Page 19 - All About History - Issue 54-17

Shrine to
Huitzilopochtli
The south side of the temple
housed a shrine dedicated to
the god of war, fire and the sun:
Huitzilopochtli, the one that
the Aztecs worshipped above
all others. Often portrayed as a
hummingbird or an eagle, the
Aztecs believed that this sun god
needed nourishment from the
blood of human sacrifice.

Sacrificial stone
At the top of the temple, in front of
Huitzilopochtli’s shrine, sits a bloody,
altar-like stone. Here the human
sacrifices were performed by priests,
as prisoners of war were held down
and their still-beating hearts cut from
their chests. The bleeding bodies
were thrown down the steps to
mimic the throwing of Coyolxauhqui
down Snake Mountain, and they
came to rest atop the stone carving
of her likeness.

Coyolxauhqui Stone
Placed at the bottom of the steps
leading to Huitzilopochtli’s shrine, this
important part of the temple depicts
his sister Coyolxauhqui, goddess of
the Moon, naked, decapitated and
dismembered. In Aztec mythology,
Huitzilopochtli turned on his sister
after she attempted to kill their
pregnant mother.

Altar of the frogs
At the base of the steps on Tlaloc’s side of the Priests’ chambers
temple are two frogs with upturned heads. The high priests of the Aztec
Frogs croaking was thought to be an omen civilisation would use these chambers
that Tlaloc was about to bring rain, and this to prepare for rituals and sacrifices
side of the temple symbolises Tonacatepetl, performed at the end of every Aztec
the legendary mountain known as the month (consisting of 20 days). Treated
‘mountain of our sustenance’ from where the similarly to royalty and nobility, the
© Adrian Mann
Aztecs believe their corn came. priests were a revered part of society.
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