What ceremonies did the Aztecs celebrate?
Rain festivals
Many great ceremonies were performed for each Aztecs god, at temples. These were done by priests on behalf of the people who gathered to watch. The Aztecs celebrated three rain festivals during the year.
First in February in which a priest would carry out many rituals in encouraging rain fall.
Many great ceremonies were performed for each Aztecs god, at temples. These were done by priests on behalf of the people who gathered to watch. The Aztecs celebrated three rain festivals during the year.
First in February in which a priest would carry out many rituals in encouraging rain fall.
Image from: http://www.goddessmyths.com/Amaterasu-Epona.html
The second rain festival, in March, was an offering to their god Tlaloc and many others, once the first flowers had begun to bloom, this signalled the arrival of the new life from the Earth.
Image from: http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/ask-experts/which-was-the-most-powerful-aztec-god
The third rain festival the Aztecs celebrated was held in autumn to encourage rain fall. Because their god Tlaloc was thought to have lived in a high mountain the Aztec people formed shapes of small mountains and images of Tlaloc himself at their festivals.
Cuauhtemoc festival.
The Cuauhtemoc festival was celebrated every year in August in front of Cuauhtemoc statue, he was the last emporer of the Aztecs, in this festival the story of his life was told by the priests while Conchero dancers performed their world famous dancers.
The Cuauhtemoc festival was celebrated every year in August in front of Cuauhtemoc statue, he was the last emporer of the Aztecs, in this festival the story of his life was told by the priests while Conchero dancers performed their world famous dancers.
Image from: http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/ask-experts/why-did-the-aztecs-worship-maize
Fire festival.
The Aztec people had two calendars, The Xiuhpohualli and the Tonalpohualli. The Xiuhpolualli was a 365 days year calendar, there were 18 months each with 20 days, then 5 unlucky days were added to bring it up to 365. The Tonalpohualli was considered to be the scared calendar. There were thirteen numbers and 20 signs, each sign was assigned each of the thirteen numbers. So 260 was the total number of days in a year (13x20).
The Aztec people had two calendars, The Xiuhpohualli and the Tonalpohualli. The Xiuhpolualli was a 365 days year calendar, there were 18 months each with 20 days, then 5 unlucky days were added to bring it up to 365. The Tonalpohualli was considered to be the scared calendar. There were thirteen numbers and 20 signs, each sign was assigned each of the thirteen numbers. So 260 was the total number of days in a year (13x20).
Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_calendar
Both calendars would align every 52 years, the Aztecs believed that this could bring disaster on the world so they held a very special festival the new fire festival. This was said to be one of the most important festivals for the Aztecs. Every fire would be put out and everbody would climb up on top of their houses to watch. The priests would dress up and climb the sacred mountain Uixachtlan.
continue normally and the sun would rise again the next morning, but if something went wrong or failed the monsters would come and devour the world that had been thrown into darkness. These are just a few of the many other festivals the Aztecs celebrated like the, festival of Xilonen, Festival of Xipe Totec, Celebration of Quecholli Festival and many more.
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Image from: http://anth392.wordpress.com/sacrificial-festivals-and-acts/
A sacrifice would be made at midnight and the priest would pull out the victim heart then lit a fire in their chest. The priest would then send around lit torches to light up every temple, school and house. The importance of the fire festival revolved around the suns journey. If everything was successful, everything would