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human sacrifice

Why Did The Aztecs Practice Human Sacrifice?

Sacrifice was a common theme in the Aztec culture. In the Aztec “Legend of the Five Suns”, all the gods sacrificed themselves so that mankind could live.

Some years after the Spanish conquest of Mexico, a body of the Franciscans confronted the remaining Aztec priesthood and demanded, under threat of death, that they desist from this traditional practice. The Aztec priests defended themselves as follows:

Life is because of the gods; with their sacrifice, they gave us life. … They produce our sustenance … which nourishes life.

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aztec human sacrifice

Not only did ancient Mesoamericans sacrifice hundreds of thousands of people each year, they often removed their hearts as well. One method of human sacrifice involved pulling the victim’s heart out of their chest and then showing it to them in their final moments of consciousness.

Intended as a means of appeasing and honoring certain deities, sacrifices served as acts of power and intimidation as well as demonstrations of devotion and gratitude. Human sacrifices were highly structured, complex rituals performed by elite members of society, and the ceremonies included a myriad of procedures imbued with symbolic significance.

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