The Amazing Aztec

Since even before this class I have always been fascinated with the Aztecs. There is just something about them that has always drawn me into their culture, whether it be their religious practices, their architecture or their way of life. I have always been interested in the myths that the Aztecs followed and believed in. I even took a world mythology class in high school to learn more about them. The fact that they not only worshiped a multiple gods covering all aspects of life, but that they also performed human sacrifices quite frequently. It always amazes me that a culture can worship and idealize the food that they grow, the people that lead them, and even life and death. The created a god that controlled and watched over almost every single aspect of their life, and to make those gods happened, they sacrificed one another to them. On top of all of their culture I have always been fascinated and almost drawn to the architecture of the Aztec. The cities that they constructed are un-paralleled to any else in my eyes. The beauty of their craftsmanship, and the simple brutality idols are astounding. The created massive temples and ritual stands so that they could be closer to the “gods” when they performed their sacrifices. They created these gorgeous works of art to decorate the walls of their buildings, and they simply loved gold. They made so much artwork that even their weapons were pieces of art. When you go to a museum and you take a look at the ancient Aztec section you can see remains of daggers and blades that look simply marvelous. The figures that were carved into the hilts of their weapons were so precise. If you would like to see a truly magnificent weapon take a look at their sacrificial daggers. These daggers were much less weapon and more art than anything else. The designs on the dagger are so intricate and specific it is hard to believe that someone was capable of hand making them. Lastly, I also enjoy learning about the Aztec way of life. They lived in such a complex style, yet it was very simple at the same time. The Aztec were a military power house that controlled so much land because of their sheer tenacity and barbarism, yet they weren’t barbaric people. They had a very well reformed culture that had royalty and leaders. There were organized enough to create massive cities, and convert so many people to their state. I love the Aztecs and to me they are hands down the most interesting culture that has existed so far.