Aztec human sacrifice and cannibalism



An advanced civilisation if there was one, Aztecs lived in Central America from IXth Century to XVth Century (when their decline was essentially precipitated by their encounter with the Spanish conquistadores). Many facets of this civilisation stay unknown principally because they were wiped out wy the first European colonizers.

But one aspect stayed deep in the minds because it was an immediate shock to those who were meeting it for the first time: Aztecs practiced extensive human sacrifice when Cortés arrived in America. Rare are the Europeans who observed it first-hand, because it stopped quickly then, but many traces are left for the historian.

Generally, religious reasons (“gods are asking for peace brought to them through human bloodshed in their honor”) are shown as the main driving factor. I found a group of articles quite intersting because they discuss the vertus and weaknesses of another theory: That Aztecs needed to enrich their meals with meat that could only be obtained from cannibalism.

I can’t guarantee the quality of the scientific arguments by myself, but -for the reader with a strong heart- the web site contains historical data about the Aztecs grouped in a quite enthralling scientific package.

Additional references:

  1. Wikipedia article on the Aztecs.
  2. Photos about the Jaguar and Ocelotl, the jaguar Aztec god.


  1. Interesting article. I have been learning more about Human sacrifice and Cannibalism after reading a book titled “Cannibalism, Headhunting and Human Sacrifice in North America,” by author George Feldman.
    I have to admit, I wasn’t aware our early pious settlers were head-hunters!

  2. Look the Aztec had to practice this it was life for them they believed that without pleasing the gods they would die so they weren’t crazy or anything like that they believed unlike we people today Peace GREEN DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!1

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