The Presence of Sacrifice in Chichen Itza and Tenochtitlan: Two Faces of the Same Story

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Sacrificial and Autosacrifice Instruments in Mesoamerica: Symbolism and Technology" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In Chichen Itza and Tenochtitlan’s religious thought, sacrifice was a creative act closely related to cosmic genesis and world sense. This behavior is evident not only in the archaeological record but also in the iconography. Two of the most common artifacts associated with this ancient practice in both cities are sacrificial stones used for heart sacrifice rites: the polyhedral artifact known as techcatl and the Chac Mool, a human figure seated, with the upper back raised, legs drawn up to the buttocks, and hands holding a vessel, disk, or plate. At Early Postclassic Chichen Itza, architectural and other material cultural evidence suggests that victims’ blood was offered to the bellicose solar deity, whose daily journey through the sky depended on such liquid. During the Late Postclassic Tenochtitlan, there was a similar militaristic ideology; however, it also included the earth deity, Tlaltecuhtli, as the other primary recipient. This paper aims to draw attention to the similarities and disparities between both sites. We relied on analyzing sculptures, historical texts, iconography, and other information found in the material culture. We suggest that the Flower World—a floral spiritual domain—ideology is present in both cities and shows more commonalities than differences.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Sacrificial and Autosacrifice Instruments in Mesoamerica: Symbolism and Technology   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40240.0