Aztec
Aztec Gods Ancient and Powerful the Calendar Aztec and Mexico Aztec Heritage
Aztec Gods Ancient and powerful
In the beginning, from total void and darkness Ometecutli ("Lord of Duality") created himself. The Lord of Duality was a union of opposites: good and bad, chaos and order, male and female. Being both male and female ("Lady of Duality"), Ometecutli was able to conceive children. The union of the Male and Female Lords of Duality produced four children; Huizilopochtli, Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca and Xipe Totec. Each child became a god and was assigned one of the four cardinal directions (north, south, east and west).
Four ages, or "suns" of 2028 years ensued. Each of these “births of the world” was terminated with cataclysms due to the infighting among the gods as they competed for power. All humans in each of the four suns were destroyed or transformed.
In the darkness after the end of the fourth sun, Quetzalcoatl (known as the feathered serpent) descended into the underworld to bring up the bones of the dead. They would be used to bring to life the people who are now here in the “fifth sun”. In this fifth current sun Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca gods ancient and powerful together recreated heaven, earth, and the inhabitants. These scenes are depicted in the Aztec sun stone more commonly known as the calendar Aztec, in pottery and inscribed in stone on temples.
Aztec Mexico
Aztec is a generic term used to refer to ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political and military dominance over large parts of Mesoamerica. The warriors of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the empire however referred to themselves as Mexica. Mexica is the word that gives Mexico its name. Mexico Aztec have in current history been combined.
The Aztec god of war Huitzilopochtli was said to have been born full-grown, in complete warrior dress and ready to do battle. And it was Huitzilopochtli himself that urged the Mexica to leave their original homeland. He was the fearsome guide for the long journey of the Mexica from the north into the valley of Mexico.
The final sign from Huitzilopochtli which when given would identify the place to establish their new city was an eagle perched on top a cactus, devouring a snake. This prophesy was fulfilled at an unlikely place, a small island in the center of a lake. A sign from the god himself. The vision is still depicted on the national seal of Mexico and in the national flag.
Upon this unlikely place, the Mexica built the city of Tenochtitlan, destined to be the center of the known world and the capital of a mighty empire. Upon this very spot now stands the center of today’s Mexico City, Aztec Mexico.
The Mexica believed that Huitzilopochtli was the leader that allowed them to conquer and rule. But the world was a precarious and unstable place, the sun could not move on its own. As a matter of fact, when it first came into the sky, it couldn't move at all. The gods themselves had performed blood sacrifices to energize the sun and allow it to continue its daily journey. And now humans had to repay the debt, and keep the sun moving, with their own blood sacrifices. Thus the sun required both the blood of gods and humans to continue its journey and it was Huitzilopochtli, the great warrior god in particular who fought for the sun. Warriors, gods and human alike, fought in the sky to provide sustenance to keep the sun moving.
The Calendar of the Aztecs
The calendar, Aztec sun stone carved in 1479 was lost after the Spanish conquest and re-discovered in 1790. It reflects the Aztec Mexico understanding of time and space as wheels within wheels. In the centre is the god, Tonatuih. In each hand he holds a human heart, and his tongue is a ritual blade for sacrifice.
The first calendar wheel was called the xiuhpohualli, the counting of years. This was a 365 day year. The second wheel the tonalpohualli inter-relates religion and required ceremonies to the counting years. It’s the tonalpohualli that is considered the sacred calendar to keep the fifth sun world from ending.
Our collection includes Aztec pottery, Aztec masks, Aztec art and other items that offer a glimpse of this ancient empire.
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Amate paper comes from very thin layers of the inside of the amate tree. This type of paper has been used for thousands of years. The ancient Aztecs used amate paper to record vibrantly colored calendars and sceneries depicting their history.
Authors of amate paintings are not formally schooled in art but instead strive to paint from their "minds" eye. Amate paintings originate from the Alto Rio Balsas villages of the State of Guerrero.
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Amate paper comes from very thin layers of the inside of the amate tree. This type of paper has been used for thousands of years. The ancient Aztecs used amate paper to record vibrantly colored calendars and sceneries depicting their history.
Authors of amate paintings are not formally schooled in art but instead strive to paint from their "minds" eye. Amate paintings originate from the Alto Rio Balsas villages of the State of Guerrero.
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Amate paper comes from very thin layers of the inside of the amate tree. This type of paper has been used for thousands of years. The ancient Aztecs used amate paper to record vibrantly colored calendars and sceneries depicting their history.
Authors of amate paintings are not formally schooled in art but instead strive to paint from their "minds" eye. Amate paintings originate from the Alto Rio Balsas villages of the State of Guerrero.
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Copal incense an aromatic tree resin was known to the Aztecs as food for the gods. The sacred "copalli" (in the original Nahuatl language) was considered "blood" of trees and was burned atop the Aztec pyramids as an offering to the deities.
Copal incense also served as an integral part of ceremonies designed to bring good harvests. The ceremonies consisted of dripping sacrificial blood on copal that is then used to cense seed maize before planting.
Divination ceremonies also used copal incense. Patterns in the smoke were interpreted by a shaman who cast fourteen grains of corn through the smoke onto a cloth. The shaman would then interpret meaning based on the patterns the corn produced as it was cast through the smoke and where the corn grains fall.
The proper method to burn copal is to place sand in a purified vessel. Burning coals are then placed atop the sand and the appropriate deities are politely "invited" to partake in the feast. Only then can copal be placed on the burning coals.
Aztec Pottery show a Jesus and Lucifer also existed in the Americas
Surprisingly, the shape-shifting ancient Aztec gods lived on long after the conquistadors destroyed the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan and imposed Catholic Christian culture and doctrines.
Lucifer in the Americas
Whereas Quetzalcoatl, known s the Plumed Serpent, was a civilizing cultural hero who introduced man to maize, Tezcatlipoca was a god of war who brought men into a cycle of destruction and new creation.
Tezcatlipoca, the god of fate and bringer of dissent and vice, was likened to Lucifer in the Christian custom by the Spanish conquistadors and priests who destroyed the Aztec empire.
To the Aztecs, Tezcatlipoca was a creator divinity and shared the credit with Quetzalcoatl for the creation of the world from the body of the Earth Monster.
Tezcatlipoca’s cult goes back at least as far as the Toltecs (c. 950 CE). They told a tale of a mirror of dark obsidian glass that could predict famine. At a time of great need, when people were starving in the land, Tezcatlipoca found and hid this mirror in order to keep up the people’s distress.
Known as the Lord of the Smoking Mirror, Tezcatlipoca was believed to wear a mirror of the volcanic glass obsidian in the back of his head and was often depicted in Aztec pottery and Aztec masks. Sometimes he was also said to have a mirror in place of one of his feet.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Plumed Aztec Serpent
In an unlikely matrimony of faiths, the Plumed Aztec Serpent became closely associated with Jesus Christ.
To their surprise, Spanish monks found that the conquered Aztecs were quick to take to the new Christian faith. The Aztecs appear to have seen in the worship of Jesus Christ a similarity to the worship of the Plumed Aztec Serpent, Quetzalcoatl. They also saw that Jesus’ teachings on brotherly love were in harmony with the ancient god Quetzalcoatl’s pious and peaceful views on how government should function. And, the Christian idea of the second coming of Christ clearly resonated with the ancient Aztec myth of Quetzalcoatl’s departure and promised return. In an unlikely marriage of faiths, the Plumed Aztec Serpent became closely associated with Jesus Christ.
The Aztecs also adapted Roman Catholic Christian practices to the old faiths and continued to follow aspects of the old religion by smartly disguising their meaning from the Christian monks. Old Aztec gods were coupled to Christian saints, Tlaloc the Aztec god of rain was revered under the guise of St. John the Baptist. Traditional practices were also aligned with Christian festivals; the yearly visit to the graves of the ancestors was carried out on All Souls’ Day. This holiday now known as the “Day of the Dead” is still practiced throughout Mexican Aztec lands.
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The Aztec Creation of the World
The creation of the pre Columbian world is commonly depicted in Aztec artwork. It chronicles how gods have created the world five times.
In the beginning from total void and darkness Ometecutli ("Lord of Duality") created himself. The Lord of Duality was a union of opposites: good and bad, chaos and order, male and female person. Being both male and female ("Lord and Lady of Duality"), Ometecutli was capable of conceiving children. The union of the Male and Female Lords of Duality produced four god-children; Huizilopochtli, Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca and Xipe Totec. Each child became a god in this world and was assigned one of the four cardinal directions (north, south, east and west).
Four ages, or "suns" of 2028 years ensued. Each of these "births of the world" was ended with great destruction due to the infighting among the gods as they faught among each other for power. All persons in each of the previous four suns were destroyed or or converted to something else.
In the darkness after the end of the fourth sun, Quetzalcoatl (known as the plumed serpent) went down into the underworld to bring up the bones of the dead. They would be used to bring to life the people who would live in the pre Columbian "fifth sun". In this fifth current sun Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca, gods ancient and powerful together recreated heaven, earth, and all inhabitants.
The pre Columbian Aztecs, also known as Mexica believed that the god Huitzilopochtli himself intervened in their behalf bestowing his blessings upon them and allowed them to conquer and rule. Through his direction the mighty Aztec empire grew.
But the world was a precarious and fluid place, the sun could not move on its own. As a matter of fact, when it first came into the sky, it couldn't move at all. \o remedy this situation, the gods themselves had to perform blood sacrifices to energize the sun and allow it to carry on its daily journey. And now, humans needed to repay the debt, and keep the sun moving, with their own blood sacrifices. Thus the sun required both the blood of gods and humans to continue its journey. And, it was Huitzilopochtli, the great warrior god in particular who fought for the sun. Warriors, gods and human alike, fought to offer up sustenance to allow the sun to rize every day and keep moving across the sky.
These scenes are depicted in Aztec artwork such as the Aztec sun stone, etched in stone on temples, in pottery and other items today used as Mexican style decor.
Aztec artwork in use today as Mexican style decor includes ceremonial items used by Aztec shamans to call forth the Aztec gods. Each ceremony began with the burning of the sacred copal, a tree resin believed to be the "blood" of trees, in ceramics that had been purified.
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The jaguar played an important role in the culture and religion of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Quick, agile, and powerful enough to take down the largest prey in the jungle, the jaguar is the largest of the big cats in the Americas, and one of the most efficient and aggressive predators.
For the ancient Olmec, Maya, and Aztec (Mexicas), the jaguar was a symbol of authority and one's prowess in hunting and battle, as well as an integral part of mythology and a powerful spirit companion for shamans.
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Copal incense an aromatic tree resin was known to the Aztecs as food for the gods. The sacred "copalli" (in the original Nahuatl language) was considered "blood" of trees and was burned atop the Aztec pyramids as an offering to the deities.
Copal incense also served as an integral part of ceremonies designed to bring good harvests. The ceremonies consisted of dripping sacrificial blood on copal that is then used to cense seed maize before planting. Divination ceremonies also used copal incense. Patterns in the smoke were interpreted by a shaman who cast fourteen grains of corn through the smoke onto a cloth. The shaman would then interpret meaning based on the patterns the corn produced as it was cast through the smoke and where the corn grains fall.
The proper method to burn copal is to place sand in a purified vessel. Burning coals are then placed atop the sand and the appropriate deities are politely "invited" to partake in the feast. Only then can copal be placed on the burning coals.
Learn More -
Copal incense an aromatic tree resin was known to the Aztecs as food for the gods. The sacred "copalli" (in the original Nahuatl language) was considered "blood" of trees and was burned atop the Aztec pyramids as an offering to the deities.
Copal incense also served as an integral part of ceremonies designed to bring good harvests. The ceremonies consisted of dripping sacrificial blood on copal that is then used to cense seed maize before planting. Divination ceremonies also used copal incense. Patterns in the smoke were interpreted by a shaman who cast fourteen grains of corn through the smoke onto a cloth. The shaman would then interpret meaning based on the patterns the corn produced as it was cast through the smoke and where the corn grains fall.
The proper method to burn copal is to place sand in a purified vessel. Burning coals are then placed atop the sand and the appropriate deities are politely "invited" to partake in the feast. Only then can copal be placed on the burning coals.
Aztec-Maya Crystal Skulls, a Real Archaeology Mystery
One of the most fascinating subjects of 21th Century archaeology concerns thirteen crystal skulls of apparently ancient source that were found in parts of Mexico, Central America and South America in the 1900's.
Some of the skulls are believed to be between 5,000 and 36,000 years old. These skulls, found near the ancient ruins of Mayan and Aztec civilizations (with some evidence linking the skulls with past civilization in Peru) apparently hold a profound mystery. Mayan pottery and Mayan masks as well as Aztec pottery are replete with skulls. Indeed human skulls are one of the most pictured objects dealing with religious rites of pre-Columbian cultures. But the crystal skulls are different. They seem to defy logic. Everything that is known about lapidary work indicates that the skulls should have been shattered fractured or fallen apart when carved.
Many of the indigenous people speak of their remarkable magical and healing properties. Legend also has it that a great power emanates from the group when all are joined side by side and that in effect the skulls continuously seek to be re-united.
The skull reunion legend has some rather peculiar bits of history behind it. Supposedly after an inspection of his bank deposit box, one German owner suddenly found himself the owner of two skulls. It was latter determined that the original owner of the unknown skull had recently died in a tragic accident. How the second skull ever got to the German bank deposit box is still unknown. Even more peculiar was the bank deposit box records that showed no activity or access to the box for over a year before the death of the owner of the “transported” skull.
Another story goes that a “singing” noise can be faintly heard when one skull comes into proximity of another skull. Indeed, this remarkable feature was how a “fake” was discovered. When an owner lent his skull to a museum for public exhibition in the 1950’s, it supposedly began “singing” when it came into contact with two other skulls that had also been lent for exhibition. Supposedly upon the attempted return of the skull to its owner, he noticed that it would no longer sing when placed next to the other two skulls. An exam latter revealed that in effect, the skull had been switched by a museum employee who had replaced the original with a fake copy. Fortunately, the authorities were able to find the original and the owner was satisfied of its authenticity when it once again began to “sing” when it was in the proximity of other skulls.
The Mitchell-Hedges family of Canada loaned their skull to Hewlett-Packard Laboratories for extensive study. The HP examinations yielded some startling results.
Researchers found that the skull had been carved against the natural axis of the crystal. Modern crystal sculptors always take into account the axis, or orientation of the crystal's molecular symmetry, because if they carve "against the grain," the piece is bound to shatter -- even with the use of lasers and other high-tech cutting methods.
To compound the strangeness, HP could find no microscopic scratches on the crystal which would indicate it had been carved with metal instruments. Their best hypothesis for the skull's construction is that it was roughly hewn out with diamonds, and then the detail work was meticulously done with a gentle solution of silicon sand and water. Best estimates for the exhausting job, assuming it could possibly be done in this way, would have required about 300 years of man-hours to complete.
Under these circumstances, experts believe that successfully crafting a shape as complex as the Mitchell-Hedges skull is impossible; as one HP researcher is said to have remarked, "The damned thing simply shouldn't be."
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Aztec Pottery Depicts Rituals of Human Sacrifice
From birth, every Aztec male child was trained to be a warrior. A fearless warrior was considered the ultimate candidate not only for marriage but was also a prerequisite for status and social mobility.
During a military campaign, every Aztec warrior was expected to display his bravery on the battlefield and also to capture at least one prisoner for sacrifice. Only those warriors who continuously succeeded could aspire to become full-time members of one of the elite military orders such as the jaguar or eagle orders.
Some of the captured prisoners were destined for a sacrificial ritual celebrating the festival of Tlacaxipehualiztli (“Flaying of men”) held in honor of Xipe Totec, “Our Lord, the Flayed One”, god of spring and vegetation. The festival took place in the build-up to the rainy season.
In the rite, which the Spanish described as gladiatorial sacrifice, five prisoners of war were put to death by elite Aztec warriors in a staged conflict. The prisoners, treated as always among the Aztecs with the greatest respect and even reverence as inspired offerings, were dressed in a costume that identified them as Xipe Totec and tied to a sacrificial stone. They were granted a club covered with feathers with which to defend themselves. Five Aztec warriors, two eagle warriors, two jaguar warriors and a fifth of either order who was left handed were set loose upon the prisoners. The blood of the sacrificed prisoners was believed to feed the earth. The skulls were then displayed in huge racks. Aztec pottery usually depicts these skull racks at the base of temples.
Meanwhile, as part of the festival, groups of prisoners were slain by the usual method of having their heart ripped from their chest. The bodies were then stripped of their skin and priests wore the flayed skin along with Aztec masks in honor of Xipe Totec for 20 days.
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Copal incense an aromatic tree resin was known to the Aztecs as food for the gods. The sacred "copalli" (in the original Nahuatl language) was considered "blood" of trees and was burned atop the Aztec pyramids as an offering to the deities.
Copal incense also served as an integral part of ceremonies designed to bring good harvests. The ceremonies consisted of dripping sacrificial blood on copal that is then used to cense seed maize before planting. Divination ceremonies also used copal incense. Patterns in the smoke were interpreted by a shaman who cast fourteen grains of corn through the smoke onto a cloth. The shaman would then interpret meaning based on the patterns the corn produced as it was cast through the smoke and where the corn grains fall.
The proper method to burn copal is to place sand in a purified vessel. Burning coals are then placed atop the sand and the appropriate deities are politely "invited" to partake in the feast. Only then can copal be placed on the burning coals.
Learn More
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