The ancient civilization of the Aztecs, ten facts from the life of the tribe. ancient civilizations of latin america
The Aztecs are the dominant culture of the Postclassic period. They densely populated the Mexico City basin, and began to control vast territories Central America north to the Tehuantepec Strait.
Towards fate
Aztecs had every reason to be proud of themselves. In less than 200 years, they have gone from a nomadic tribe to formidable rulers of the Mexico Valley and its surrounding regions. Such success they attributed to their patron god, Huitzilopochtli, and composed a myth celebrating their years of wandering in the wilderness. They were very fond of telling this story and kept repeating it with unflagging pleasure and pride. Artists have recreated it in books now called codices; the narrative was conveyed through a series of pictures and glyphs. As shown in codes that have come down to us, the Aztecs' path to glory began in a dry, cactus-covered land located northwest of the Valley of Mexico, at a place called Chicomozoc, or "Seven Caves", in a cave on the Colhuatepec Hill (see pic. left). This place was legendary: other tribes, like the Toltecs before them, claimed to have originated from the same place. Why the Aztecs had to leave this area is unknown. Perhaps they were driven back by stronger tribes, although they preferred to believe that Huitzilopochtli ordered them to go. As the Aztecs slowly moved south, the legend became reality. By the time they reached the place where they were to establish their capital, which was foreshadowed by an eagle perched on a cactus, each episode can be dated with sufficient accuracy.
Although there were thousands of Aztec codices, none of them survived the Spanish invasion. Most were destroyed by the Spaniards, who zealously planted a new faith and eradicated pagan ideas. However, even then the tradition of writing codes was preserved among some
groups of Indians, to which some enlightened Spaniards contributed a lot. The masters left behind amazing pages that allow you to understand and feel how the Aztecs themselves imagined their own history.
Beginning of the Tenochtitlan Empire
Having settled in Chapultepec, the Aztecs became subjects of the Colhuacans and served them as mercenaries. Over time, they began to be weary of their subordinate position and incurred the wrath of the Kolhua leaders. Forced to flee, the Aztecs ended up in the swampy lands of Lake Tezcoco. Here they founded their city of Tenochtitlan, because they saw the sign predicted by Huitzilopochtli - a rock, where the cactus grew, on which the eagle sat. Hence the name of the city - "the place where the cactus grows", and its emblem. (The same image can be seen on the flag modern Mexico, only now the eagle holds a snake in its beak.).
This eagle perched on a cactus is also depicted on the frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza (see figure below). On 16 beautifully illustrated pages, the book reproduces year after year the history of the Aztecs from 1325 until the arrival of the Spaniards. It is probable that this codex was commissioned to the artists by the first king of New Spain, Don Antonio de Mendoza, after whom it is named. The codex covers the reign of all rulers, from the legendary founder of the city, the priest Tenoch, to Motskusoma II. Every event, each victorious conquest of neighboring peoples is captured in detail. Especially for Spanish readers, the images are accompanied by inscriptions in Spanish.
Along the edges of the frontispiece is a band of glyphs representing the years of the Aztec calendar. The 4 signs shown on the right are the basis of the calendar system, they repeat every 4 years. Dots from I to 13 represent specific years. After 52 years, the cycle repeats. The beginning of the cycle was always considered the 2nd year of Kamysh. It was celebrated with a ceremony of extinguishing old ritual fires and lighting new ones, marked by a special device for making fire, as can be seen on the frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza (3rd sign from the bottom left).
Frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza (Aztec Codes)
The frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza symbolically depicts the rise of Tenochtitlan's power. The founding fathers pay homage to the symbol of the city, located on top of the Aztec shield. Crossing blue lines represent channels that divide the city into 4 blocks. The two burning temples below represent the victories over two rival cities, Colhuacan and Tenayuca, won even when the Aztecs served as mercenaries for the Tepanecs.
On the page on the left briefly tells about the life and reign of the first of the Aztec hereditary rulers, who came to power in 1376 and ruled for 21 years, which follows from the calendar glyphs in the margins. His name was Akamapichtli - "The hand that clutches the reed arrows" according to the glyph located above his head. During his reign, he conquered 4 cities, symbolically marked by the heads of the leaders. The last city of Xochimilco - "Flowers on arable land" paid a generous tribute.
On the right side of the page depicts the third ruler of Tenochtitlan, Chimalpopoca, or "Smoking Shield", whose reign was stained with the shame of defeat. During the attack on a place called Chalco, the locals sank 4 Aztec war canoes and killed many Aztec warriors, which is conveyed by the images of 5 severed heads. Chimalpopoca, executed by the Tepanecs, is shown first alive, and then with his body leaning forward and his voice subdued. His death caused the Aztecs to revolt against their masters.
On the page on the left, depicting the reign of Motekusoma II, who won a number of glorious victories, as befits a man with his name - "Wrathful Lord". His victories provided a large influx not only of tribute, but also of captives sacrificed on the altars of Tenochtipian. Three unpainted calendar glyphs mark the inglorious end of his reign - the arrival of the Spaniards, the death of the ruler, the founding of New Spain on the ruins of the Aztec empire.
Traditional dress of the Aztec warriors
According to the number of captured enemies, the Aztec warriors depicted above could dress in more and more magnificent robes. Before the battle, the warriors changed their "ceremonial" costumes for those more suitable for battle, retaining the insignia and headdresses indicating their status.
To satisfy bloodthirsty gods' appetite, a constant influx of prisoners captured on the battlefield was needed. The soldiers who delivered the prisoners were awarded special characters differences, such as the capes and headdresses shown above. They pointed not only to the valor of the warrior, but also to his rank, directly determined by the number of captured prisoners. When a young warrior brought his first victim with him, the ruler rewarded him with a cloak depicting a scorpion or flowers. The fighter who brought the second prisoner received a cape with a red border. If this happened for the third time, he was rewarded with a richly decorated cloak called eekailakackoskatl- "a precious stone twisted by the wind." If the account of the Aztec warrior was 4 prisoners, then he joined the ranks of veterans and could wear a special hairstyle. He was also awarded special insignia and vestments. When a warrior became a tekuiua - an honorary veteran, he could join the ranks of one of the Eagle or Jaguar military associations and wear a special uniform. Over time, he could rise to the rank of commander or adviser to the ruler. There was also a considerable risk associated with promotion - bright insignia made him an excellent target on the battlefield.
one of the largest in Mexico archaeological zones, the name is translated from the Nahuatl language as "the city where people turn into gods." Archaeologists do not have a single opinion about the ethnicity of the founders of the city - some believe that they were the Toltecs, the main competitors of the Aztecs for power over Mesoamerica, while others “give” Teotihuacan to the Nagua, Totonac and Otomi tribes. After the 7th century, the city was abandoned by its inhabitants, but the reasons for this have not yet been clarified. It was traditionally believed that the city of Teotihuacan was destroyed by the conquerors, but this does not explain the fact that administrative buildings and "rich" quarters suffered more than others. The latter observation indicates that a popular uprising apparently took place in the city.
WITH south side begins the street of the Dead (Calzada de los Muertos) 5 km long (only two of them are open for tourists).
The name of the street comes from the erroneous assumption that along it are the burial places of the ancient rulers of Teotihuacan. In our time, it is believed that these are not tombs, but the foundations of temples. In the eastern part of the Street of the Dead is located Citadel(Cuidadela) - 15 small flat pyramids located along the edges of a rectangular area, in the middle of which stands a high central pyramid. The militaristic name "citadel" was given to the square by the Spaniards, but it performed not military, but religious functions. The central pyramid is the Temple of the Feathered Serpent Quetzalcoatl (Templo de Quetzalcoatl). At the base of the pyramid are the burial places of two hundred people who were sacrificed during the consecration of the temple - however, according to some artifacts, it is clear that these were not captives, but representatives of the military class.
Quetzalcoatl- literally "a snake covered with green feathers" - was the supreme god of the Indians of Mesoamerica until the arrival of the Spaniards. He is credited with establishing laws and moral standards - however, seduced by the demon Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl himself violated them. In repentance, the god retired on a raft to the unknown country of Tlilan-Tlapallan, promising his people to return. Traditionally, the Indians portrayed the departed god as a light-skinned man with a beard and in a mask, which played a fatal role in their fate: when in the year dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, the bearded Hernan Cortes appeared in their area with a helmet on his head, the Indians first mistook him for their returned god - and did not take appropriate measures in time.
The ancient buildings of the city of Teotihuacan are characterized by the talud-tablero technique: inclined surfaces (talud) alternate with vertical panels (tablero) on which frescoes are made.
To the right of the Street of the Dead (if you go to the Citadel) is located pyramid of the sun(Piramide de Sol) Teotihuacan is the third largest in the world, the height is 70 meters, the perimeter of the base is 894 meters.
During the heyday of the city, there was a temple at the top of the pyramid, but it is not clear to whom it was dedicated. You can climb the pyramid - if you overcome all 248 steps, then the top will open beautiful view for the whole ancient city and much of the Mexican Highlands.
Further along the Street of the Dead there will be the Palace of Quetzalpapacotl (on the left hand side), where the patio is located, one of the most beautiful places Teotihuacan. Under the palace are the remains Temple of the Feathered Shells named after the traditional musical instrument Indians - a shell decorated with feathers.
Completes the street moon pyramid(Piramide de la Luna) Teotihuacan 46 meters high.
How to get cheap from Teotihuacan : first we go by subway to northern bus station(Terminal Autobuses del Norte), then from there by bus to Teotihuacan (buses leave every 15 minutes from 07:00 to 18:00, price 40 pesos), go exactly one hour. At the bus station, passengers are examined like at an airport, plus when everyone is already seated in their seats on the bus, special person He films everyone on a video camera - again, for security reasons. I had a chance to see a reception with a video camera for the first time - before that, I had never seen anything like this in any country in the world. Bus stop in Teotihuacan is located in such a picturesque place:
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Bright impressions of ancient Teotihuacan!
Your Roman Mironenko
The center of the Aztec civilization was a rich and fertile area in which the Aztecs successfully developed agriculture, growing tomatoes, beans, corn, chili peppers, pumpkins and other vegetables. In tropical areas, industrious people gathered fruits, as well as cattle breeding, since the Aztecs often ate meat and turkeys for food. In addition, hunting and fishing, weaving, weapons, pottery and jewelry, as well as merchant trade outside the empire played an important role in the life of the Aztecs.
The Aztecs were famous for their unique floating gardens, which were handcrafted by Aztec craftsmen.
Since the Aztecs did not have wheels and pack animals at their disposal, they transported land cargo using a stretcher, and for water travel used canoes, which could accommodate up to twenty people. Tenochitlán, the capital of the Aztecs, was a unique achievement of the then architecture, consisting of huge pyramidal temples, luxurious palaces, straight wide streets, stone sculptures and nets. Pure drinking water came to the city from aqueducts, and products were bought at a giant market right in the center of the capital.
Achievement in the arts and sciences
The Aztecs created a huge layer of pictographic literature, which includes various poetry, religious chants, dramatic works, legends, tales and philosophical treatises. The Aztec often held workshops on disputes and poetic exercises, and the common people were fond of stone carving and sculpture. In addition, the Aztecs achieved great success in mathematics, medicine, and jurisprudence.
The Aztecs held in high esteem products made from bright bird feathers, with which craftsmen decorated military shields, clothes, headdresses and standards.
The authorship of the Aztecs belongs to the solar 365-day calendar, which divided the year into 18 months, each of which had 20 days. At the end of the year, the Aztecs added five days to these months, calculating with the help of the solar agricultural cycle of religious rites. The Aztecs also invented a 260-day ritual calendar, which contained 13 months, each of which also had 20 days. It was used for predictions and prophecies. Both calendars were united by a common 52-year cycle, which each time symbolized the death of the old world.
The people who inhabited the territory of Central and South America, shortly before the Spanish conquest of Mexican lands in 1521. The history of the Aztecs is the history of multiple associations of tribal groups with their own city-states and royal dynasties. "Aztecs" also refers to the powerful union of the majestic city-states - Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan, cities that established their dominance in the territory of modern Mexico, from 1400 to 1521.
The civilization of the Aztecs, the cities of the Indians and their way of life.
City-states and settlements Aztec civilization were erected on the vast mountain plateaus of the Mexican valley, on which the capital of Mexico is located today. These are fertile lands with total area in 6.5 thousand sq. km, - lands extending for approximately 50 km, in length and width. The “Valley of Mexico City” lies at an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level and is surrounded on all sides by volcanic mountains 5 thousand meters high.
The Aztec civilization came to these lands because of Lake Texcoco, capable of supplying thousands of people fresh water and food. The lake was fed by streams and mountain runoff, periodically overflowing the edges, and overflowing hundreds of meters. However, the lake supplied local residents drinking water, created a habitat for fish, mammals and birds. The triple alliance of city-states subjugated vast territories from the borders of Guatemala to present-day northern Mexico. coastal plains Gulf of Mexico, mountain gorges Oaxaca and Guerrero, rainforests Yucatan - all this belonged to the Aztec civilization. Thus, at the disposal of the Indians were all sorts of Natural resources, which were not observed at their original locations.
The languages of the Nahuatl group were dominant in the Aztec civilization. Nahuatl dialects were adopted as a second language and played the role of an intermediary language in almost all areas of South America during the period of Spanish colonization. The language heritage of the Aztecs is found in multiple toponyms - Acapulco, Oaxaca. Historians estimate that about 1.5 million people still use the Nahuatl language or its variants in daily communication. The Aztec civilization spoke the Nahuatl languages without exception. The languages of this group have spread from Central America to Canada and include about 30 related dialects. The Aztec civilization, the Indians of this empire, were great connoisseurs and lovers of literature. They collected entire libraries of pictographic books with various descriptions of religious rites and ceremonies, historical events, tribute collections, and simple registries. The Aztecs used bark as paper. Unfortunately, most of the books belonging to the ancient Aztecs were destroyed by the Spaniards during the conquest. Today, scientists involved in the study of the ancient Aztec people have to work with grains of surviving written information. The first information about the Aztec Indians was obtained, which is not surprising, during the period of the conquest.
Five letters, reports, to the king from Cortes contained primary information about the Indians of America. After 40 years, a soldier, a member of one of the expeditions of the Spaniards - Bernal Diaz Castillo, compiled true story Spanish conquest, where tenochki and their fraternal peoples were described in detail. The first information references about aspects of Aztec lifeand cultures were compiled in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, all sorts of ethnographic descriptions created by the Aztecnobility, and Spanish monks. The most valuable example of such writing that has survived to this day is a multi-volume manuscript “ General history New Spain".
Aztec culture through the language was connected with cultural complex Nahua peoples. According to myths and Indian legends, the tribes that later formed the once majestic and powerful Aztec empire came to the Anahuac Valley from the northern lands. The location of the Anahuac Valley is known for sure - this is the territory modern capital Mexico, but it is not known for certain where the Aztecs came to these lands. Researchers constantly put forward their theories about the historical homeland of the Indians, however, they all turn out to be false. According to legend, the ancestors of the Aztecs came from the north, from a place called Aztlan. According to legend, the Indians were led to new lands by the god Huitzilopochtli - “the god of the hummingbird”, “left-handed hummingbird”.
Indians of America settled in a place indicated to them by the gods themselves - the well-known legend about an eagle sitting on a cactus, about an eagle from a prophecy about the new land of the Aztecs. Today, this legend - an eagle eating a snake - is displayed in the design of the Mexican flag. Thus, according to legend, as early as 1256, the Aztecs found themselves on the lands of the Mexico City Valley, surrounded by rocks and washed by the waters of Lake Texcoco. Before the arrival of the Aztec tribe, the lands of Lake Texcoco were divided between the dominant city-states. The Aztecs, recognizing the power of the ruler of one of the cities, settled on his lands and built their city, their great capital - Tenochtitlan. According to historical data, the city was built in 1325 AD. Today former capital Aztec is historical center Mexico City. According to the beliefs local population took the Aztecs with hostility, they were considered uncivilized and uneducated, and most importantly unimaginably cruel. However, the Indian tribes who came did not respond to aggression with aggression - they decided to study; and they took all the knowledge they could from their neighbors.
The Aztecs absorbed the Vedas of the tribes surrounding them and the peoples close to them. The main source of the development of the tribes was the knowledge and experience of the ancient Toltecs, and the Toltec tribes themselves, as teachers. For the entire Aztec people, the Toltecs were the creators of culture. In the language of this people, the word "Toltecayotl" was synonymous with the word "culture". Aztec mythology identifies the Toltecs and the cult of Quetzalcoatl with the city of Tollan ( modern city Tula in Mexico). Along with knowledge, the Aztecs also absorbed the traditions of the Toltecs and peoples close to them. Among the traditions were the foundations of religion. First of all, such borrowings include the myth of the creation of the world, which describes four suns, four epochs, each of which ended in the death of life and a universal catastrophe. In the Aztec culture, the current fourth epoch, the fourth sun, escaped destruction thanks to the self-sacrifice of the supreme god - the god Nanahuatl, which means "all in wounds."
It is known that the capital of the Aztecs was divided into 4 districts called meikaotl, each of which was headed by an elder. Each district - meikaotl, in turn, was divided into 5 smaller quarters - calpulli. Calpulli of the Aztecs were originally patriarchal families, clans, and the areas uniting them - meikaotl - phratries. Before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors to the lands of the Aztecs, one community lived in the same dwelling, house - a large patriarchal family of several generations - sencalli. The land plots belonging to the tribe were divided into sectors, which were looked after by separate home communities of the Aztecs - Senkalli. In addition, at each more or less large village there were lands allocated for the needs of priests, rulers and military leaders, the harvest from which went to the maintenance of the corresponding castes of society.
Aztec tribes and features of the development of the empire.
The land plots of the Indians of America have always been cultivated jointly - a man and a woman. However, upon marriage, a man received the right to personal use of land. Land allotments, as well as the land of the community itself, were inalienable. The life of the Aztecs was built according to certain social canons, violations of which were strictly punished. At the head of each quarter of the Aztecs - Calpulli stood his own public council, which included only elected elders of the Aztec tribe. The leaders of the phratries and the elders involved in public council, were also part of the tribal council - the council of the Aztec leader, which included the chief leader of the tribe. Similar public building observed in all tribes without exception.
Aztec tribe, The social system of the Indians was divided into castes of free people and slaves. Slaves could be not only prisoners of war, but also debtors who fell into slavery, as well as poor people who sold themselves and their families. Aztec slaves always wore collars. It is not known for certain in which branches of agriculture, and other Aztec farms, slave labor was involved; most likely, they were used in the construction of large-scale structures - palaces and temples of the Aztecs, as well as servants, porters and artisans of low professions.
On the lands that had submitted to the ancient Indians, tributaries were given to military leaders as trophies for their service, the position of which was comparable to serfs. But not only slaves were artisans, large communities always had their own artisans from the free people. Thus, in the Aztec empire, in addition to residual communal relations, there was a complete absence of land rights, coupled with private property, i.e. rights to slaves, agricultural products and handicrafts. Obviously, along with private property and mastery relations - master and subordinate, the Aztec tribes also had remnants of the primitive communal system characteristic of Europe before our era. Slaves, or among the Indians of America - “tlacotin”, constituted an important social caste, different from prisoners of war.
City of Tenochtitlan was the slave capital. The rules of behavior for slaves, and slave life itself, were very different from what could be observed in Europe of that era. Slavery among the Aztecs was more like that of classical antiquity. First of all, slavery was personal, not inherited, the children of a slave were free from birth. A slave in the Aztec tribe could own personal property and even personal slaves. Slaves had the right to redeem themselves, or to win their freedom through labor, service. Also, in cases where slaves were treated cruelly or had children in common with their masters, they could protest their slavery and become free people.
American Indians honored traditions. So, in most cases, at the death of the owner, the slaves were inherited as private property. However, the slaves who especially distinguished themselves by service and labor to the previous owner were freed. Another feature and property of slavery among the Aztecs: if in the market a slave could, due to the negligence of his master, run out of the market wall and step on excrement, then he was given the right to appeal against his slavery. In case of victory, the slave was washed, given clean clothes and released. Cases of such liberation of slaves occurred quite regularly among the Indians of America, since a person who prevented a slave from escaping, helping the owner, was declared a slave instead of a fugitive.
In addition, a slave could not be given or sold without his consent, except in cases where the authorities declared the slave to be disobedient. In general, the disobedient slaves, the wild Indians, were subjected to increased control measures; they were forced to wear wooden shackles around their necks and hoops on their hands everywhere. The shackles served not only as a distinguishing feature, denouncing the guilt of the slave, but also as a device that complicates the process of flight. Before such slaves were resold, the new master was told how many times he had tried to escape and how many times he had been resold before.
A slave who made 4 unsuccessful attempts to escape was in most cases given for sacrificial rites. In a number of cases, free Aztecs could become slaves as punishment. The murderer, sentenced to death, could be given into slavery twice or the widow of the murdered. Slavery also punished unpaid debts, debts of sons, fathers and mothers. Parents had the right to sell the child into slavery only in those cases when the authorities declared the offspring a naughty, wild Indian. A similar fate awaited the disobedient disciples. And the last important distinguishing feature - the Aztecs had the right to sell themselves into slavery.
In a number of cases, voluntary slaves who were captured Aztec civilization, were awarded a vacation in order to enjoy the price of their freedom, after which they were transferred to the owner's possession. A similar fate awaited unsuccessful players, old courtesans and prostitutes. It is also known that some captured slaves were treated as debtors and delinquents - according to all the rules of slave ownership. IN South America during the dawn of the Aztec empire, sacrifice was widespread and ubiquitous.
However, the Aztecs practiced them on their own scale, sacrificing both slaves and free people on each of their many calendar holidays. There are cases described in the Aztec chronicles, when hundreds, thousands of people were sacrificed daily. So during the construction of the main temple - great pyramid Aztecs in 1487, about 80 thousand prisoners of war and slaves were sacrificed in four days. It is not entirely clear how a city with a population of 120 thousand inhabitants and several tribes of Indians accommodated such a number of prisoners and slaves, how they could be caught, and even more so executed, given that Atsizotl personally sacrificed to the gods. However, the fact remains. It is also worth noting that the Aztec tribe did not always sacrifice people; often the role of alms to the gods was played by animals. As you know, for such purposes, the Aztecs specially bred animals, for example, llamas.
There were also donations of things: communities broke their most valuable property for the glory of the gods. In addition, individual gods and their cults required special alms: the Cult of Quetzalcoatl, along with human sacrifice, required the sacrifice of hummingbirds and butterflies. Practiced in the tribes of the Aztecs and self-sacrifice. During special ceremonies, people deliberately inflicted injuries on themselves, performed ceremonial bloodletting, dressed in shackles and clothes with spikes on reverse side. Blood occupied a dominant position in the religion and ceremonies of the Aztecs. After all, in local mythology, the gods more than once shed their blood to help humanity. So in the myth of the rebirth of the world - the myth of the fifth sun, the gods sacrificed themselves so that people could live.
The rituals, traditions and religion of the ancient Aztecs prepared people for the highest sacrifice, for the sacrifice of human life. The rite of sacrifice took place according to the canons: the skin of the victim was dyed blue with chalk; the sacrifice was carried out to the upper area of the temple or pyramid; the victim was laid down, and the process of sacrifice began. The heart, which is the first to be separated from the body, was always stored by the Aztecs in a special stone vessel. The stomach of the victim was steamed with a stone knife - obsidian was not able to open the flesh, and the Indians did not discover iron for themselves.
At the end of the ceremony, the victim was thrown down the stairs of the temple, where the priests picked her up, and later burned her. The sacrifices of the ancient Indians were in most cases voluntary, with the exception of the sacrifice of prisoners of war. Before the ritual of sacrifice, the captured soldiers were treated like slaves, however, without the possibility of pardon and release. The ancient Aztecs also had other types of sacrifice, for example, torture. Victims were burned, shot with arrows, drowned, parts of their bodies were fed to sacred animals. The Aztec tribe was famous for its cruelty. The line between sacrificial torture and the torture of captured soldiers and nobility is difficult to follow.
The occupations of the Aztecs, a civilization that left many mysteries and mysteries, were very diverse. There remains a lot of evidence of the existence of this people, which has come down to us through jewelry and weapons, pottery and weaving. What did the Aztecs do, what was most important to them? Let's try to find answers in this article.
Aztecs: a brief historical background
Among the most American continent There are three: the Incas, the Maya, and the Aztecs. Much of the knowledge about which Mayan, Aztec, and Inca occupations were the most popular has unfortunately been lost. But still, there are many archaeological finds that help solve some of the mysteries of the ancient inhabitants of planet Earth.
The Aztecs are the name of several peoples who lived in a valley called Mexico City until the Spaniards conquered Mexico in 1521. The peoples who inhabited the valley spoke the Nahuatl language. Their territories were divided into states, they built cities that were ruled by royal dynasties.
Aztecs: their life and occupations
It is rather difficult to summarize the topic. left a very big mark in history. Thanks to archaeological finds, research by scientists and historians, now we can draw conclusions about how these people lived, find out what was significant for them and what activities of the Aztecs were the most important.
Civilization numbered about 60 thousand people, and this people, without false modesty, could be proud of themselves. It took the Aztecs only 2 centuries to ordinary tribe nomads to turn into formidable warriors who ruled the territory of the Mexico Valley.
From this, historians conclude that the most important occupation of this people was military craft. In addition, it is known that these people were highly educated. Studied and practiced: medicine, astronomy, music, history of laws and religion. The development of the art of housekeeping and various crafts were at a high level. Consider all these activities of the Aztecs in order.
military craft
This people loved to fight. The military craft was very well developed, so it is not surprising that the Aztecs were famous as conquerors of new lands. During the existence of this civilization, the territory of residence of the people was greatly expanded due to constant wars and the conquest of new territories.
Captured new lands, according to Aztec law, were distributed among the warriors who became most famous on the battlefield. Accordingly, the conquered tribes automatically turned into slaves. This served to ensure that many wealthy slave owners appeared among the Aztecs, whom the thirst for profit forced them to conquer new lands.
economy
The occupations of the Aztecs concerned various spheres of life. The basis of the economy was agriculture.
Archaeologists have discovered farmers: sticks with pointed and extended ends. The second option is a prototype of a modern shovel.
It is known that this people knew how to irrigate and fertilize the soil. Among the various crops, preference was given to corn, pumpkin, beans, peppers and squash. The Aztecs went down in history as the people who first began to cultivate cocoa beans and tomatoes. They also grew tobacco.
Also, the main occupations of the Aztecs included the cultivation of several types of cotton.
Among the features of their agriculture, the presence of floating gardens should be noted. All due to the fact that the city of Tenochtitlan itself was on the island. The limited amount of land led to the emergence of vegetable gardens afloat. These gardens were built on rafts with fertile soil attached to piles driven into the ground.
Hunting and fishing
The occupations of the Aztec population included hunting and fishing. This people had no tradition of keeping pets. The only ones were dogs, sometimes they were eaten.
Stocks of meat were replenished during the hunt. Hunters obtained food with the help of a bow and arrows, throwing darts were widely used, and special traps for animals were also in use.
The prey of the hunter could be: rabbits, deer and wild birds.
The peoples who lived on the shores of the lakes were successfully engaged in fishing.
culture
The culture of this people was at the highest level. It should be noted that for the male population, schooling was a compulsory occupation. There were two kinds of schools: for the rich and the poor. Schools of the first type prepared future priests, military leaders and dignitaries. Boys from simple families learned to be farmers, warriors and artisans.
Science, literature, philosophy and astronomy are the main occupations of the inhabitants. The Aztecs were revered as a highly developed civilization.
This people developed a star map of the sky. The Aztec calendar is widely known, which, taking into account the location and movement of the heavenly stars, served to meet the needs of agriculture.
Unfortunately, during the conquest of this territory by the Spaniards, many examples of culture and art were destroyed. Nevertheless, archaeologists have recently discovered buildings that give us the opportunity to gain knowledge about how developed the Aztecs were in the field of architecture.
One of the attractions is the temple in Malinalco, which was completely carved from a single rock. Archaeologists say that apart from stone tools, this people had no others. Imagine how much effort it took to build this temple.
The main temple of Templo Mayor was discovered by archaeologists by accident. It happened in the 80s of the last century during an earthquake. This discovery made it possible to see the figures of gods carved from stone, as well as ceramic and jewelry. It should be noted that the Aztecs practiced human sacrifices to their gods. The handles of sacrificial knives were decorated with a mosaic pattern of turquoise and shell fragments.
Thanks to these finds, we can accurately determine how the Aztecs lived, whose occupations were distinguished by their diversity and highly developed culture.
End of story
This civilization remained unsolved until the end. All because cultural heritage The Aztecs were partially destroyed during the conquests. Having reached cultural heights, the Aztec people could not survive and preserve for history most their achievements. On the ruins of the Aztec capital grew new town- Mexico City, which went down in history as the center colonial possessions new conquerors from Europe.
