Aztec Civilization

Aztec Civilization Mexica Culture in Central Mexico

Today’s Killer Itinerary!! • Location • Environment • Who are the Mexica? • How do they earn that dolla’ ? • Social Organization • Politics!! • Supernatural (ooo…) • The Modern Mexica

Location • Empire spanned across almost the entirety of Central Mexico at its height • Center of power at Tenochtitlan (Island) • Founded in 1325 • Outskirts of modern day Mexico City • Came to arrive at this location through the guidance of Huitzilopochtli • Eagle atop a cactus

Tenochtitlan • ~10 square Kilometers • Located on an island in Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico • Brackish- High degree of salt in the water • Connected to the shore by moveable bridges • Also possessed two aqueducts used for transporting water

Tenochtitlan • Highly organized and planned • Divided into 4 campan (zones) • These were then divided into 20 calpullis • The entire city was crossed by 3 large streets, which like the bridges, were also removable • Population: ~200,000

Environment • Around the area of Tenochtitlan specifically • Primarily marsh lands • Excellent for chinampas agriculture • Major problem with the site is a lack of construction materials • Problems: • Mainly the threat of floods, which could devastate entire city • Size of island limits the population and makes expansion a problem • Advantages: • Isolated from the mainland to a degree • Excellent for defense • Also great for controlling the flow of goods and people into the city

History • Small and little known group that migrated into the Valley of Mexico during the 12th and 13th centuries • Very slow migration over the course of some 200 years • Left their original home north of the Valley of Mexico for unknown reasons

History • The record of early Mexica history is contained within a much later codex • Tira de la Peregrinacion • Also called the Migration Scrolls • However, the actual events that caused the Mexica to move and the true account of events is likely lost. • No formal written record • Oral history passed from generation to generation

Triple Alliance • Composed of 3 City-States • Tenochtitlan • Texcoco • Tlacopan • All in and around the Valley of Mexico • Founded in 1428 • Economic relationship primarily

Agriculture!! • As with many other great civilizations the Aztec Empire was centered around agricultural production • Specifically maize (corn) • Many different kinds of maize were grown • Environmentally dependent • Beans, squash and Chiles also grown

Agriculture • Main type of production are the chinampas • Ideal because much of the valley was covered in shallow lakes during this time period • Also described as Floating Gardens • This type of production allowed the Mexica to inject some stability into their lives • Chinampas agriculture is relatively stable and predictable • Excellent for a flourishing state

Agriculture • Terraced agriculture also used in areas where irrigation and water supply was a problem • Section of leveled land in a hilly or mountainous area that is used for farming • Excellent for saving irrigation water • Used by many cultures throughout the world to this day

Agriculture • Some stability was also obtained by expanding the Empire into different ecological zones • This allowed for greater production as well as for greater diversity • If you have several different modes of production in several different climates, then output will (ideally) remain relatively stable. • Important for a growing society

The Importance of Specialization • Why does this matter? • Signal of a more ‘advanced’ culture • Allows individuals in the population to become exceedingly good at one particular task • Leads to more complexity and sophistication • Can also lead to the establishment of a class system based upon the importance of a particular trade

Specialization It’s IMPORTANT!! • What do we mean specifically when we say people were specialized? • Lets talk about some specific specialties and why they were important to Mexica society!

Stoneworkers • Given the location of Tenochtitlan and the scarcity of stone, these workers were highly valued for their skills • Necessary for the construction of large monumental structures that had important ritual and political uses, particularly for the upper class.

Weavers • Varies from extremely fine and artistic wares to poor quality cloth worn only by commoners. • Important for ritualistic purposes but also has many more practical applications • Practiced by high status noble women as well as lower class females • Sometimes boys may weave, but it is rare

Featherworkers • Extremely important in both a ritual and economic sense • Feathers played an important part in many ceremonies • High status individuals often wore elaborate headdresses and clothing made from various types of feathers • More elaborate=Higher status • Also used as currency in markets • In some cases quills (the hollow core of a feather) would be filled with fine gold dust and used in trade.

Metallurgists • A very important, and within the ancient world, a very scientific discipline • A practiced metallurgist (or the patron of one) could become an extremely high status individual • Skill that was highly regarded by the upper classes • Metals (gold in particular) were regarded as stations of the highest status and were prized possessions with very important ritualistic meanings

Warriors • An important and highly regarded class within Mexica society • Provided many with the opportunity to move rapidly up through classes by virtue of their skills and bravery alone • Important social tool for maintaining stability both at home and for acquiring new resources from outside the Empire

Terminology Break!! • Ascribed Status • Your social position at birth (that is to say your parents position) determines what you may or may not do in a particular society • Creates sharp divisions between classes that often persist for extremely long periods of time

Terminology Break!! • Achieved Status • Increasing ones social status through skill and through accomplishments that prove your superior ability in some specialized area • Allows lower class individuals to ascend through the social hierarchy of the Mexica despite having been born into a lower class

Markets • Place where people could gossip and exchange news and information • The state of the local economy and environment is reflected in the goods present at the market at any given time • Both high status luxury items and common every day necessities available

So who lords over who? • Class Structures are highly stratified • Tlatoani • Mexica Rulers • They existed at the very top of the ladder • Each ruled over their own territory • The degree and scope of their power was dependent upon how large their territory was and what resources they controlled

Nobility • Also called Pillis • At one time in order to be considered a member of the upper class nobility you had to be related (in some way) to the original ruler of the Mexica • Created problems because these lineages could be fudged or otherwise tampered with • Resulted in a large number of people trying to become Tlatoani of the various provinces

Acamapichtli • First Tlatoani of the Mexica in 1382 • Founder of the Imperial lineage • Name means: Handful of Reeds • Expanded and improved upon Tenochtitlan • Used diplomacy to strengthen his empire • After Acamapichtli’s death his son was to be his successor • Ascribed Status!

Chiefs • Just below the Tlatoani in the class structure • Typically military leaders • Could also function as judges

Calpulli • “Big Household” • Large units within Mexica cities that were based upon kinship • Could also be based upon a common trade or skill • Each calpulli had a miniature hierarchy and its own leader • Also contained its own infrastructure • School and temple • Each calpulli worshipped a different god in their individual temples • Based upon their trade or family history

Marriage!!! • Marriage arranged by family • Kinship and inheritance are the primary concerns • Consent not necessarily required by either party • Marriage only after the age of 20 • Education and schooling had to have been completed first as well

Marriage • The actual ceremony takes place at sunset and during the night and entails: • The bride being washed with soap and perfume • Hair decorated with red flowers • Face painted with red and yellow dye • Head covered with a cloth (huipilli) • Exchange of incense burners between the bride and groom

Marriage • Then entered into their new home • Older women (cihuatlanque) would tie their blouses together • And BAM! • They are announced to be man and wife and a feast takes place!

More Terminology!! • Endogamous • Marrying only within a specific social group • Important role in social stratification • Tightly controls lineages • *This type of marriage was practiced among the Mexica, in general*

More Terminology!! • Exogamous • Marrying outside of your specific group • Marriage to other family members or othe specific groups may be forbidden as well • Helps build alliances between groups • Increases genetic diversity

Legal System • There were very strict ideals of how individuals of each class were expected to behave at specific times • Very harsh and quick legal system • Offenses punished with: • First a verbal warning • Second: Slavery, stoning, or hanging • These were punishments for offenses ranging from adultery to homicide

Government!! SPICY!! • Tlatoani could either be relatively independent or could be subservient to different degrees to rulers of the Triple Alliance • The Tlatoani served in many different capacities: • Ritual, economic, warfare, judicial, ‘taking care of the citizens’ • Advised by a Council of Four older relatives • Also choose successors • Keeping it all in the family!

Coronation • When a new ruler was selected there would be: • Public presentation of the new guy • Ritual offering of incense • A fast undertaken by the new ruler and his advisors • Offering of their blood to Huitzilopochtli • Then the new ruler left to go grab some captives in battle • Brought them back and sacrificed them

WAR! • What is it good for? • Maintaining social control and stability among the Mexica • Huge part of Mexica culture • Boys are soldiers from birth • Warriors are glorified in every aspect of the society • Helped expand territory • Also helped to gather captives for rituals • Ritual warfare also practiced

Sacrifice and Cannibalism • Mmm…tasty! • Human sacrifice an important aspect of Mexica culture • Necessary to keep the world up and running • Body of the sacrificial victim may be stewed and then consumed • Consuming the victim makes the consumer divine

Cannibalism • Other reasons: • May have been a food supply solution • During times of famine or a lack of abundance cannibalism may have been used as a protein supplement • Certain parts may have been doled out to certain members of society • Population control a likely scenario as well

Important Gods • Huitzilopochtli • Associated with the South • God of war and the sun • Deity most associated with Tenochtitlan • Sacrificed captives to him so that he could keep the world alive • Represented as a hummingbird in Mexica iconography

Important Gods • Quetzalcoatl • Feathered Serpent • Associated with the planet Venus in the night sky • God of the Sky and also one of several gods associated with the Mexica creation mythology • Most associated with Mexica Preists • Not associated with sacrifice as much as Huitzilopochtli

The End • The conquest of the Mexica by the Spaniards • Many omens foretold this would happen • All out warfare began in 1519 with Cortés marching on Tenochtitlan • Most powerful city at the time • More sophisticated technology and tactics ensured that the Mexica lost, but only after a good long fight • Spread of disease, new crops and livestock decimated both the population and the environment • Over time the two cultures interbreed and began to commingle

Modern Problems • Struggle for identity between the Native cultures and the Colonial cultures that have dominated them for so long • Some believe that Mexico should return to its Mexica roots • There is more awareness today than ever before about the struggles of ethnic groups in Mexico • Many different types of social and political reform are advocated by these groups • Centered around cultural recognition and representation in the government and economy

Aztec Civilization