Aztec
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The Aztecs Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican people of central México
The Aztecs were a Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican people of central
México in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. They called themselves
Mexicas, which was reflected in the name of the later Republic of
Mexico. The capital was Tenochtitlan, built on raised islets in Lake
Texcoco – the site of modern-day Mexico City.
The civilization had a rich mythology and cultural heritage. The
most striking element of their culture in the popular perception is
the practice of human sacrifice.
In what is probably the most widely known episode in the Spanish
colonization of the Americas, Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztecs in
1521 thus immortalizing himself and the Aztec Huey Tlatoani,
Moctezuma II (Montezuma II). |
Although some contemporary Nahuatl speakers identify themselves as
Aztecs, the word is normally only used as a historical term
referring to the empire of the Mexicas, as distinguished from the
Mexicas alone. This article deals with the historical Aztec
civilization, not with modern-day Nahuatl speakers.
According to the Aubin codex, the Nahua lived in Aztlán under the
rule of a powerful elite, called the Azteca Chicomostoca. The seven
tribes fled Aztlán, to seek new lands. The Mexica were the last
group to leave, guided by their priest "Huitzil". The Aubin Codex
relates that after leaving Aztlán, Huitzilopochtli ordered his
people to never identify themselves as Azteca, the name of their
former masters. Instead they should henceforth call themselves
Mexica.
The Spanish conquistadors referred to them as "Mexica". In Mexico,
archeologists and museums use the term Mexica. The wider population
in and outside Mexico generally speaks of Aztecs. In this article,
the term "Mexica" is used to refer to the Mexica people up until the
time of the formation of the Triple Alliance. After this, the term
"Aztecs" is used to refer to the peoples who made up the Triple
Alliance.
Mexica is a term of uncertain origin. Very different etymologies are
proposed: the old Nahuatl word for the sun, the name of their leader
Mexitli, or a type of weed that grows in Lake Texcoco. Renowned
Nahuatl translator Miguel León-Portilla suggests that it is derived
from mexictli, "navel of the moon", from Nahuatl metztli (moon) and
xictli (navel). Alternatively, mexictli could mean "navel of the
maguey" using the Nahuatl metl and the locative "co".
In Nahuatl, the native language of the Mexicas, Azteca means
"someone who comes from Aztlán"; the culture we now call Aztec
however referred to itself as Mexica, Tenochca or Tlatelolca
depending on their city of origin. The use of the word Azteca was a
broad term that did not refer to a specific culture, like the modern
use of Latino, or Mediterranean.
In 1810 Alexander von Humboldt originated the modern usage of
"Aztec" as a collective term applied to all the people linked by
trade, custom, religion , and language to the Mexica state and the
Triple Alliance. In 1843, with the publication of the work of
William Prescott, it was adopted by most of the world, including
19th century Mexican scholars who saw it as a way to distinguish
"modern" Mexicans from pre-conquest Mexicans. This usage has been
the subject of debate in more recent years, and the term "Mexica" is
becoming more common. |
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