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).

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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