How to Decode Aztec Art

Aztec art contains a lot of symbolism.

The Aztec civilization burgeoned in what is now Mexico between the 14th and 16th centuries CE. The Aztec culture revolved around building grand stone structures, clever agricultural techniques and sacrifices to the gods. Like other ancient cultures, the Aztecs were also obsessed with recording their accomplishments in stone-carved artworks. Interpreting these artworks fully can take years of study and dedication. However, if you learn a few key things about Aztec art, you can get a general sense of what each piece represents.

Things You'll Need

• Aztec petroglyph key
• Pen and paper
• Aztec art samples

Instructions

1. Read through all the symbols on your Aztec petroglyph key once, focusing as much as you can on what each symbol looks like and how the meaning is reflected in the drawing. You can obtain one of these keys from a textbook or from an Internet source.

2. Draw the petroglyphs on a piece of paper, working with one section at a time. For instance, go through months first, then numbers and then move on to the Aztec alphabet.

3. Spend the most time on the Aztec alphabet. Aztecs used alphabetic symbols both for their visual and phonetic value. Logograms were symbols representing personal names and events. Rebus writing joined several alphabet symbols together to create a word through phonetics.

4. Study your Aztec art symbols. Look for number symbols first, indicating a trade shipment or a number of prisoners taken. Look for a month symbol, also, to help you determine when in the year the event happened. If the event happened in spring, it probably indicates war spoils. Numbers in the fall may indicate harvest inventory or trade receipts.

5. Study the piece for general images. Images depicting warriors, sacrifice, or men bowing before a king or god could represent an event or a name. If the symbols don't make sense phonetically, they probably indicate an event.

6. Pull all of the meanings of the symbols together. For instance, if you see the number 4000 coupled with a month in spring with general symbols depicting men being sacrificed or chained together, the art probably indicates a victorious battle in the spring where 4000 enemies were slaughtered.

References

• Ancient Scripts: Aztec
• Aztec History: Ancient Aztec Art
• "Washington State University;" The Mexica Aztecs; Richard Hines; 1996