Discover the vicious sacrifices, terrifying punishments and brutal weapons behind the Aztec Empire with 10 important Facts about the Aztecs.
Whether you are a student, a tourist, or simply moved by curiosity, here you will find an essential guide to what you need to know about Aztec civilization. The Aztecs are best known for eating chocolate, killing boatloads of people in sacrifice to their heathen gods and eventually getting beaten by the Spaniards. They are known by most as a warlike, barbaric race, mostly due to the incredible amount of people they killed.
10Children slavery
During times if famine or hardship many parents sold children into slavery. Girls were worth 400 ears of maize, boys got 500.
09Misbehaving children - punishment
Misbehaving children would be held over a stinging fire of chili peppers as punishment. They would also be burned or stabbed with cactus needles until they scarred.
08Eating bodies of victims
Aztec priests would often eat the bodies of sacrificial victims. Their bodies were used as a meat substitute in times of food shortage.
07Buried relatives
Aztecs buried dead relatives under their homes. Symbolizing social position girls’ umbilical cords were buried under the kitchen, boys’ on the battlefield.
06FACT No 6
Priest and authority figures found drunk in public were punished by death. Civilian drunks had their heads shaved in public.
05With-out alcohol
Sacrificial victims would be tied to a rock and attacked by 4 men with stone clubs. During annual ceremonies victims were given a feather-coated club as defense.
04Macuahuitl sword
Lined with the volcanic glass obsidian, Aztecs fought with the sharpest blades in history. A Spanish invader reported a macuahuitl sword slicing a horse’s head off in 1 swipe.
031 year of luxury
Chosen annually, the country’s most handsome man lived 1 year of luxury before being sacrificed. In his last month 4 girls would share his bed before dancing him to the sacrificial stone.
02Women dressed as the goddess
Women dressed as the goddess xochiquetzal were skinned during fertility ceremonies. The bodies were thrown from pyramids before priest wore their skin.
01Sacrifices to the god
Sacrifices to the god of fire were thrown into a fire, then pulled out moments before death. They’d then have their hearts ripped out, before being thrown back into the fire.
Loading...