by Ivan Petricevic
April 03, 2018
from
Ancient-Code Website
One of the most
fascinating histories in Mesoamerica belongs without a doubt, to the
ancient Aztec people.
The Aztecs (also called
Mexica Culture) were a
pre-Columbian civilization of the Mesoamerican region, which
flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries
AD, in the corresponding territory of Mexico.
The Aztec spoke
Nahuatl, and their culture
developed in the cultural region of Mesoamerica from 1325 to 1521
AD, date of the conquest of Mexico by Spanish Conquistadores,
commanded by Hernán Cortés, who defeated the Aztecs and
destroyed their civilization.
The Aztecs reached a high degree of technological and cultural
sophistication and were governed by an elective monarchy, organized
into different social classes, such as nobles, priests, warriors,
merchants, farmers, and slaves.
In addition to their incredible agricultural, astronomical, and
economic development, the ancient Aztecs are known for having a
pictographic script and two calendars (astronomical and liturgical).
The center of the Aztec empire was the city of
Tenochtitlan located Mexico City.
The functioning of the Aztec State was based on a wide bureaucratic
network formed by professional officials, such as priests, trade
inspectors, and tax collectors:
the Tecuhtli
[ˈtekʷt͡ɬi] "lord".
Like many other ancient
cultures during the time, the ancient Aztecs too were polytheists
(they worshiped several gods) and believed that if human blood was
not offered to the Sun God, it would stop shinning and would go out
plunging the world into darkness.
Human sacrifices were offered to:
-
Huitzilopochtli
or Tezcatlipoca:
The sacrificed
was placed on a stone by four priests and a fifth priest
extracted, with a knife, the warrior’s heart alive to feed
it to the gods.
-
Tlaloc:
Children were
sacrificed annually on the mountaintops. It was believed
that when more creatures cried, more rain the God would
provide.
In the Aztec pantheon,
there were many gods.
The main ones were linked to the solar cycle and the agricultural
activity. The most revered god was
Quetzalcoatl, represented as a feathered serpent.
According to the Spanish chroniclers, the bloodshed was offered from
the hearts of animals and human beings in essential rites to satisfy
their Gods.
In addition to having been extensively developed in a number of
scientific and social fields, Aztec Mythology is one of the richest
folklore of the American Continent.
Curiously, two of the most amazing structures built in Mesoamerica
where,
Model of the city and Great Pyramid of Cholula.
Cholula
Museum, Puebla, Mexico.
(CC BY
SA 4.0)
The Great Pyramid of
Cholula for example, happens to be the largest pyramid of the world.
In size, this Pyramid is
compared to NINE Olympic-sized swimming pools. Researchers have no
idea who built this massive structure, but legends say it was
erected
by Giants, specifically, the
Quinametzin Giants.
According to Aztec
Mythology, the
Quinametzin Giants not only built
the Great Pyramid of Cholula, but they also erected one of the most
amazing ancient cities in Central America, the Great City of
Teotihuacan.
If we take a look at In Aztec mythology, we will find that
the Quinametzin Giants are believed to have populated the world
during the previous era of the Sun of Rain (Nahui-Quiahuitl).
As written in the book
El Mundo Mágico de los Dioses del Anáhuac
authored by Otilia Meza, a Quinametzin Giant stood more than
10 feet tall with a weight of around 600 pounds.
As many other mythologies around the globe that mention the
existence of giants, the Quinametzin too were by the gods because
they did not venerate them, and their peak-civilization came to an
end as a result of great calamities and as a punishment from the
heavens for grave sins they had committed.
The
Quinametzin Giants
-
Cuauhtemoc, one
of four giants who supported the sky at the beginning of the
Fifth Sun.
-
Izcoalt, one of
four giants who supported the sky at the beginning of the
Fifth Sun.
-
Izcaqlli, one of
four giants who supported the sky at the beginning of the
Fifth Sun.
-
Tenexuche, one of
four giants who supported the sky at the beginning of the
Fifth Sun.
-
Xelhua, a giant
founder of Cuauquechollan, Itzocan, Epatlan, Teopantlan,
Tehuacan, Cuzcatlan and Teotitlan, this giant built the
Great Pyramid of Cholula.
-
Tenoch, a giant
founder of Tenochtitlan.
-
Ulmecatl, a giant
founder of Cuetlachcoapan, Tontonihuacan, Huitzilapan.
-
Mixtecatl, a
giant founder of Mixteca.
-
Xicalancatl, a
giant founder of Xicallancatl.
-
Otomitl, a giant
founder of Xilotepec, Tollan, Otompan.
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