[Aztlan] Human Sacrifices in the Aztec Society

[Jerry Offner]

This is one dimension of a multi-dimensional situation, in fact carefully and thoughtfully presented by the regular poster Baert Georges.  

There were nonetheless other dimensions.  Motivations for warfare included simple acquisition of loot, including slave-taking.  Many of these slaves, perhaps most, were not sacrificed--it is always nearly impossible to speak of proportions given the data in the sources. You can look at the campaigns that went through Tulancingo into the Sierra de Puebla as described in Duran and Tezozomoc for Moteuczoma Ilhuicamina and Ahuitzotl, to start with.  Quite vivid descriptions of Aztec warfare, with captive-taking for sacrifice only one of many activities.  

More systematic motivations, requiring very business-like long term planning and execution, included acquisition of control of trade routes and acess to new and exciting (not to mention fashionable) trade goods.  These could be serious matters, as when Itzcoatl acted with Nezahualcoyotl to secure obsidian sources in the northwest Basin of Mexico soon after Azcapotzalco fell (Cempoala and Zinguiluca area).  These could be less serious matters such as an adhesive from Zauctla, Puebla used for feather attachment as researched by Frannie Berdan and most likely shown in the Codex de Xicotepec, and according to my research in that codex, at a time prior to the Triple Alliance. Of course, cacao sources were always a very big issue, with routes mostly entering the Basin of Mexico from the south, but also from the east.  (Cacao groves are reported to the east of the Basin of Mexico beyond Xicotepec into the late 1500's in PNE and we know it was plentiful further to the south from there, although never as good as Sononusco).  And then there was control of cotton and the textile production inside and outside of the Basin of Mexico for apparel, war costumes and cloth for general use.  To this day, the fashions in textiles in the area to the east of the Basin of Mexico are aesthetic, diverse, well-executed and important to many people.  

And there were the well-known opportunities for tribute streams, involving the same range of goods as the trade streams.  This was a very cosmopolitan, busy area as shown by Berdan, Smith, (the late Mary)Hodges, Blanton and others.  And far more than a few Aztecs benefited.  In the middle Roman Empire, for example, we know that the growth of Rome spurred urban growth, trade, manufacturing and technology along its borders, and although we hear of invading barbarians, we know that many barbarian groups were literally begging and petitioning to be allowed to settle within the empire to enjoy its stability and prosperity.     

We can't know the thinking of the rulers and priests but we must at least allow for some possibility of practicality rather than let mere religiosity take up our entire stage, no matter how difficult the resulting mix would be to translate across cultures.  Bread and circuses in Rome as social control.  Tribute streams funding frequent festivals, with their fascinating dance and other performances (as shown so often and elaborately in the codices), along with sacrifices for similar purposes?  It must have been a great time and place to be alive.  Maybe better than, the same as or worse than seeing a good hanging or two in the public square on a Christian feast day in Europe before streaming out from the churches after a stiff sermon for "good fun" in attacking that different ethnic group? There is no accounting for taste and human beings seem always to be involved in these ranges of activities in cities.  Think about the opposing groups,often identified by or allied to colors in Constantinople that went on and on, leading to all sorts of public mischief, mayhem and public disorder. We know of one instance where Nezahualpilli had to settle a long-brewing bitter rivalry between two of his brothers for bragging rights to a military victory.  He settled it by choosing to merge his dancers with the dancers of one of the brothers as the two groups "competed" openly at a particular festival.  Things were not so orderly in Aztec cities as we might imagine. We see that in stern legal rules and a few cases involving disorder in the marketplace.  

Finally, it is also important not to treat Aztec society as some centrally controlled monolithic entity--supposing that the priests ran it or the military ran it or that the motivational and choice structure for individuals was terribly limited.  Aztec society involved a number of subgroups competing for power day by day both within and across political units, along kinship, economic, ethnic, occupational and other lines.  They were just like us in the same way that they were not like us.  And there are still a very large number of Nahua speakers who are going to be wondering why we perceived their ancestors or cousins in such limited and so often, such peculiar ways.  Leaving aside the religiosity, Dakin and others have done a great job in recent times of showing the commercial spirit and acuity of the Nahua throughout Mesoamerica.  

We have captured only the tiniest portion of what a day was like in an Aztec life or in an Aztec city, so we need to be patient and keep all the balls in the air as we learn a bit more.

Jerry Offner 







-----Original Message-----
>From: lahunik.62 at skynet.be
>Sent: Feb 5, 2009 10:51 AM
>To: Aztlan <aztlan at lists.famsi.org>
>Subject: [Aztlan] Human Sacrifices in the Aztec Society
>
>Human Sacrifices
>
>Seemingly every one is trying to count the numbers of sacrifices that were
>made in the Aztec Society. For me not the places, like Tenochtitlan, were so
>important to have a general view of the sacrifices, but more the time when
>they were made.
>
>And seemingly nobody is asking himself why the Mesoamerican people made such
>a big amount of sacrifices. It is not the association between violence and
>savagery that we must try to break through. We only get a better
>understanding when we could answer the capital questions, when and why they
>were made.
>
>According to the Anales de Cuauhtitlan (1570), recorded in the Codex
>Chimalpopoca, we are now in the 5th Great Cosmic Period, of Olintonatiuh.
>This period began on 1 Tochtli 4 Olin or 1 Rabbit 4 Movement.
>
>So after every cycle of 260 days, on Naui Olin, the Mexica were confronted
>with the possible falling down of the 5th Sun and this world. To prepare
>them on this crucial day a so called fasting time, a Netonatiuhzaualli, of 4
>days was introduced, the Fasting for the Sun. Every one was retreated in
>their homes and the kings in the temple of Cuauhxicalco. Every noon, during
>the 4 days they blew on a sort of mussel horn, a Tecciztli. That was the
>time that every one pierced his tong and ears. The blood collected during
>this chastisement was offered to the Sun. The Mexica believed that by
>offering their own blood they strengthened the Sun to keep shining. Quails
>and incense, including 4 prisoners, were offered in the Temple of
>Cuauhxicalco. This period of 4 days fasting was connected indelible with the
>representation of the Sun, the Tonatiuh.
>
>In the Codex Borgia, above left of Plate 9, the Tonatiuh is shown. Above
>him, in a closed circle of malinalli, a Mozahuani is blowing on a white
>Tecciztli. 
>
>It was of vital importance to keep the Sun powerful enough, so he could
>appear again in the Eastern sky. This was only possible by human and blood
>offerings. The priests lifted up the bleeding harts and the blood in the
>eagle plates, the Cuauhxicalli, in the direction of the Sun, the Coniyana.
>The Sun who was the source of all live.
>
>And so I would like to come to the point of the so called Great Wars of the
>Mexica that were made among the different states and cities. According to my
>humble knowledge this wars were nothing else than regular raids to collect
>prisoners as many as possible for the amount of human sacrifices. The so
>called warriors had the sacred duty or task to feed the Tonatiuh and the
>Earth gods, the Tlaltecutli. That is why these warriors, when they died in
>these raids, never could go to the underworld but immediately raised again
>in the Western Heaven. And after these regular raids was there enough time
>left to organize these Great Wars???? 
>
>The different ways of offerings are clearly described in the Anales de
>Cuauhtitlan. 
>
>The Tlacateteuhmictliztli, the offering of children to the Raingod.
>
>The Tlacacaliliztli, the shooting with arrows to the human offering, while
>the blood was impregnating the Milpa.
>
>The Tlacaxipeualiztli, the skinning of the bodies, the Totecehuayl
>quimaquiaya. The skin were used to cover the Xipe-gods, to renew them.
>
>Human sacrifices were not always used. In the beginning only snakes, birds
>and butterflies were used, but in the time of Huema, the Prince of Tula,
>human sacrifices were already used.
>
>Of course not by every daily rising of the Sun human sacrifices were made.
>They were made when the Sun was standing in the Zenith point, or on the day
>Naui Olin, or on the devastating time of the Tonatiuhqualo, when the Sun was
>darkened by the Moon. 
>
>Lahun Ik 62
>
>Baert Georges
>
>Flanders Fields
>
> 
>
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