Rituals and Offerings 0043
Mesoamerican Culture
| Итак, чтобы умилостивить богов, мы вырезаем у живого человека его бьющееся сердце… Ага. А потом сжигаем… Ага. | А потом жрец спихивает умирающего в муках с храмовой лестницы, и приходит черёд следующей жертвы… Ага. | Никто из присутствующих не видит проблемы? Не-а. Значит, показалось. |
I am often asked if the Aztecs ate the people that got sacrificed.
The Aztecs were descended from the Chichimeca people, who came down out of the north, and who many people believe to be refugees fleeing the intensely tribal Chaco Culture of the 4-corners region of the United States. It is well published that the Chaco had cannibalism among them as a way of inspiring fear among their enemies. It is a certainly that the Nahuatl language spoken by the Aztecs has closer ties to the native people of the 4 corners area than the Mayans Olmecs and other indigenous people that lived in the area before the Aztecs (Chichimeca/mexica/Toltec-wannabees) showed up.
It is possible that the spread of this practice came down from north with them.
It is a certainty that the Aztecs did engage in some form of ritual cannibalism, but how much and how often has been intensely debated.
There are some things we can be certain of…
1. Aztecs had human sacrifices. Lots of them.
2. Aztecs ate some of these sacrifices, sometimes.
3. These sacrifices were part of a ritualized and formalized religion, and not just because they liked to do it.