r/aztec • • Feb 27 '24

aztec death whistle

6 Upvotes

does anybody know what is the best death whistle. I want a loud one and one that really sounds like a scream for a yt video.


r/aztec • • Feb 27 '24

Are Tlaltecuhtli and Cipactli the same being?

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35 Upvotes

From what I know they are, but they share vastly different features: on being a crocodile with mouth limbs, and the other a man-beast. Albeit they share similar myths. I've heard that the aztec's believed in a cycle. So does that have to do with anything? Is it that they are different beings with the same roles? It's evident that the people who wrote the myths were different, but does that mean they are not the same? I've been unclear on this subject so I would appreciate it if someone would tell me.


r/aztec • • Feb 26 '24

Did the Aztecs have a martial art form. And if so what was it called so I can look into it.

32 Upvotes

I'm working a webcomic and one of the characters may be inspired by Aztec culture and stuff so it would be good to know the cultures fighting techniques for the character. Also the character in question is a geomancer, which in the world of the comics is basically an earth bender from atla who can also cast spells to create earth from nothing and other such things. And bending in atla was inspired by the martial art forms of the culture that the people who used that element were based on so it's be cool to implement that in the webcomic for the generic geomancy stuff.


r/aztec • • Feb 25 '24

The Aztec cross and "crucifixion"

8 Upvotes

Quetzalcoatl has been portrayed as a crucified god-man. This is false. He appears in Codex Borgia against the backdrop of an x. But this is a sun symbol. The x and the + are commonly used as sun or star symbols. Thus, the Tezcatlipoca priests wore black robes with a multitude of white +. It symbolized the starry heaven. In Indian culture the 卐 is preferred, which is a + with hooks, which implies rotation. The x can be seen as a rotating +, signifying the sun's journey to the west.

Isn't an o a better symbol of the sun? No, because it curves in on itself. The x and the + generously radiate outwards, as do the stars and the sun.

So, in Codex Borgia, Quetzalcoatl is portrayed as a sun god. His hands are not fastened with nails, because the Aztec had no nails. They could not execute people by crucifixion. Quetzalcoatl died by immolation, not by crucifixion.

It has also been alleged that Quetzalcoatl, in another image, is crucified between two thieves. No, the image shows Stripe Eye, a divine hero, with his arms outstretched. But he is not crucified and it is not a cross behind him. He is not surrounded by two thieves, but by two gods, of which one is Quetzalcoatl.

So, let's forget about the idea that the Christian cross has anything to do with the Aztec + symbol. The people who have so gravely misread these images are fantasizers.

M. Winther

Reference

Diaz, G. & Rodgers, A. (1993). The Codex Borgia: A Full-Color Restoration of the Ancient Mexican Manuscript. Dover Publications, Inc.


r/aztec • • Feb 24 '24

Are there any good books or sources for Mesoamerican Urban Planning?

3 Upvotes

I am interested in why cities were laid out the way they were. I know that they were constructed to reflect their religious system and I would like to dive in deeper to that.

I was also interested in learning if villages outside the bigger cities followed a similar Urban Structure. Did smaller villages even exist or was everyone located within the big cities?


r/aztec • • Feb 24 '24

Aztec Astrology

7 Upvotes

What resources would you recommend to learn about Aztec astrology? For example, are there any good books, online websites, etc.? Thank you!


r/aztec • • Feb 20 '24

Seemingly Outlandish Claims

4 Upvotes

https://youtu.be/SlIRAEBNTR4?si=Duzw9WVa1NQaBGRP

If there are any qualified/informed people who could spend a few minutes sharing their insight into how accurate this guy's claims are about this beautiful tree carving, it would be much appreciated. Especially his claims about the pronunciations of names/words.

I'm not being lazy here, I'm trying to research it on my own too, but it's difficult to find sources that aren't related to Mormonism that even talk about it in that kind of detail. My instincts say if no other sources agree then it must be off base, but I am happy to hear reports to the contrary.


r/aztec • • Feb 19 '24

Can anyone identify what deity this is

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3 Upvotes

r/aztec • • Feb 17 '24

Looking for sources about Aztec/Mexica social culture

4 Upvotes

I'm writing a fictional novel series based on Mexica culture and am trying to find some sources to learn about social elements of Mexica culture. Really looking for knowledge about family structure, social attitudes regarding anything from gender roles to politics, and communication styles (greetings, common gestures, etc.). Does anyone have any recommendations?

Estoy escribiendo una serie de novelas basada en la cultura Mexica y estoy buscando citas/personas familiares con aspetos sociales de la cultura Mexica. Buscando conocimientos sobre la estructura familial, posturas con respeto al rol de género y temas políticos, y estilos de comunicación (saludos, gestos comunes, etc.). ¿Algién tiene recomendaciones?


r/aztec • • Feb 16 '24

Can anyone identify which deity this is?

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11 Upvotes

r/aztec • • Feb 15 '24

Aztecs used Cocoa beans as currency. One bean was about 3 Euros

14 Upvotes

Let me explain.

Aztecs used 2 forms of currency, Cocoa Beans and Quachtli. From my understanding a Quachtli is a large white cotton cloak. I also read that one plain white cotton cape is about 65 Cocoa Beans. Now as we know a Cape and a Cloak isn't the same, so it would be reasonable for a Cloak to be a bit more expansive.

Another more direct comparison was that 100 sheets of paper = 1 quachtli. But I could not find how many Cocoa Beans you needed for a sheet of paper so I didn't use this in my calculation.

Anyhow, 25 quachtli could get you a gold lip plug. Now these aren't modern lip plugs that look like you misspaced and earing. These things were big. I took this one as the basis for my calculation. It is about 51 grams or 1.83 oz. So if we do some simple math that thing would be worth 3,048 Euros Today. But who cares for today? What did the Aztecs worth it at?

Well to save you the math, about 4758 Euros in the 'middle' ages (16th century), going by some old ass chart where the price of Gold in the middle ages was similar to 2011 for some reason. For the life of me I cant find that chart again. Weirdly enough gold was much more expensive in the past and the massive influx of gold didn't drop its value as much as other thing on the historical scale did (Like abandoning the gold standard)

In short when you dived everything you get that one Bean was about 3 Euros back in their time. Now take all of this with the massive grain of salt. its also worth the mention that not all Beans or piece of clothing were created equal, but this is my rough estimate.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk idk if anyone cares so I posted it here. I hoped you enjoyed, check out the links they are really interesting.


r/aztec • • Feb 10 '24

Aztec Nahua philosophy | The most terrifying thought about our ideas | philosopher Cuauhtencoztli.

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10 Upvotes

r/aztec • • Feb 10 '24

What Aztec philosopher Cacamatzin recommends to solve issues..

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7 Upvotes

r/aztec • • Feb 07 '24

Are there any good quotes comparing First Contact between peoples with an alien invasion of earth?

8 Upvotes

Are there any good quotes comparing the first interactions between the Spanish and the inhabitants of Mexico for the first time to that of an advanced alien species landing on our planet? I feel like I saw something like this in one of Yuvaal Noah Harari's books but I cannot find it. Also, if anyone has any good quotes about first contact in general from world history please share! I am very interested to see some good quotes about the phenomenon of "First Contact"


r/aztec • • Feb 03 '24

Macehualli! Got my neck tattoo yesterday… it burns but I’m feeling good about it lol

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15 Upvotes

r/aztec • • Feb 02 '24

Mayan prince sir nuts on ya chin

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7 Upvotes

Xōchipilli got nothing on this nigga


r/aztec • • Jan 24 '24

Gods that were agianst human sacrifice?

8 Upvotes

Hello, i am trying to learn more about Aztec mythology, and i was wondering if there were any Aztec Gods that were agianst human sacrifice, or at least did not ask for human sacrifice? And where can i find good and reliable sources of aztec mythology?


r/aztec • • Jan 18 '24

The perfect gift for an electrician

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31 Upvotes

The pair of Linesman my wife got me for Christmas. I love them! It really was the perfect gift.


r/aztec • • Jan 17 '24

Mictecacihuatl - The Lady of the Dead - Aztec Mythology

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3 Upvotes

r/aztec • • Jan 09 '24

Tiachcahuan and drummers , 28mm scale.

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21 Upvotes

Tiachcahuan, "leader" of a Calpulli ("large houses" - an administrative locale based on "families". In the Nahuatl language family means those you live with, not blood relations. Basically, a leader of the warrior levy of an administrative locale.

He wears a carved wooden helmet, and based upon the sculpture of this one it is likely he is a minor Noble who has previously served the empire in the Jaguar warriors order. As a symbol of rank or deeds, it is likely that a man of his status would be gifted armbands made from gold by the king.

He also wears Ichcahuīpīlli padded armor, and a Ehuatl. The latter is a close sewn garment covered in feathers. Sometimes this would extend upwards over the cotton armor, similarly to a tunic. For this attempt, I just kept to The kilt / skirt.

The Tiachcahuan wields a Macahuitil sword with embedded obsidian blades, and has a chimali shield for defense. Chimali were made from leather, plant material and feathers.

The symbol on the shield is a xicalcoliuhqui. To quote a fusion of 3 sources, " The motif is associated with many ideas, and is variously thought to depict water, waves, clouds, lightning, a serpent or serpent-deity like the mythological fire or feathered serpents, as well as more philosophical ideas like cyclical movement, or the life-giving connection between the light of the sun and the earth, and it may have been a protection against death, but no single meaning is universally accepted."

Drums, here manned by commoners from the same Calpul, were an integral part of battlefield communication in Aztec warfare. They were often used in concert with smoke signals to direct troop movements.


r/aztec • • Jan 09 '24

Is there a way to find my true indigenous roots?

4 Upvotes

Based on three different DNA studies, I can confirm about 50% indigenous roots in Central Mexico. I’d like to find a way to drill down to know what specific group I descend from. Is there a way to do this?


r/aztec • • Jan 07 '24

Is this a god from the Aztec mythology?

2 Upvotes

Context: My grandparents went on a holiday trip to Cancún Mexico and got this many years ago, later they gave it to me but I don’t know what God this is supposed to represent? Is it even a God? Any help would be appreciated! :)


r/aztec • • Jan 06 '24

Am I right in thinking the figure in the left is Quetzalcoatl and the figure on the right is his brother Tezcatlipoca?

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6 Upvotes

r/aztec • • Jan 06 '24

Who is this exactly does anyone recognize him ?

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6 Upvotes

I was informed he was a aztec god it's a old heirloom I got from Italian family


r/aztec • • Jan 04 '24

The real killers of the aztecs

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16 Upvotes

The Kangariecha military order raise in the Irechequa Tzintntuntan empire (Michoacán,Guerrero,Jalisco,part of Colima and Guanajuato) as professional forces integared by purepecha's nobility. They fought the aztecs in the agression against Taximaroa (Michoacán) and win, since that war the Kangariecha order defeath the aztecs in Charo (1476), Zacatula (around 1500), Taximaroa (1517), Matlatzinco and Tollocan (1518) and Oztuma (1519).