Aztec and Mayan Religious Ceremonies

1503 Words4 Pages

Out of all the ancient civilization that inhabited central and south Mexico, the Aztec and Maya are always the first that come to mind for many people. Both of these civilizations started as a small group of farmers and peasants and yet somehow they managed to become a vast and powerful civilization with enormous cities filled with temples that honored the gods and bustling with life and wealth. They became arose and became the most feared tribe among the other tribes that existed, especially the Aztecs. They were perceived as an aggressive and blood-thirsty tribe that had to know defeat. Of course that time eventually came along for both of the tribes with the coming of the Spaniards, it was rather incredible how such a small groups overpowered these great civilizations of the Aztec and Maya. Although the Spaniards were astonished by their culture and wealth when it came to their religion, they could only feel disgust and sickened by their ways of practice. The tradition of human sacrifice along with other blood-letting procedures to please their blood thirsty gods made them seem savage and demonic in the eyes of the Spanish. However these practices came to an end as the cultures assimilated into the Spanish culture. Nevertheless the Mayas were able to survive along with some of the traditional religious practice. The question the remains is whether the Maya that reside in Mexico still carry on traditional religious ceremonies and custom.
The truth behind they origins of the Aztec is a mix of myth and the true events that happened (Mark 36). Historians do not truly know where they arose from however, the Aztecs were a wandering small tribe throughout the 12th and 13th century. As they traveled, they settled for a while ...

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...humane, the thought of such coordination to their practice and how it played an important role in their lives.

Works Cited

"Aztec Gods: A Gallery." Aztec Gods: A Gallery. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
Cóttrill, Jamie, Octavio Paz, and Dr. Edgar Martín Del Campo. "Ancient Aztec Religion." Ancient Aztec Religion. N.p., 2006-2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.
Karasik, Carol. "Unmasking the Maya." Unmasking the Maya. Smithsonian Institution, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Mark, Joshua J. "The Mayan Pantheon: The Many Gods of the Maya." Ancient History Encyclopedia. TSOHOST, 7 July 2012. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
Phillips, Charles, David M. Jones, Charles Phillips, and Charles Phillips. Aztec & Maya: The Complete Illustrated History: The Greatest Civilizations of Ancient Central America with 1000 Photographs, Paintings and Maps. New York: Metro, 2008. Print.

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