Aztec mythology

Aztec mythology is the mythology of the Aztec civilization in Mexico. The Aztec Empire lasted from the 14th century until the Spanish took over in 1521.

The Aztecs used mythology as a basis and built upon it to establish a working and advanced society. They also took some ideas from the Toltec and Mayans to create their advanced culture.

Beliefs

The Aztecs believed the universe went through four phases. They called them suns. They believed that they lived in the fifth sun. The gods ended each sun with a huge tragedy and then created a new world.

An Aztec stone sculpture of the god Xoloti

In the first sun, the world was destroyed by jaguars. In the second, the world was destroyed by a storm. In the third sun, the earth was destroyed by a fire rain. At the end of the fourth, the world was destroyed by a huge flood. They believed that the fifth sun would end with a huge earthquake.

The Aztecs were polytheistic. This means they worshipped many gods and goddesses, like Huitzilopochtli, Tezcatlipoca, and Xochiquetzal.

Human sacrifices

To honor their gods, the Aztecs made human sacrifices. There were three parts of the body that they considered the most powerful: the head, the heart, and the liver.

References

• Leonard, Scott A. "Mythology." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
• Carrasco, Davíd. "Aztec." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.

Aztec Mythology Media

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  Mictlantecuhtli (left), god of death, the lord of the Underworld and Quetzalcoatl (right), god of wisdom, life, knowledge, morning star, patron of the winds and light, the lord of the West. Together they symbolize life and death.

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  Huitzilopochtli is raising up the skies of the South, one of the four directions of the world, surrounded by their respective trees, temples, patterns, and divination symbols.

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  Embodied spirits; Tonalleque (1), Cihuateteo (2).

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  Patterns of War; (1a) Tlaloc, (1b) Xiuhtecuhtli, (2a) Mixcoatl, (2b) Xipe-Totec.

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  Patterns of Merchants; (1a) Huehuecoyotl, (1b) Zacatzontli, (2a) Yacatecuhtli, (2b) Tlacotzontli, (3a) Tlazolteotl and Metztli, (3b) Tonatiuh.