Aztec Art (12)


Source: WTL© tourist photograph taken at MNA in 2007.
Notes: This huge carved stone is the famous Stone of Tízoc (la Piedra de Tízoc). Apparently, it was sculpted in 1479, the first year of emperor (tlatoani) Tízoc's reign in Tenochtitlán. This magnificent bas relief carving depicts fifteen scenes of Aztec military conquests. The band at the top has repeated symbols of stars and the planet Venus (i.e., eyes of the night), which means that the battles are shown under the celestial canopy. One of the scenes (on the opposite side) shows Tízoc wearing the headdress of the war god Huitzilopochtli. The other scenes show stylized Toltec-like warriors who incorporate elements of the sun god Tonatiuh and the secondary god of war and of death, Tezcatlipoca. This giant stone carving was used in the cult of sacrifices to the sun god. The slit seen at the top on the left side in this image was carved as a channel for blood to pour down from the center in the top to soak into the earth below. A standing captive warrior with little proctective gear was tied to the stone on the top; he was then attacked by several well armed Aztec warriors. The dead captive was then sacrificed to the sun (god) for his heart and blood, which sacrifice was done in propitiation for the god(s) and to sustain both the cosmos and Aztec society and civilization.


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