Tattoos from ancient times were considered a special work of art. Unlike drawings on paper or wood, they forever remained on the human body, became part of it. Among the tribes, famous for their skill in tattooing, the Aztecs stood out. The symbolism and ornament of the Aztecs adorned the bodies of priests, spiritual, political leaders and all who participated in their special rituals. Aztec tattoos are popular today, but many do not even suspect what significance they have.
Masters of their craft
In the Aztec tribe, the most honorable and respected people were able to apply tattoos. Everyone was very scrupulous in this matter, revealing a good knowledge of the matter. The symbolism of the Aztecs is known for its complexity. The drawings always contained a lot of small details, paints, and also differed from all the previous ones, thus becoming unique for their carriers.
Divine cult
The significance of Aztec tattoos was closely related to the divine cult. They had a spiritual and ritual meaning. For the Aztecs, who lived six hundred years ago, the main task of their whole life was to worship the gods. Tattoos were applied as a sign of humility to higher beings.
The most important god of the Aztec pantheon was Witsilopochtli, the god of the sun, the guardian of heaven, giving life. He was portrayed rather unusual, in the form of a blue face. The sun was rising and setting, and so every day in a circle. The Aztecs saw this as evidence that death follows life again. The symbolism of the Aztecs in the image of the deity alone did not end there. In the same tattoo, inscriptions in the picturesque Aztec language were used. As a rule, this was the name of the deity, as well as words praising him. Today, such a tattoo, applied to the human body, expresses faith in the afterlife.
Aztec Tattoos: Meaning
Another popular image in Aztec tattoos is the deity of Tezcatlipoca. The warrior god was once depicted on the skin of soldiers. Today it is applied to the body to show its manly character, because such a tattoo indicates devotion, courage and fearlessness.
The Aztec symbolism also contained the image of the god of creativity, weather, fertility and wisdom of Quetzalcoatl. He was portrayed as a winged snake. This god touched all spheres of human life and therefore occupied a special place in the pantheon. The meaning of such a tattoo is easy to understand. It symbolizes the desire to enjoy every part of life, to find success in the affairs of absolutely any orientation, not to limit yourself.
Selection of application location
The symbolism of the Aztecs alone, applied to the body, is not fraught with special significance. Symbolism must go side by side with the right choice of skin. The Aztecs mainly chose arms, stomach and chest for tattoos. Being the energy center, these parts of the body helped to direct the energy of the image in the right direction and bring benefits.
Tattooed not only adults but also children. They tattooed for several more purposes - as a deterrent to enemies, special insignia to indicate a specific position in society. For example, soldiers put swords and daggers on their hands, priests - magic signs.
Stone of the sun
You can also often find a tattoo with the image of the Stone of the Sun. Many mistakenly consider it the Aztec calendar. Initially, it was a circle carved in stone with the symbols of a 20-day calendar. When people first discovered this image, they considered it an ordinary calendar, and only years later began to discover the true meaning of the Stone of the Sun. In particular, it contained information that four universes existed for a long time, all of them died, and a fifth appeared, with life, the one in which we all live.
According to the inscriptions on the stone, the tribes of the Aztecs, Incas, Mayans believed that in the Fourth Era the mountains went under water, and the sky completely came to the earth. It lasted all 52 springs. After there was a global flood and all people turned into fish. Before that, death befell the Third Era. Its end was the great fire that came to Earth from heaven. Many people even believe that in this way these tribes tried to capture the fall of the meteorite to the ground in myths. The second era ended with the transformation of people into monkeys, while all life on the planet was destroyed by terrible hurricanes. The very First Era was destroyed by huge giants. It was also probably about Atlantis. Our Fifth Era was created by the gods back in 986. According to Aztec predictions, the end of this era will be the strongest earthquake in history.
Unfortunately, many people who use Aztec tattoos do not even think about their meaning. By applying inscriptions in unfamiliar languages and unknown images to their bodies, they change their destiny and bring something new into it. That is why special attention must be paid to the significance of the tattoo before applying it.