Aztec Mythology (Mesoamerica) Aztec mythology, practiced in 14th–16th century central Mexico, depicted a fragile cosmos sustained by sacrifice. The world had been destroyed and recreated five times; the current “Fifth Sun” required constant nourishment—especially human blood—to prevent collapse. Major deities included Huitzilopochtli (war/sun god), Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent of wisdom), and Tlaloc (rain). Creation myths told of gods sacrificing themselves to form the sun and humans from maize. Rituals, including heart extraction, were seen as reciprocal duty: humans fed the gods who upheld existence. Calendars (ritual tonalpohualli and solar xiuhpohualli) guided ceremonies. Myths justified empire-building and warfare (to capture sacrificial victims). After Spanish conquest, friars documented beliefs, often distorting them. Yet Aztec cosmology reveals profound ecological awareness: life feeds on life, and balance demands participation. Modern Mexican identity retains echoes in Day of the Dead and agricultural rites. Far from mere brutality, Aztec myth expressed a solemn pact between humanity and the sacred—a universe kept alive through devotion, courage, and cosmic responsibility.
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