Aztecs
The Aztec was one of the great civilizations that developed in
Mexico. The Aztec culture had many elements that made it a
civilization. One of the elements that made there civilization is a
complex religion. Another one of the elements is art. The last
element is clothing. Civilization is composed of many elements;
religion, art, and a written language. These are three examples of
how the Aztecs culture became an advanced civilization.
Religion
The first element that makes the Aztec a civilization is their
religion. The religion had to do with fear of the nature, and a fear of
the end of the world. By the time the Mexica's Empire (Mexica is the
proper name for the Axtecs) was at its height, the political and
religious systems were in close interaction. Because the religion
was a mixture from various peoples, there are variations. According
to ancient Aztec religion, it took the gods 5 tries to create the world.
These attempts were foiled because of infighting among the gods
themselves. Each time a creator-god would take a turn being the
sun. Finally the gods had a council, and decided one of them would
have to sacrifice himself to be the new sun. Nanauatl, a lowly,
humble god became the sun, but there was a problem - he wasn't
moving. The gods realized that they all must sacrifice themselves so
that humans could live. The god Ehecatl sacrificed the others, and a
mighty wind arose to move the sun at last.
Math
Art in the Aztec empire, like its culture and religion, came from
a long history - a history of many different tribes. Techniques and
themes in Aztec art were influenced by hundreds, perhaps
thousands of years of artistry in this part of the world. The common
people were not generally allowed to even own works of art. If you
were creating and selling art, you may be an exception, but some of
the art would have to go to the upper classes. They were the ones
that generally were the keepers of the precious objects in the
empire.
Neither did the civilization keep all its art to itself. Ancient Aztec art
was traded, and much of the materials used were imported from
other peoples. There was a rich variety of art in the empire. Richly
colored clothing, architecture, ceremonial knives, head dresses many things were adorned with jewels and feathers. It is said that
the emperor never wore the same clothes twice. His head piece
that supposedly belonged to Emperor Montezuma II is a splash of
bright green feathers, embroidered with gold and blue. Noble
families had ear pieces, bracelets and necklaces. Mosaics are very
common in ancient Aztec art. Masks would be covered in turquoise,
or shells. Ancient Aztec art was actually very lifelike. Many of their
statues of people, as well as animals, look amazingly realistic. They
also show age, and a great deal of expression. The art looks alive but then again, much of it is about death itself. It again reflects the
people's passion to avoid death and disaster, and then to conquer
even that if it came.
Clothing
Ancient Aztec clothing, that is, the clothing worn by the tribes
that made up the Aztec empire (such as the Mexica people), was rich
in variety. Aztec clothing was generally loose fitting and did not
completely cover the body. When the Spanish arrived in Mexico, the
people were surprised to see them in their full armor, with only
their faces exposed. Aztec clothes were generally made of cotton
(which was imported) or ayate fiber, made from the Maguey Cactus
(also called the Century Plant or American Aloe). Women would
weave the fibers into clothing, task girls were taught as young
teenagers. Because of their vast trading network, the Aztecs were
able to make use of a beautiful array of dyes, creating the brilliant
colors still seen in Mexico today. Slaves would only wear a simple
loincloth. The loincloth, also worn by common people, was made
from a long strip of cloth tied in front. If the man had a little higher
social standing, it might be embroidered or have fringes on the two
ends. The men would also wear a cloak made from a triangular cloth
known as a tilmatli or tilma. It could be used like an apron to carry
things, or worn as a cloak. Of course the noble class and religious
leaders would wear clothing that was much more adorned, though
still tilmas and loincloths and skirts would be worn. There would be
symbols of their particular affiliation on the clothing or in a head
dress. The more prestigious clothing became brightly colored. Gold
was often used in clothing, and pendants, feathers, furs, and other
forms of decoration were used. Jewelry such as necklaces,
earrings and bracelets were also worn by the upper classes. Like
tribes still in Mesoamerica today, some wore "ear spools". Of
course, for certain rituals costumes were worn which became even
more elaborate. Aztec masks were used for rituals, representing
various Aztec gods. The military had their own costumes; based on
what military group they belonged to - the eagle or the jaguar, for
example. Even for the Aztec warrior, there was a hierarchy that was
reflected by how adorned their costumes were. Those who were war
heroes were allowed more jewels and more stunning clothing. The
ancient Aztec clothing of the warrior offered some protection, and
their head dresses also served as helmets. Some of the chiefs even
wore a layer of gold. Warriors carried a simple decorated shield.
Conclusion
The Aztec arrived in the Valley of Mexico in the early 1300s and
became a powerful, but feared civilization. The savage Aztec religion
would not be acceptable in today’s society, but it demonstrated
complex, organized beliefs. Because the Aztec reached a level where
specialization was possible, Aztec artist and craftsmen created
remarkable pieces of art. Also the everyday necessities and luxury
items vital to a civilization were made possible by the Aztec traders.
Even though the Aztec would be considered barbaric today, their
accomplishments in religion, arts/crafts, and clothing make them
one of most advanced civilizations to arise in Mesoamerica.