Aztecs & Religious Violence
Introduction
The Aztecs, also known as The Mexica, were an ancient civilization that occupied the Mesoamerica region. Their reign and eventual dominance lasted between the 14th and 16th centuries. Warfare formed an essential aspect of this group. It led them to conquer most of the land they owned. The Aztecs controlled their vast empire through military might and forcing conquered territories to pay tribute (Hicks and Carrasco).
The Aztec religion was a rather complex interaction of gods, directions, dates, and sometimes colors. Although they worshipped dozens of gods, “Huitzilopochtli,” the god of war and sun, and Tlaloc (the god of rain) were their primary deities. Their preoccupation with religion was mostly informed by the fear of nature’s destruction and that of the world coming to an end. The Aztecs believed that they lived in “the epoch of the fifth sun,” and at any moment, the world would come to a violent end. Therefore, to avoid the incoming destruction, they had to appease the gods by offering human sacrifices. So, men, mainly, had an obligation to feed the gods with human blood to sustain the sun. Besides, they believed that the many gods they worshipped could be satisfied through the sacrificing of animals, objects, and people. Notably, the Aztec culture viewed human sacrifice as a way of saving the world from destruction (Hicks and Carrasco). This paper will argue how the fear of obliteration and the increasing need to appease the gods propagated most of the violent acts that occurred in the Aztec civilization.
Aztecs and Religious Violence Thesis
Human sacrifice was at the center of the Aztec community. For fear of destruction from the god of fire and heat (Xiuhteciuhtli), considered by the Aztecs to be a feature of Huehueteotl – “the old god,” and another god of fire, Aztecs held the Izcalli festivals dedicated to worshipping the two deities. To please Huehueteotl, during this ceremony, they would prepare a large banquet and finish the festival by burning captives (Dreher). However, they would extract them from the fire before they die and cut out their hearts. On the other hand, to ensure that they are Xiuhtecuhtli’s good books, they revered him during a ceremony called the “new fire ceremony” (Dreher). This ceremony was observed every fifty-two years. Several priests then conducted a sacrifice ritual on the top of Huixachtlan volcano. An identified man with desired qualities would be sacrificed when the constellation “fireball,” known today as the “Belt of Orion Constellation,” rose on the mountain. The priests ripped out the individual’s heart and lit a ceremonial fire in the hole left in his chest. They then used the flame to ignite all ceremonial fires in temples spread across the city (Dreher). The Mexica believed that by offering these sacrifices to the deities, they prevented the fire plague from afflicting their city.
Similarly, sacrifices were also offered to honor the Aztec god Xipe Totec – The Flayed One. This particular deity was honored during the Tlacaxipehualiztli festival (Festival of the Flaying Men). Experts confer that the festival represents one of the most disturbing traditions practiced by the Aztecs. Various human sacrifice activities were held to placate Xipe Totec. Forty days to the fair, one man was selected and given the honor to dress as the deity. The individual spent this period covered in red feathers and jewels and received special treatment equated to that of a god. On the day of the fair, he was joined by eight other gods’ impersonators and sacrificed on top of an Aztec temple. Thereafter, their bodies would be skinned by priests, imitating the act of a plant shading its husk. The skins were then painted yellow to resemble gold before some were handed to priests who danced in them. The remaining ones were shared with selected young adult men who donned the skins and spent the next few days begging in them (Dreher).
In yet another form of human sacrifice to “Xipe Totec,” some men engaged in gladiatorial combat, otherwise referred to gladiator sacrifice (Dreher). This form of sacrifice was also conducted during the Tlacaxipehualiztli fair. Some courageous war prisoners were granted the opportunity to live, but first, they had to defeat accomplished Aztec warriors. They were given inferior wooden weapons and led to a sacred “temalacatl” stone to battle the armed to the teeth Aztec fighters. If killed, their deaths were considered a sacrifice to “The Flayed One.” The Aztecs performed these rituals dedicated to “Xipe Totec” to ensure fertility and regeneration.
For most Aztecs, Huitzilopochtli was the supreme god. Owing to this importance, the god was a beneficiary of human sacrifices. The rituals were performed during the festival of Panquetzaliztli. Aztecs believed the blood of sacrifice victims would “feed and strengthen” the god (Cartwright). Individuals to be sacrificed – usually war captives – were led to the top of the central city temple (Templo Mayor) before their hearts were plucked from their bodies. They were then skinned, and their bodies dismembered in what many considered as an homage to another deity (Coyolxauhqui), who suffered a similar fate at the hands of Huitzilopochtli. The victim’s torso was then thrown down the pyramids. Other parts of the flesh, including the heart, were then consumed by the priests and other influential members of the Aztec community. The Aztecs believed that by paying homage to Huitzilopochtli, the deity would guarantee them victory in every war, earthly riches, and extended life for the sun.
Every member of the Aztec community had a significant part to play in the sacrifice rituals. Part of this role included witnessing the performance of the sacrifice. “The Templo Mayor” was designed such that it was tall enough and could be seen from any position within the city, thus enabling everyone to “attend” the ceremonies. Also, to physically participate in the ceremony, Aztec men, women, and their children pierced their ears, lips, tongues, and sometimes their private parts to feed some of their blood to the gods. This shows that religious violence was not only meted out to anyone being sacrificed but also to everybody in the Aztec society regardless of their age.
Conclusion
Most people today consider the Aztecs to be a backward civilization because they were preoccupied with war and human sacrifice. However, one could argue that the fear of destruction of the Aztec community emanating from the forces of “mother nature” combined with the fear of upsetting their gods is what compelled them to commit these violent religious acts. They were simply trying to survive. Perhaps the current society is not that different from the Aztecs as we would like to think. Based on their religious beliefs, spilling human blood was the only way to protect the world from imminent destruction. If anything, they were only responding to the cultural and religious demands of the environment they were living in.
Works Cited
Cartwright, Mark. “Huitzilopochtli.” 27 August 2013. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Internet. 27 April 2020.
Dreher, Rod. “Religion, Violence, And ‘Apocalypto’.” 3 January 2019. The American Conservative. Internet. 27 April 2020.
Hicks, Frederic and David Carrasco. “City of Sacrifice: The Aztec Empire and the Role of Violence in Civilization.” Latin American Antiquity (2003). 11. 308.