Definition of Aztec Culture

To know the historical roots of the Latin America Today it is necessary to go back to ancient American civilizations. One of them, the civilization of the Aztec peoples, it reminds us of a glorious past full of curiosities.

The capital of the Aztec Empire was in Tenochtilán

The Aztecs, also known as Mexica or Tenochas, occupied the territories near Lake Texcoco and from the 11th century they consolidated a great empire until the arrival of the Spanish. When the first conquerors saw the city of Tenochtilán for the first time, they were fascinated. In it there were fabulous palaces, navigable canals and the streets were full of shops.

The Aztecs organized the year from a calendar that lasted 260 days

They believed that the Sun was the great divinity that governed the universe and so that its light would not go out they sacrificed thousands of human beings.

To maintain their hegemony over other peoples, they imposed high taxes. The wealth obtained was used for religious ceremonies, army expenses and building of large public works.

The population was mainly dedicated to farming, especially to culture corn, cotton, beans and tomato (the word tomato comes precisely from the language Nahuatl spoken by the Aztecs). In the market of the city of Tenochtitlán you could find all kinds of agricultural products, ceramic objects, pieces of jewelry and cotton fabrics. For their acquisition they used a barter system or they used cocoa beans as currency of change (cocoa for the Aztecs was a special product and they considered it as the food of the gods).

The end of their culture should not be attributed exclusively to the Spanish. It should not be forgotten that the peoples subjected by the Aztecs decided to support the conquerors in the hope of getting rid of them.

Observing and stopping at their hobbies

- The Aztecs liked the game and had the habit of betting on a board game similar to the current Ludo, the patolli.

- They played a ball game that bears a resemblance to basketball, the tlachli.

-His favorite alcoholic beverage was pulque, a fermented maguey juice that only the elderly could consume.

-In the remains of the pictographic writing that are preserved it is possible to appreciate his fondness for the music and the dance.

Photos: Fotolia - sergeygerasimov - jonnysek