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9. The Aztecs - A Clash of Worlds (Part 1 of 2)

Fall of Civilizations・67 minutes read

A large stone disc depicting the decapitated goddess Coyolxauhqui was found in Mexico City, revealing the ruins of Tenochtitlan and the history of the Aztec empire. The text explores the rise of the Aztecs, their culture, rituals, and warfare, shedding light on their civilization's intricate complexity and ultimate downfall.

Insights

Discovery of a large stone disc depicting the decapitated goddess Coyolxauhqui in Mexico City led to excavations uncovering a buried civilization, fascinating archaeologists and the public.
Chicxulub asteroid impact 66 million years ago in Mexico created a 150 km wide crater, leading to the extinction of large dinosaurs and significant plant species in North America.
The rise of the Aztecs in Tenochtitlan, with advanced engineering, strict societal rules, and human sacrifices, marked a new chapter in the valley's history, contrasting with European battles and human sacrifice practices.
The Triple Alliance, formed by Nessa Coyotl, Itscoatal, and Toopan, divided former Tepk lands, leading to the downfall of the Tepan capital, showcasing conflicting Aztec character traits and political complexities.

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What significant discovery was made in Mexico City in 1978?
A large stone disc depicting a decapitated goddess.

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Summary

00:00

Ancient Mexico: Uncovering History and Mysteries

On the night of February 21, 1978, workmen in Mexico City discovered a large stone disc while digging for cables.
The stone disc, over 3 meters in diameter, depicted a decapitated goddess named Coyolxauhqui, worshipped by the Aztecs.
The stone disc was found at the base of stairs leading to the ruins of a Great Pyramid, revealing the city of Tenochtitlan, the heart of a powerful empire.
Excavations in Mexico City lasted four years, uncovering a buried civilization that fascinated archaeologists and the public.
The Chicxulub asteroid impact 66 million years ago led to the extinction of large dinosaurs and significant plant species in North America.
The impact created a crater 150 km wide in southern Mexico, altering the Earth's landscape and leading to dramatic changes over millions of years.
The valley of Mexico, with its fertile land and abundant water, was formed by volcanic activity and tectonic movements over time.
Humans crossed into the Americas from Asia around 12,000 years ago, following the land bridge that emerged during the last ice age.
The city of Teotihuacan rose to power in the valley of Mexico, influencing the region before its decline around 550 AD.
The Toltec Empire, inspired by Teotihuacan, ruled from Tula before its own collapse, setting the stage for the rise of the Aztecs.

21:55

"History of Aztecs in Mexico: 1529-1550s"

Anthropologist arrived in Mexico in 1529, spent 50 years learning the language of Narat and studying the culture of the indigenous Mesika people.
In the 1550s, he gathered older Mesika people to record their memories in the "General History of the Things of New Spain" or the "Historia General."
The most famous section of this work is the Florentine Codex, consisting of 2,400 pages and 2,500 illustrations.
Bernardo de Sahagun recorded the text in Spanish and Naat.
Frey Diego Duran, a Dominican monk, wrote the "History of the Indies of New Spain" but faced criticism for his sympathy towards indigenous Mexicans.
Don Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl, a descendant of the last Aztec king, also recorded histories.
The Valley of Mexico transformed by 1300 AD, with powerful city-states, pyramid-shaped temples, and a bustling trade on the lake.
The arrival of the Chichimecas, later known as the Aztecs, marked a new chapter in the valley's history.
The Aztecs, initially nomadic, settled on a marshy strip of land and built Tenochtitlan, expanding with artificial islands and canals.
Tenochtitlan grew rapidly, housing over 200,000 people, with advanced engineering, stone aqueducts, and a sophisticated society with strict rules against alcohol consumption.

42:01

Aztec Culture: Feast, Riddles, Sacrifices, Gods, Warfare

Aztec feast foods: white tortillas, grains of maze, turkey eggs, turkeys, fruits (custard apple, mam, yellow sapot, black sapot, sweet potato, manoc, white sweet potato, Chama Plum, Jobo, guava, avocado, Acacia, American cherry, tuna)
Textiles sold in the Market of Clat Loco: various colorful patterns, precious cloaks like sun covered style, blue knotted style, style covered with jars, painted Eagles, serpent faces, wind jewels, turkey blood, smoking mirrors
Aztec riddles: examples include "10 stones with something on their backs" (nails on fingers), "White Stone from which green feathers are born" (onion), "a warrior in a house made of pine branches" (eye with lashes)
Aztec gods: talok (god of rain and fertility), tezcat lepoka (god of Knight), quetel koatal (The Feathered serpant), whitel pole (god of the sun, war, and sacrifice)
Aztec human sacrifices: involved animals like dogs, Eagles, Jaguars, deer, and humans; sacrificial victims brought to the top of pyramids in tlan, hearts cut out with obsidian daggers, hearts burned as offerings to whitel pole
Human sacrifice practices: Spanish used it to justify colonization, Aztecs claimed over 80,000 sacrifices in 1487, sacrificial burial grounds found but no mass graves, victims usually prisoners of War
Aztec warfare: highly ritualized, soldiers aimed to capture enemies for sacrifice, lower class boys trained as soldiers, incentives for capturing enemies (promotions to Jaguar Warrior, Eagle Warrior)
Aztec sacrifices vs. European battles: Aztec battles had fewer casualties but were public, European battles had more casualties but were less visible
Reactions to human sacrifice: varied and complex, some viewed with fear and fascination, others enjoyed the spectacle, served to terrify people into obeying the King
Rise of itscoatal: itscoatal rose to power in tlan, part of a dramatic change in the political landscape of the valley of Mexico, turned tlan into a powerful Empire and military force

01:01:47

Rise of Nessa Coyotl: Aztec King

Nessa Coyotl was allowed to leave his mountain exile and live in Tanach Tlan, studying at a school called a Calak where nobility children learned various skills.
Nessa Coyotl lived near his former home, now ruled by a puppet king, and may have gazed at it from across the lake, pondering his return.
During his time in Tenos Tlan, Nessa met the noble Itsco, possibly hatching a plan to overthrow the cruel King Tzo Zomok.
After King Tzo Zomok's death in 1426, a succession crisis erupted, leading to civil war across the Tepan lands.
Itscoatal and Nessa Coyotl gathered an army of up to 100,000 men, with the city of Kopan joining their cause against King Mashah.
The war lasted two years, with Tenos Tlan resisting a Tonex siege until Itscoatal's arrival with his army, leading to the downfall of the Tepan capital.
Mashah, the usurper king, was killed, marking the end of Tepk rule and the rise of Nessa Coyotl as king of Tesh Coko.
Nessa Coyotl, Itscoatal, and Toopan formalized the Triple Alliance, dividing former Tepk lands and cooperating in future conquests.
Historian WH Prescott noted conflicting sides of the Aztec character, with Nessa Coyotl favoring peace and literature, while Itscoatal pursued ruthless expansion.
Talel, a shadowy figure, advised Itscoatal, leading to book burnings, increased human sacrifice, and militaristic reforms in the Aztec Empire.

01:21:13

"Flower Wars and Aztec Empire Collapse"

Nal language featured pairs of words that together conveyed a different meaning, like "word and breath" for giving a speech, or "water and hill" for describing a village.
Aztecs used poetic language, referring to death in battle as a "flowery death," believed Warriors would be resurrected among "flower and bird," becoming part of nature.
Flower wars were theatrical, resembling a parade, with warriors in extravagant attire, carrying weapons like Spears and obsidian daggers for capturing prisoners, not killing.
After flower wars, executed prisoners' skulls were displayed as trophies in Tolan, with the largest rack found at the main Temple containing over 650 skulls.
The collapse of the Aztec Empire was partly due to the bitter hatred of the Tash khans, who were starved and forced to participate in ritual sacrifices.
The separation of continents led to a race for survival between populations in Africa and the Americas, with the latter at a disadvantage due to arriving later in their lands.
The people of the Americas had a delayed start in domesticating crops like corn, unlike those in Mesopotamia who had a significant head start in agriculture.
The Americas' lower animal diversity, with only turkeys and dogs available for domestication, contrasted with the old world's livestock like sheep, goats, and cows.
The absence of horses in the Americas hindered transportation and labor efficiency, leading to manual carrying methods instead of wheeled vehicles.
The larger population in the old world, with China alone surpassing 140 million by 1200, allowed for more innovation and invention, giving them a significant advantage over the Americas.

01:41:00

European Caravels Revolutionize Naval Technology and Trade

In the 14th to 15th centuries, the development of the caravel, a larger and more powerful oceangoing ship, revolutionized naval technology for Europeans. These ships, like the carak, were durable, with multiple sails, capable of long voyages carrying large supplies, enabling regular trade routes between Europe, India, Africa, and China, leading to the shift of trade hubs from the Silk Road cities to Europe.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail across the Atlantic Ocean on the Santa Maria, accompanied by two smaller caravels, marking the beginning of more ambitious European voyages. This event, unknown to the Aztecs, foreshadowed a significant change in their world as a new threat, symbolized by a blood-red comet, approached Central America, ultimately altering their fate.

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