Indian civilizations have always aroused the interest of researchers and laymen. Especially close attention is drawn not only by the Mayans, but also by the Aztecs, because they also left a noticeable mark on history. And if quite a lot is known about the former, then much less is known about the latter in society. Your attention 5 entertaining facts about the Indian civilization of the Aztecs.
1. "Aztecs" is not a self-name
Many believe that "Aztecs" is the self-name of representatives of an ancient civilization. But in reality it was completely different: the European conquistadors gave this name to the Indians. The people themselves, as it is not surprising, preferred to call themselves Mexicans (mēxihcah).
2. Aztec funeral rites
Today, archaeologists, during expeditions to excavate ancient sites of the Aztec settlement, find burials in rather unexpected places for modern man. And all because the ancient civilization had a tradition of burying their dead right under their own houses. Moreover, there was a practice of killing dogs along with the owner so that she could accompany his soul to the afterlife.
3. Aztec slavery system
The Aztecs developed a rather enslaving slave system, even with the potential for redemption from there. And all because they actively practiced the voluntary sale of themselves or their children into slavery to pay off debts. Thus, anyone who owed money, or his relatives, could become a slave, and not prisoners of war or representatives of other nations.
4. Capital of the Aztecs
The capital of the Aztecs was a city called Tenochtitlan, located on an island in the middle of a lake. When the European colonialists saw the size of this place, it became clear that it was larger than the most developed European cities. To date, the lake, in the middle of which Tenochtitlan was located, has been drained, and the capital of modern Mexico, Mexico City, was built on this site.
5. Aztec progress
The Aztecs managed to build such significant structures and live for thousands of years even without the use of a wheel. It turns out that for the entire time of the existence of its civilization, it has never been invented like that. But the financial sector was quite developed among them: historians concluded that the Aztecs subjected literally all areas of their lives to accounting.
In addition to the topic: 10 archaeological sites, the mysteries of which have not yet been solved
Source: https://novate.ru/blogs/110422/62682/