Aztec Religion
The Aztec religion is that of the Aztec people living in Mesoamerica before European conquest in the 16th century. The Aztecs believed in multiple creations and destruction of the universe. They thought they were living in the fifth and final cycle of creation, also called "The Fifth Sun." They believed that the ultimate destruction of the universe could not be prevented, but it could be delayed. The Aztecs viewed the sun as a warrior who fought a daily battle across the sky against the forces of darkness. As long as the sun survived, he would prevail in combat and the universe would survive as well. Aztecs believed they could keep the sun strong by nourishing him with a source of vital energy. This source was that of human blood, preferrably the vigorous blood of warriors captured in battle. Unceasing warfare and human sacrifice were sacred duties upon which the preservation of the universe depended. Aztecs thought they lived at the center of the universe. They believed the Earth was divided into four quadrants, each with color-direction symbolism. The four quarters met at the main temple of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. This temple was also the point where supernatural forces from the heavens and underworld came together. The Heavens were composed of 13 ascending levels. The sun, moon, planets, and stars were the lower levels. The Upper levels were the homes of winds, storms, colors, and remote gods. The underworld contained 9 levels all descending, unpleasant and dangerous. The Aztecs used a ceremonial calendar to govern ritual sacrifices throughout the year. They believed in a pantheon of shifting and overlapping gods and goddesses. These could take different forms in deifferent ceremonial contexts. Some of these gods were ancient Mesoamerican deities related to fertility and agricultural production. Some were personages with complicated origins as combinations of heroes and gods from the historical and mythological pasts. The Patron and sponsor god of the Aztec Empire was Huitzilopochtli. During the rise of the Aztecs to imperial power, he became identified with Tonatiuh(the warrior sun) and with Blue Tezcatlipoca of the South (the young strong sun of spring and summer). Through this blending, Huitzilopochtli emerged as the sun who defended the universe and had to be fed with human blood. The main temple of the Aztec state religion was partially dedicated to him. The Aztecs believed that the creators of the fifth universe wree Quetzalcoatl(the Feathered Serpent) and Tez Catlipoca. Aztec rulers who claimed descent from Quetzalcoatl were deified during their coronation ceremonies. The king was the most important living link between the earthly and supernatural realms, and he bore primary responsibility for maintaining the order of the universe. However, he rarely appeared before his subjects. Instead, priests presided over their ceremonies. The chief priests of the main temple presided over the hierarchy of priests. Potential priests, both male and female, were chosen as youths and underwent extensive training. Most Aztec rituals involved blood sacrifice. Some ceremonies onlky required self-sacrifice. During the four day dedication of the main temple in 1487, at elast 10,000 captives were sacrificed. Aztec Religion increased the sacle of human sacrifice far above anything previously known in Mesoamerica. Except for kings, who were gods, the ultimate destiny of most Aztecs depended on their death, not on their positions in life. Sacrificial victims and warriors who were killed in battle joined the attendants of the sun in his daily battle across the sky. After four years, they were reborn as hummingbirds or butterflies. Women who died in childbirth- thus producing the next generation of warriors- also joined the sun for four years but then became frightening spirits that roamed the earth at night. The souls of most dead Aztecs were thought to enter the underworld and start on a difficult downward journey. After four years, they reached the lowest level, known as "The Place of the Dead." There they dwelled in eternal darkness, emptiness, and oblivion.
My Info:
Name:
Chad Harvey
Email: