quinta-feira, 7 de outubro de 2010

AZTECS: Human sacrifices were part of the religious practices of the Aztec civilization



Until the 13th century, in the northwest portion of Mexico, we observe the presence of a small semi-nomadic tribe in the Aztlan region. For historical reasons not well understood, this population decided to move to the south, to reach the territory of Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico. After defeating some populations that dominated the region, this people was responsible for the creation of the Aztec civilization.
Over two centuries of dominance, the Aztecs formed an impressive empire with more than five hundred cities and home to more than fifteen million inhabitants. In this process of displacement, it is also important to talk about the establishment of agriculture as a fundamental economic activity. Thanks to agriculture, the Aztecs became a large civilization.
First, rudimentary farming techniques allied to a latent unavailability of land suitable for planting. However, this obstacle was overcome by the domination of the system of chinampas. In chinampa, we put a mat on the surface of the flooded regions. On top of these mats, the fertile mud from the bottom of this flooded land was utilized for the plantation.
The diet of the Aztecs was basically dominated by the consumption of dishes made from corn. Moreover, they consumed a liquid extracted from cocoa, known as xocoalt, a kind of ancestor of the popular chocolate. Tobacco, cotton, squash, beans, tomato and pepper also belonged to the rich table of the Aztecs. Interestingly, the consumption of certain meat was reserved for members of the privileged classes.
Patients with a strong culture focused on the conflict, the Aztecs had their society controlled by a military elite. The king was the greatest leader of all the armies and exercised the main political functions alongside another leader for the creation of laws, food distribution and execution of public works. Soon after this political elite, we had the militaries and priests limited to the elite of Aztec society.
Soon after, we had the presence of merchants and handicraftsmen who defined the middle class. The trade was of great importance in the Aztec civilization, the trading usually involved agricultural genres, handicrafts, textiles, paper, rubber, metals and leathers. In some situations, traders acted as spies and, therefore, received tax exemptions.
The peasants occupied the lowest position of the Aztec social hierarchy. We should also note the existence of a small population of slaves, obtained by means of military conflict. The only way to rise happened through some act of bravery performed in war. The soldier was prestiged with the donation of land, jewels and clothes.
The culture and knowledge of the Aztecs had expression in diverse fields. Like the Mayans, they established the creation of a calendar that organized the timing and also coined a writing system. In short, the writing of this people was equipped with a pictorial system that combined the use of objects and figures and other hieroglyphic, systematized by symbols and sounds.
Aztec medicine did not recognize boundaries and distinctions for with religious practices. Healers and priests were part of a rich religious culture surrounded by a number of gods former of a complex mythology provider of meaning to various events and data from the Aztec culture. In some celebrations, the sacrifice and the shedding of human blood belonged to the Aztec rituals.

Nenhum comentário:

Postar um comentário