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Aztec Pottery Copal Burner (tzompantli skull rack)

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Aztec Pottery Copal Burner (tzompantli skull rack)

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Aztec Pottery Copal Burner (tzompantli skull rack)

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$ 85.00

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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.

Product Description

Unique piece, only 1 available. Aztec Copal Burner (tzompantli skull rack). Hand made in Mexico by decendants of the Aztec Empire from fired clay. 5.5" tall x 6.5" diameter, weight = 4 lbs. This is an intricate hand made object, slight imperfections exist.

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