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The Aztec empire is long gone, but its descendants are still alive.
So are some traditions of this once great civilization.
◀ Mexico City is the capital of modern Mexico. It was built on top of what was once Tenochtitlan. The National Palace sits on the foundation of Montezuma’s palace. In 1978, a worker digging in the streets found a big statue of an Aztec goddess. Soon after, the base of the Great Temple was dug up.
Veracruz is a state on the Gulf of Mexico. Today, people in the northern part of the state celebrate the Volador. This ceremony dates back to Aztec times. Mexican men dressed like birds twist on ropes from the top of a big pole down to the ground. Each man goes around the pole 13 times. That’s the number of days in an Aztec week. Above is a drawing of the Volador long ago. ▶
◀ The island gardens of Xochimilco (so-chee-MEAL-co) are a reminder of Mexico’s Aztec past. The name comes from a word that means “where the flowers grow” in Nahuatl (NAH-wahtl). That’s the Aztec language. Seedbeds for these gardens are built on reed mats floating in a lake. The area is a popular tourist spot. People visit the gardens in colorful flat-bottomed boats. It’s a World Heritage site, which means it’s a place that should be taken care of and saved.
▲ Mexico’s flag is another reminder of the country’s Aztec past. In the center are the eagle and cactus, the symbol of Tenochtitlan.
◀ Next time you sip hot chocolate or eat a candy bar, remember the Aztecs. A favorite drink of the rich was xocatl. That’s a bitter drink made from cacao beans. It’s also where we get the word chocolate. At the Aztec court in 1519, Montezuma served it to Cortés. Cortés took it back to Spain. There, cooks added cinnamon and vanilla and served it hot, just like we do today.
Mexico City has the biggest collection of Aztec artifacts. It’s in the National Museum of Anthropology. It includes everything from serving dishes to gold-plated statues. Pictured here is a snarling, crouching stone jaguar. ▼
▲ When you eat a big meal on Thanksgiving, thank the Aztecs, too. The Spanish first took the turkey to Europe around 1519. The Aztecs called this bird a uexotl. But when it came to Britain from Spain, the British renamed it. They called it turkey after another bird that came originally from the area around Turkey.
◀ Descendants of the Aztecs are called the Nahua (NAH-wah). There are about 1.5 million of them, and some still speak Nahuatl. Many Mexicans are interested in their nation’s Aztec past. Traces of it can be found in celebrations like the Sun dance ceremony. The people ask the jaguar god to send rain.
▲ This piece of Aztec jewelry is called a pectoral. Made of turquoise and shell, it was worn across the chest on special occasions.
