Mexica
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Please help improve this article by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (June 2007) |
| Mexica | ||||||
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| Music and dance during a One Flower ceremony, from the Florentine Codex. | ||||||
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| Nahuatl | ||||||
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| Aztec religion Catholicism (after the Conquest) |
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| Other Nahua peoples |
The Mexica (Nahuatl: M?xihcah, pronounced ) or Mexicans (Spanish: Mexicanos) were an indigenous people of the Valley of Mexico, known today as the rulers of the Aztec empire.
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Name
There is much disagreement over the etymology and meaning of the name Mexica (Nahuatl M?xihcah, which is plural; the singular is M?xihcatl), and the related place name Mexico (M?xihco) where they lived.
The name of the modern nation of Mexico and its capital Mexico City are derived from the Nahuatl name M?xihco. Still others believe “Mexico” came from the word mestico.
The seven caves of Chicomoztoc, as depicted in the Historia Tolteca-Chichimeca.
History
- Main article: History of the Aztecs
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (June 2008) |
Culture
Language
- Main article: Nahuatl
Like many of the peoples around them, the Mexica spoke Nahuatl. The form of Nahuatl used in the 16th century, when it began to be written in the alphabet brought by the Spanish, is known as Classical Nahuatl. Nahuatl is still spoken today by over 1.5 million people.
Huitzilopochtli, the patron god of the Mexica, as depicted in the Codex Telleriano-Remensis.
Religion
- Main articles: Aztec religion and Aztec mythology
The Mexica religion had multiple gods, including a sun god, a rain god and many others. The Mexica believed that the gods needed to be nourished with human blood, in order to keep the world in balance. It has become a common belief that the sacrifices had their hearts cut out, but in truth, only human sacrifices to the sun god, Huitzilopotchtli were killed this way. Each god had a different method of sacrifice (for example, sacrifices to the rain god were tied to a post and shot with arrows, the dripping blood represented rain)
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (May 2008) |
Literature
- Main articles: Aztec codices and Nahuatl literature
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (June 2008) |
The Aztec sun stone, on display at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
Art
- Main article: Aztec art
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (June 2008) |
Notes
- ^ Andrews (2003): p. 500.
- ^ mestizo