What do the Aztec believe in?
The Aztecs had many gods but worshipped Huitzilopochtli, the god of the sun and war, above all others. The Aztecs believed that they lived in the era of the fifth sun and that any day the world could end violently. In order to postpone their destruction and appease the gods, men performed human sacrifices.
What did the Aztec do for religion?
The Aztec religion incorporated deities from multiple cultures into its pantheon. Ritual sacrifice played an essential role in the religious practice of the Aztecs, and they believed it ensured the sun would rise again and crops would grow.
Who did Aztecs worship?
Prominent in the Aztec pantheon were Huitzilopochtli, god of war; Tonatiuh, god of the sun; Tlaloc, god of rain; and Quetzalcóatl, the Feathered Serpent, who was part deity and part culture hero. Human sacrifice, particularly by offering a victim’s heart to Tonatiuh, was commonly practiced, as was bloodletting.
Does the Aztec religion still exist?
Today the descendants of the Aztecs are referred to as the Nahua. More than one-and-a-half million Nahua live in small communities dotted across large areas of rural Mexico, earning a living as farmers and sometimes selling craft work. Most Nahua worship in the local church and take part in church festivities.
How many gods are there in the Aztec religion?
200 different gods
They had a polytheistic religion, and believed in over 200 different gods and goddesses! The Aztec gods oversaw all parts of daily life, and the Aztecs believed the gods controlled different aspects of the universe, such as the weather, agriculture, fertility, and war.
Do Aztecs still worship their gods?
Many contemporary Aztecs continue to worship and make offerings to the ancient earth gods that they address as “Grandfather” and “Grandmother” [see photographs 14-15]. Earth gods under many different names and forms were important deities for the ancient Aztecs.
Why did the Aztec gods need blood?
The Aztecs believed the human blood was needed to appease the gods and to allow life itself to continue. According to them, if the gods were not fed with human sacrifices, the world would end.
How many Aztecs are left?
Do Mexicans worship Aztec gods?
These different gods exist in many forms today and continue to be worshiped in Native American communities throughout Mexico. Today, Aztecs in northern Veracruz refer to Chalchiutlicue as Apanchanej (“Water Dweller”).