The Aztec Civilization - 2

The Aztec Civilization

Aztec diet

The Aztec diet was dominated by fruit and vegetables, as domesticated animals were limited to dogs, turkeys (totolin), ducks, and honey bees. Game (especially rabbits, deer and wild pigs), fish, birds, salamanders, algae (used to make cakes), frogs, tadpoles and insects were also a valuable food source. The most common crops were maize (centli, famously used to make tortillas but also tamales and gruel), amaranth (a grain), sage, beans (etl ), squash, and chile peppers. Red and green tomatoes were cultivated (but were much smaller than the modern variety), as were white sweet potatoes, jícama (a type of turnip), chayote (vegetable pear), the nopal cactus, and peanuts. The Aztecs also grew many types of fruit including guavas, papayas, custard apples, mamey, zapotes, and chirimoyas. Snacks included popcorn and the sweet baked leaves of the maguey agave.

Aztec Art

Aztec artists were also influenced by their contemporaries from neighboring states, especially artists from Oaxaca (a number of whom permanently resided at Tenochtitlan) and the Huastec region of the Gulf Coast where there was a strong tradition of three-dimensional sculpture. These diverse influences and the Aztecs' own eclectic tastes and admiration of ancient art made their art one of the most varied of all ancient cultures anywhere. Sculptures of gruesome gods with abstract imagery could come from the same workshop as naturalistic works which depicted the beauty and grace of the animal and human form. Metalwork was a particular skill of the Aztecs. The great Renaissance artist Albrecht Drurer saw some of the artefacts brought back to Europe which caused him to say, '...I have never seen in all my days that which so rejoiced my heart, as these things. For I saw among them amazing artistic objects, and I marvelled over the subtle ingenuity of the men in these distant lands'. Unfortunately, as with most other artefacts, these objects were melted down for currency, and so very few examples survive of the Aztecs' fine metalworking skills in gold and silver. Smaller items have been discovered, amongst them gold labrets (lip piercings), pendants, rings, earrings and necklaces in gold representing everything from eagles to tortoise shells to gods, which are testimony to the skills in lost-wax casting and filigree work of the finest artisans or tolteca.

Aztec Living

Daily life for people living in the Aztec Empire varied depending on the social class that they belong to.  For instance, the upper class of people were referred to as pipiltin.  They generally lived in larger homes, were able to afford luxury items and slaves and held more power in the government, religion and military.  While the middle class people referred to as macehualtin, had much more average lives.  They worked as farmers, merchants, artisans and warriors.  They lived in more moderate homes and could not afford as elaborate clothes or art. The king of the Aztecs lived in a large palace with many rooms and gardens. All of the wealthy had a separate bathing room that was similar to a sauna or steam room. Bathing was an important part of the Aztec daily life. Poor people lived in smaller one or two room huts that had thatched roofs made from palm leaves.