Incas, Aztecs and Maya - mysterious tribes that have disappeared from the face of the earth. Until now, scientific excavations and all kinds of research are being carried out in order to study their life and the reasons for their disappearance. In this article we will talk about one interesting tribe. The Aztecs lived in the 14th century in what is now Mexico City.
Where did they come from
The number of this Indian people was about 1.3 million people. The homeland of the Aztecs, according to legend, was the island of Aztlan (translated as "country of herons"). Initially, the members of this tribe were hunters, but then, having settled on the ground, they began to engage in agricultural and handicraft work, although it was a rather warlike tribe. The Aztecs, in order to begin to lead a settled way of life, for quite a long time were looking for suitable lands. They did not act at random, but in accordance with the instructions of their god Huitzilopochtli. According to him, the Aztecs should have seen an eagle sitting on a cactus and devouring the earth.
It happened
Despite allthe strangeness of this sign, after 165 years of wandering around Mexican soil, the Aztecs still managed to meet this mysterious bird with unusual behavior. At the place where this happened, the tribe began to settle down. The Aztecs named their first settlement Tenochtitlan (translated as "fruit tree growing from stone"). Another name for these lands is Mexico City. Interestingly, the Aztec civilization was created by several tribes. Scientists believe that at least seven tribes who spoke related languages took part in this, the most common of which was Nahuatl. Now more than 1 million people speak it and similar dialects.
Bottoms and tops
Can the Aztec civilization serve as an example for the modern organization of society? Equality fighters would certainly not like the Aztec division into aristocrats and plebeians. Moreover, members of high society possessed all the best. They lived in luxurious palaces, wore magnificent clothes, ate delicious food, had many privileges, and held high positions. The plebeians worked the land, traded, hunted, fished and lived poorly in special quarters. But after death, everyone got an equal chance to get into the underworld, the abode of the goddess of death Miktlan, or go to a better world. Since warriors in the Aztec world enjoyed special respect, those who died on the battlefield could accompany the sun from sunrise to zenith, as well as those who were sacrificed. Women who died in childbirth received the honor to accompany the sun from zenith to sunset. "Lucky" you cancount those who were killed by lightning or drowned. They ended up in a heavenly place where the rain god Tlalocan lived.
Fathers and Sons
The tribe in question in this article paid great attention to the education of children. Until the age of 1, they were brought up at home, and after that they had to attend special schools. Moreover, both boys and girls, although the latter, most often, having married, sat at home and looked after the household and children. Commoners were trained in craft skills, military affairs. Aristocrats studied history, astronomy, social science, rituals, and government. The children of members of high society were not white-handed. They worked in public works, cleaned in temples, and participated in rituals. Honor, respect and various privileges awaited the elderly.
Aztec culture
No wonder this lost civilization attracts attention even today. The Aztecs were excellent craftsmen, so buildings, sculptures, stone and clay products, fabrics, and jewelry were of high quality. The Aztecs were especially distinguished by the ability to make a variety of products from the bright feathers of tropical birds. Aztec mosaics and ornaments are also famous. The aristocrats were fond of literature. Many of them could compose a poem or write an oral work. Legends, tales, poems, descriptions of the rites of this people have survived to this day. Paper for books was made from the bark. The calendars that this tribe created are also interesting. The Aztecs used a solar and ritual calendar. In accordance with the solar calendar,agricultural work and religious work. It consisted of 365 days. The second calendar, which includes 260 days, served for predictions. The fate of a person was judged by the day on which he was born. Until now, many treasure hunters dream of finding Aztec gold. And they lived in their time very richly. This is evidenced by the stories of the Spanish conquerors. They say that the rich Aztecs, especially in the capital Tenochtitlan, ate and slept on gold. They set up golden thrones for their gods, at the foot of which there were also golden ingots.
Aztec religion
People from this tribe believed that there are several gods who control the forces of nature and the fate of people. They had gods of water, maize, rain, sun, war and many others. The Aztecs built huge, ornate temples. The largest was dedicated to the main deity Tenochtitlan and was 46 meters high. Rites and sacrifices were held in the temples. The Aztecs also had an idea of the soul. They believed that its habitat in a person is the heart and blood vessels. The pulse beat was taken as its manifestation. According to the Aztecs, the gods put the soul into the human body even at the time when he was in the womb. They also believed that objects and animals possess souls. The Aztecs imagined that there was a special connection between them, allowing them to interact on an intangible level. The Aztecs also thought that every person has a magical double. His death led to the death of man. As a sacrifice, the Aztecs offered theiridols own blood. To do this, they performed the rite of bloodletting. In general, the Aztecs brought human sacrifices in huge quantities. It is a known fact that 2,000 people were sacrificed during the consecration of the Great Temple. The Aztecs thought about the end of the world and believed that a large amount of blood could appease the gods and maintain world balance.
The Aztec civilization perished because of the greed of the Spaniards. It happened at the beginning of the 16th century, but the story of the life of a tribe that disappeared from the face of the earth still excites the imagination. Whether Aztec gold brings happiness, everyone will decide for themselves.
