasting
XV. Panquetzaliztli (raising of the banner)
Huitzilopochtli
Homes and fruit trees decorated with paper banners; race-procession; massive sacrifices
XVI. Atemoztli (water decends)
Tlaloc
Festival honoring water gods; children and slaves sacrificed
XVII. Tititl (streching)
Llamatecuhtli
Sympathetic magic to bring rain; women beaten with straw-filled bags to make them cry
XVIII. Izcalli (resuscitation)
Xiuhtecuhtli
Image of god made from amaranth dough; feasting on tamales stuffed with greens
Nemontemi (empty days) Five unlucky days; no rituals, general fasting
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