The Mexica (Nahuatl: M?xihcah, ) or Mexicans (Spanish: Mexicanos) were an indigenous people of the Valley of Mexico, known today as the rulers of the Aztec empire.

Name

There is much disagreement over the etymology and meaning of the name Mexica (Nahuatl M?xihcah, which is plural; the singular is M?xihcatl), and the related place name Mexico (M?xihco) where they lived.^[1]

The name of the modern nation of Mexico and its capital Mexico City are derived from the Nahuatl name M?xihco. Still others believe "Mexico" came from the word mestico.^[2]

The seven caves of Chicomoztoc, as depicted in the Historia Tolteca-Chichimeca.

History

Culture

Language

Like many of the peoples around them, the Mexica spoke Nahuatl. The form of Nahuatl used in the 16th century, when it began to be written in the alphabet brought by the Spanish, is known as Classical Nahuatl. Nahuatl is still spoken today by over 1.5 million people.

Huitzilopochtli, the patron god of the Mexica, as depicted in the Codex Telleriano-Remensis.

Religion

The Mexica religion had multiple gods, including a sun god, a rain god and many others. The Mexica believed that the gods needed to be nourished with human blood, in order to keep the world in balance. It has become a common belief that the sacrifices had their hearts cut out, but in truth, only human sacrifices to the sun god, Huitzilopotchtli were killed this way. Each god had a different method of sacrifice (for example, sacrifices to the rain god were tied to a post and shot with arrows, the dripping blood represented rain)

Literature

The Aztec sun stone, on display at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.

Art

Notes

References

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