You've definitely heard of the Aztecs, Is not it? This people was one of pre-Columbian civilizations most studied in the world and, even so, there are many mysteries that historians have not been able to unravel.
The Aztecs lived in central Mexico between the 14th and 16th centuries and, according to studies, had advanced knowledge of Astronomy and Architecture.
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In this article, we're going to look at five fun facts about this ancient civilization that you might not know. Fasten your seat belts, we're going back in time!
1. legend of origin
Historians report that the origin of the Aztecs was told from father to son, orally, and the chat was surrounded by myths and legends.
According to the mythology of the people, the Aztecs came from Aztlan, a distant land. More than that, they were part of a group known as the Mexicas, who decided to leave in search of a new place to settle, after a divine sign.
Decades later, in 1325, they arrived in the city of Tenochtitlan, in the central region of the Mexico, according to legend. The divine sign to put down roots there was the sighting of an eagle perched on a cactus, eating a serpent.
2. attachment of people
Researchers have found that when an Aztec was in debt, it was common to “sell” himself into slavery—or sell children and relatives. But this only happened in cases of extreme desperation.
When they were sold, slaves would have to work incessantly until they paid off all debts. This activity was known as “seizure of people”.
(Image: Disclosure)
3. crystal skull
No, it's not just the name of one of the movies Indiana Jones. Some of the most precious and famous relics of the Aztecs are their crystal skulls.
The replicas of this part of the human skeleton were carved in translucent quartz, by hand, and with spectacular details.
The purpose of these objects, however, is still a mystery. Most likely they were used in religious ceremonies, healing or divination rituals.
4. human sacrifices
The Aztecs were adept at human sacrifice and were well known for it. They have fought many wars against other peoples in order to capture prisoners and use them as sacrifices.
That's because this ritual was an important part of the Aztec religion. For them, it was paramount to offer human hearts to their gods so that their society would remain prosperous.
The Aztecs were still convinced that the gods needed human blood to balance the universe. And the blood of prisoners of war was considered the purest and most powerful for such rituals.
Sacrifice was often done in a brutal and macabre way. Prisoners were taken alive to a rock on top of temples. There, still beating, the heart was ripped from the chest.
This part of Aztec culture greatly shaped their war strategies. After all, conflicts were almost never territorial, but had the objective of capturing other human beings to sacrifice them.
This made the neighboring peoples begin to fear the Aztecs. And to avoid death, they formed alliances with them. It's that saying, "if you can't beat them, join them".
5. Education was paramount
For the Aztecs, education was among the most important values in society — especially early childhood education.
Children started at home learning customs, traditions and beliefs. Parents also shared what they knew about basic survival and farming.
They had the equivalent of a school, called “calmecac”, for the children of nobles, priests and warriors. There, there was a more formal education with specialized priests and teachers.
In the calmecac, children also learned pictographic writing, absorbed knowledge about calendars and could deepen in religious studies, in addition to receiving classes in art and military skills.
However, if the child was not “noble”, he would go to “community schools”, called “telpochcalli”. There, they were taught about the needs of everyday life in more practical classes.
Graduated in Social Communication at the Federal University of Goiás. Passionate about digital media, pop culture, technology, politics and psychoanalysis.
