Aztec Skull Mask (encrusted with jadestones)
Be the first to review this product
$ 110.00
Availability: In stock
Quick Overview
Skulls and representations of skulls played an important role in Aztec culture. Skulls generally were the remains or representations of ritually executed war captives, sacrifices to the gods and even heads of winners of a highly ritualized ball game.
Skulls were often displayed in a tzompantli (a type of wooden rack, which was used for public display). There are numerous depictions of tzompantli in Aztec codices, such as the Durán Codex, Ramírez Codex and Codex Borgia.
Based on numbers given by the Conquistador Andrés de Tapia and Fray Diego Durán, approximately 60,000 skulls were displayed on the Hueyi Tzompantli (great Skullrack) of Tenochtitlan the Aztec capital. Chroniclers also reference five additional smaller skullracks in Tenochtitlan.
Human Blood, Food for Aztec Gods
In his 1977 article "The Enigma of Aztec Sacrifice", Michael Harner, estimates the number of Aztec victims sacrificed in the 15th century as high as 250,000 per year.
The Aztecs claimed that for the re-consecration of the pre Columbian Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan in 1487, 80,400 prisoners were sacrificed. If this is an example of one single ceremony, the number of human sacrifices performed by the Aztecs must be astonishing.
So, who was sacrificed?
Human sacrifices were performed on specific days. It is believed ceremonies occurred for each of the 18 Aztec months. To start the ceremony, purified Aztec pottery vessels were used by Aztec priests to burn the sacred copal (a tree resin).
Each god required a different kind of victim: Xilonen the goddess of maize required young women; children were sacrificed to Tlaloc the god of rain; Huitzilopochtli the war god required brave prisoners that were captured in battle. And only one single volunteer would be accepted for Tezcatlipoca, god "Smoking Mirror".
Aztec artwork displayed vivid images of these scenes in pottery and artifacts that nowadays are used in Mexican style décor. Especially popular are ceremonial items used by Aztec shamans to burn the sacred copal and call forth the gods.
All Aztecs were Fierce Warriors
There is still much debate as to what social groups constituted the usual victims of these sacrifices. It is often assumed that all victims were 'unwanted' commoners or foreigners. This is not accurate; victims seem to have been persons from any status level, even of Aztec society. Likewise, it is believed that virtually all child sacrifices were offered by noble level parents as the ultimate gift to the demanding gods.
So, How Many Sacrifices Occurred?
This inquiry is very difficult to answer with certainty. Aztec artwork depicted in Codices that chronicles the rites were pictorial not scripted texts. Also, Catholic priests and Spanish conquistadores burned all obtainable texts because they believed the images depicted on the pages were evil.
In the most famous account, the re-consecration of the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan, it is believed Aztec priests used only four sacrificial altars during the four-day re-consecration ceremony. To reach the 80,400 human sacrifices during this time period the Aztec priests would have had to average 14 sacrifices per minute. This is a physical impossibility.
moreover human sacrifice was probably used to terrorize subjugated populations and most likely grossly over exaggerated and used as a propaganda tool. It is said that old Aztecs who talked with the Spanish missionaries after the conquest told about a much lower figure for the re-consecration ceremony. According to the Codex Telleriano-Remensis they named approximately 4,000 victims in total. Today, current best estimates from accepted historians and archaeologists range from 250,000 to 20,000 sacrifices per year.
*Mask can be displayed on a stand or mounted on a wall with proper mounting hardware. (due to the many individual choices to display this item, mounting hardware is not included)
designed by: intelligent Software Designs