Information on Aztec Pyramids

The Aztec people represented their gods through bas-relief sculpture.

Tenochtitlán, the capital city of the Aztec Empire, was the third-largest city in the world before the Spanish conquest and was home to 200,000 people at its height. The Aztecs created temples and pyramids in worship of their gods.

Features

The Aztec people created pyramid-temples to facilitate their religion, according to Manuel Aguilar-Moreno, Ph.D. from the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies. Several types of pyramids include twin stair pyramids, such as the Great Temple of Tenochtitlán, and round pyramids.

Identification

The Aztecs dedicated round pyramids to the wind god Ehecatl, who represented one of the forms of the god Quetzalcoatl. The Aztec believed that Ehecatl blew wind in four directions to cleanse the earth, and they built their temples round so they would not obstruct wind flow. Twin stair pyramids were tall because the gods lived in the sky, and people could feel closer to their gods if they were elevated.

Function

The Aztec pyramids were used for human sacrifices. Four priests held down the victim, while the official priest sliced open the ribcage and pulled out the beating heart. The priests burned the heart and pushed the body down the pyramid steps.

References

• Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies: Aztec Architecture
• Washington State University: Civilizations in America