Aztecs Inca Mayans bloody traditions. Art of Pre-Columbian America

Maya - civilization Central America, famous for its writing, art, architecture and mathematical and astronomical systems. It began to take shape in the pre-classical era (2000 BC - 250 AD), most of its cities reached the peak of their development in the classical period (250 AD - 900 AD). It continued to exist until the arrival of the conquistadors.

Pyramid Of The Magician With Bougainvillea, Uxmal

The Mayans built stone cities, many of which were abandoned long before the arrival of Europeans, others were inhabited even after. The calendar developed by the Mayans was also used by other peoples of Central America. A hieroglyphic writing system was used, partially deciphered.
A significant contribution was made by our compatriot, Yuri Valentinovich Knorozov, whose first publications on this topic appeared in the early 1950s. Numerous inscriptions on the monuments have been preserved. They created an effective farming system and had deep knowledge of astronomy.

Face Sculpture On El Caracol, Chichen Itza

The descendants of the ancient Mayans are not only the modern Mayan peoples, who have preserved the language of their ancestors, but also part of the Spanish-speaking population of the southern states of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Some Mayan cities are included in the UNESCO list of sites World Heritage: Palenque, Chichen Itza, Uxmal in Mexico, Tikal and Quirigua in Guatemala, Copan in Honduras, Hoya de Ceren in El Salvador - a small Mayan village that was buried under volcanic ash and is now excavated.

Temple Of Foliated Cross, 892 AD, Palenque

The Mayans believed that the universe consisted of 13 heavens and 9 underworlds. In the center of the earth there was a tree that passed through all the celestial spheres. On each of the four sides of the earth there was another tree, symbolizing the cardinal points - a red tree corresponded to the east, a yellow tree to the south, a black tree to the west, and a white tree to the north. Each side of the world had several gods (wind, rain and heaven holders) who had a corresponding color. One of the important gods of the Maya of the classical period was the god of corn, represented in the guise of a young man with a high headdress.

Thousand Columns, Chichen Itza

To calculate time, the Mayans used a complex calendar system that included several cycles. One of them represented a combination of numbers from 1 to 13 (“week”) and 20 “months”, which had their own names. A solar calendar with a year of 365 days was also in use. It consisted of 18 months of 20 days and five “extra” or “unlucky” days. In addition, the Mayans used the so-called long count, which, in addition to a 20-day month and an 18-month year, took into account a 20-year period (katun); a period of 20 katuns (baktun) and so on. There were other dating methods. All of these methods changed over time, making it much more difficult to correlate the dates recorded by the Mayans with European chronology.

Chac Mool With Columns In Temple Of Warriors, Chichen Itza

The Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world.
We are talking about a calendar called “Tzolkin,” which was used for ritual ceremonies. According to this calendar, on December 21, 2012, an event comparable to the end of the world should occur. It lies in the fact that during the winter solstice, the Sun will move into the sphere milky way and will line up with the Earth and the center of the Galaxy. Powerful flares will occur on it, from which plasma flows will spread over vast distances, even reaching the Earth. As a result, the entire energy system of our planet will be disabled, which means that many millions of living beings will die.

Apparently, it was this global event that the Mayans considered commensurate with the end of the world. On the basis of which ancient astronomers made such conclusions, we can only guess. But it is on this date – December 21, 2012 – that the Mayan calendar ends.

Historical Architectural Scene

It is possible that the end date of the Mayan calendar simply means the end of their calendar cycle, after which the next cycle will begin. Or maybe they meant historical changes, a new era in the history of our Earth, associated with the need to change views on life values ​​and with the spiritual insight of earthlings.

Temple Of The Warriors With Thousand Columns, Chichen Itza

Ancient Site Of Monte Alban, Near Oaxaca

The Aztecs are an Indian people in central Mexico. Number of over 1.5 million people. The Aztec civilization (XIV-XVI centuries) had rich mythology and cultural heritage. The capital of the Aztec Empire was the city of Tenochtitlan, located on Lake Texcoco (Spanish: Texcoco),
where Mexico City is now located.

In Nahuatl, the native language of the Aztecs, the word “Aztec” literally means “someone from Aztlan,” a mythical place located somewhere in the north. The modern use of the word "Aztec" as a term for peoples related by trade, custom, religion, and language was proposed by Alexander von Humboldt and adopted by 19th-century Mexican scholars as a means of distinguishing contemporary Mexicans from the indigenous Indian populations. Sami
The Aztecs called themselves “Mexica”, or “Tenochka” and “Tlaltelolca” - depending on the city of origin (Tenochtitlan, Tlatelolco). As for the origin of the word “mexica” (Ast. mexica, from which, in fact, the word “Mexico” comes), very different versions of its etymology are expressed: the word “Sun” in the Nahuatl language, the name of the Aztec leader Mexitli (Mexitli, Mextli) , a type of algae native to Lake Texcoco. The most famous translator of the Nahuatl language, Miguel León-Portilla (Spanish: Miguel León-Portilla), claims that this word means “middle of the moon” - from the words metztli (Mextli, Metztli, Meshtli, Metchtli - Moon) and xictli (middle) . Self-name
“Tenochki” may come from the name of Tenoch, another legendary leader.

Avenue Of The Dead, Teotihuacan

Ball Court From Archeological Zone Of Monte Alban

Beach View Of Mayan Ruins, Tulum

Chac-Long-Nosed Rain God On Temple Of Warriors

Detail of Wall of Skulls-Tzompantli, Chichen Itza

El Caracol-The Snail

El Castillo-The Castle, Chichen Itza

Entry Door In Mayan Ruins, Uxmal

Governor's Palace At Mayan Ruins, Uxmal

Intertwined Serpents In Relief, Cholula

Monte Alban, 1500 BC-750 AD

Nunnery Quadrangle, Uxmal

Overview Of Pyramid Of The Moon And Pyramid Of The Sun

Palace-7th Century Mayan Ruins, Palenque

Pyramid Of The Sun At Teotihuacan Ruins, Near Mexico City

Rattlesnake Sculpture On Nunnery, Uxmal

Temple Of Sun, 692 AD, Palenque

Temple Of The Jaguars, Chichen Itza.

Templo Mayor, Mexico City

Viking Group At Teotihuacan
© Corel Photo: Mayan & Aztec Ruins

When we hear the concepts “Inca”, “Maya” or “Aztec”, we are mentally transported overseas, to the mountains and jungles of the American continent. It was there that these Indian tribes, little known to mankind, lived - the creators of the civilization of the Incas, Aztecs and Mayans, about whom we will briefly talk further. From history we only know about them that they were skilled craftsmen. The Incas built big cities, connected by roads that looked as if cars were racing along them. The pyramids were built like the Egyptian ones, but according to local religious views. Irrigation canals made it possible to feed the people with their own agricultural products.

The Incas created calendars, chronology and writing, had an observatory and were well oriented by the stars. And suddenly, overnight, all civilizations disappeared. Many scientists are working to unravel the causes of a rather strange, even from the standpoint of modern science, socio-demographic phenomenon. First, let's introduce the Inca civilization in a brief description.

Ancient Incas

If we consider geographical map South American continent, its vertical division by the Andes mountains will be striking. To the east of the mountains extends Pacific Ocean. This area, closer to the north, was chosen by the ancient Indian tribe of the Incas, pronounced “Quechua” in their language, in the 11th – 15th centuries. In such a short period, on a certain scale, it is difficult to create a unique and one of the early class civilizations of Mesoamerica. The Incas succeeded at this, perhaps with some outside help.

It stretched for five thousand kilometers from north to south - this is exactly half the length of the Russian Federation. It included the territories, in whole or in part, of eight modern Latin American countries. These regions were inhabited by about twenty million people.

Archaeologists say: Quechua culture did not begin out of nowhere. It has been proven that a significant part either came to the Quechua from outside, or they settled on foreign territory and appropriated the achievements of previous civilizations.

The Incas were good warriors and did not hesitate to conquer new territories. From the Mochica culture and the Kari state they could adopt the technology of making colored ceramics, laying canals in the fields, and from Nazca - the construction of underground water pipelines. The list goes on.

What the Quechuas themselves excelled at was stone-cutting. The blocks for the buildings were cut so beautifully that no binding material was required when laying them. The pinnacle of architecture is a group of temples under common name Golden courtyard with the temple of the sun god. The supreme rulers of the Quechuas simply adored gold; the emperor’s palaces were covered with it from floor to ceiling. The Spanish conquistadors melted down all this luxury and transported it home in ingots. Only the majestic pyramids on the lifeless land remind of past greatness.

Ancient Mayans

The Mayans had everything that characterized ancient civilizations, except the wheel and metal tools. Tools were made of high quality from strong stone, even for cutting wood.

The Mayans skillfully erected buildings using arched ceilings, rare for those times, and knowledge of geometry helped to correctly lay irrigation canals. They were the first to know how to get cement. Their surgeons performed operations with scalpels made of frozen glass.

Like the Incas (Quechua), the Mayans had great knowledge about space and the stars. But hardly any of them could own spacecraft. But then why did they need a domed observatory tower that has survived to this day? The building is positioned so that it is better to navigate the orbit of the brightest planet. Just to create a calendar aimed at this planet? Obviously there were other plans. It’s not for nothing that there are mysterious images of flying people on the rocks.

There is also this version of the origin of the Mayans: perhaps they sailed to America on ships from another continent. Like the Incas, the Mayans used the experience of a more developed civilization - the Olmecs, who appeared from nowhere on the American continent. For example, their experience of making drinks from a substance similar to chocolate, and in religion they adopted deities in the form of animals.

The Mayans disappeared in the 10th century AD. The Incas, Mayans, and Olmecs suffered the same fate - their civilizations ceased to exist in their prime. There are two popular versions of the Mayan demise: ecology and conquest. The second is supported by artifacts from the presence of other tribes in the territory where the Mayans lived.

Ancient Aztecs

Up to a dozen tribes lived on the fertile lands of the Valley of Mexico for centuries. At the beginning of the 14th century, the Tepanec tribe appeared there. Warlike, incredibly cruel, it conquered all other tribes. Their allies in the seizure of territories were a small tribe of tenochki.

These were the Aztecs. Neighboring tribes called them by this name. The Aztecs are driven out by other tribes to a deserted island. And from here the power of the Aztecs spread over the entire valley of Mexico, where up to ten million people already lived. They traded with everyone who accepted them. Thousands of people lived in cities. The state has grown to unprecedented proportions.

The Incas, Aztecs and Mayans are mysterious tribes that disappeared from the face of the earth. Scientific excavations and all kinds of research are still being conducted to study their life and the reasons for their disappearance. In this article we will talk about one interesting tribe. The Aztecs lived in the 14th century in the territory that now belongs to Mexico City.

Where did they come from

The number of this Indian people was about 1.3 million people. According to legend, the homeland of the Aztecs was the island of Aztlan (translated as “land of herons”). Initially, the members of this tribe were hunters, but then, having settled on the land, they began to engage in agricultural and handicraft work, although it was a rather warlike tribe. The Aztecs, in order to begin to lead, were looking for suitable lands for quite a long time. They did not act at random, but in accordance with the instructions of their god Huitzilopochtli. In his opinion, the Aztecs should have seen an eagle sitting on a cactus and devouring the earth.

This happened

Despite the strangeness of this sign, after 165 years of wandering through Mexican soil, the Aztecs still managed to meet this mysterious bird with unusual behavior. At the place where this happened, the tribe began to settle down. The Aztecs named their first settlement Tenochtitlan (translated as “fruit tree growing from stone”). Another name for these lands is Mexico City. Interestingly, the Aztec civilization was created by several tribes. Scientists believe that at least seven tribes took part in this, speaking related languages, the most common of which was Nahuatl. Now it and similar dialects are spoken by more than 1 million people.

Bottoms and tops

Can the Aztec civilization serve as an example for modern social organization? Fighters for equality probably would not have liked the Aztec division into aristocrats and plebeians. Moreover, members of high society had all the best. They lived in luxurious palaces, wore magnificent clothes, ate delicious food, had many privileges, and held high positions. Plebeians worked on the land, traded, hunted, fished and lived modestly in special quarters. But after death, everyone received an equal chance of getting into the underworld, the abode of the goddess of death Mictlan, or going to better world. Since warriors in the Aztec world were especially respected, those who died on the battlefield could accompany the sun from sunrise to zenith, just like those who were sacrificed. Women who died in childbirth received the honor of accompanying the sun from zenith to sunset. Those who were killed by lightning or drowned can also be considered “lucky”. They found themselves in a heavenly place where Tlalocan lived.

Fathers and Sons

The tribe about which we're talking about in this article, paid great attention to the education of children. Until the age of 1, they were raised at home, and after that they had to attend special schools. Moreover, both boys and girls, although the latter, most often, after getting married, sat at home and looked after the household and children. Commoners learned craft skills and military affairs. Aristocrats studied history, astronomy, social studies, rituals, and government. The children of members of high society were not white-handed. They worked for community service, cleaned the temples, participated in rituals. Old people were treated to honor, respect and various privileges.

Aztec culture

It is not for nothing that this lost civilization attracts attention today. The Aztecs were excellent craftsmen, so buildings, sculptures, stone and clay products, fabrics, jewelry were High Quality. The Aztecs were especially distinguished by their ability to make a variety of products from the bright feathers of tropical birds. Aztec mosaics and ornaments are also famous. Aristocrats were fond of literature. Many of them could compose a poem or write an oral work. Legends, stories, poems, and descriptions of the rituals of this people have survived to this day. Book paper was made from bark. The calendars that this tribe created are also interesting. The Aztecs used a solar and ritual calendar. Agricultural work and religious work were carried out in accordance with the solar calendar. It consisted of 365 days. The second calendar, which included 260 days, was used for predictions. A person's fate was judged by the day he was born. Until now, many treasure hunters dream of finding Aztec gold. And they lived very richly at one time. This is evidenced by the stories of the Spanish conquerors. They say that the wealthy Aztecs, especially in the capital Tenochtitlan, ate and slept on gold. They installed golden thrones for their gods, at the foot of which gold bars also lay.

Aztec religion

People from this tribe believed that there were several gods who controlled the forces of nature and the destinies of people. They had gods of water, maize, rain, sun, war and many others. The Aztecs built huge, richly decorated temples. The largest was dedicated to the main deity Tenochtitlan and was 46 meters high. Rituals and sacrifices were held in temples. The Aztecs also had an idea of ​​the soul. They believed that its habitat in humans is the heart and blood vessels. The beating of the pulse was taken as its manifestation. According to the Aztecs, the soul was put into the human body by the gods while he was in the womb. They also believed that objects and animals had a soul. The Aztecs imagined that there was a special connection between them that allowed them to interact on an intangible level. The Aztecs also thought that every person had a magical double. His death led to the death of a person. The Aztecs offered their own blood as a sacrifice to their idols. To do this, they performed the ritual of bloodletting. In general, the Aztecs made human sacrifices in huge quantities. It is a known fact that 2,000 people were sacrificed during the illumination of the Great Temple. The Aztecs thought about the end of the world and believed that a large amount of blood could appease the gods and maintain world balance.

The Aztec civilization died due to the greed of the Spaniards. This happened at the beginning of the 16th century, but the imagination is still excited by the story of the life of a tribe that disappeared from the face of the earth. Whether Aztec gold brings happiness is something everyone can decide for themselves.

The Incas, Mayans, Aztecs are the peoples who inhabited South and Central America before this continent was discovered and colonized by Europeans. America of the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs is also called pre-Columbian. These peoples (today they are called Indians) created highly developed civilizations and left to their descendants many hitherto unresolved mysteries of their development. So,

Mayan

The Mayan peoples inhabited the Yucatan Peninsula. Their civilization developed in the territory that today belongs to Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras and was based on individual city-states. The largest of them is Tikal.

Under power major cities there were adjacent lands and smaller towns. All the cities of the Mayan state were connected by roads along which trade routes passed. The Mayans traded among themselves and other peoples with jade, cocoa beans, salt and jaguar skins.

This is surprising, but the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs had no idea about the wheel and goods, if it was not possible to deliver them by water, were carried by porters along the roads. Outside the walls of the cities, the Mayans were engaged in peasant labor, mainly growing corn.

Today, the Maya's knowledge of mathematics and astronomy is amazing. Entire scientific works have been written about the accuracy of the calendar compiled by the Mayan priests, and the writing system developed by the Mayans contains a wide variety of symbols.

After centuries of prosperity, the Mayan civilization suddenly mysteriously fell into decline by the 14th century, and in the 1500s the Spanish conquerors (conquistadors) completed its collapse.

Aztecs

The Aztec Empire was located west of the Mayan lands, in the territory of modern Mexico. Capital of the Aztecs Big City Tenochitlan occupied an area of ​​about 15 square kilometers and was located on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco.

In the life of the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs, religion played a very important role. They worshiped many gods, and their temples in the form of stepped pyramids amaze with their grandeur no less than the Egyptian pyramids (the height of some of them reached 45 meters!). At the tops of these pyramids, the Aztecs performed human sacrifices to their gods.

Another sign of the Aztec civilization is the widespread passion for a ball game similar to modern basketball. True, the ring in this game was located vertically, and the ball could only be touched with the forearms and thighs of the legs. Players from the losing team were very often sacrificed.

The names of the Aztec rulers, under whom their empire reached its greatest prosperity, have also reached us - Montezuma I (1440-1468 reign) and Montezuma II (began reign in 1502). The Aztec civilization, like the Mayans, also perished under the onslaught of the conquistadors. This happened in 1521.

The Incas

The Inca Empire extended over 2000 km along the Pacific coast South America. Its heyday occurred in the late 1400s and early 1500s. In addition to the Incas, there were other states of South American Indians (for example, Tiahuanaco, Guari or Chimu), but they all fell into decline and were conquered by the Incas.

The Incas were engaged in slash-and-burn agriculture (burning and cultivating clearings in the Amazon jungle), hunting, trade and construction. Their capital, the city of Cusco, was located high in the Andes, and the Incas built a whole network of high-mountain roads, with cable cars suspension bridges through the gorges.

In the 16th century, the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs were conquered and enslaved by Europeans, and who knows what the fate of their civilizations would have been if they had possessed firearms by the time the conquistadors appeared.

Information from the children's encyclopedia "Riddles of World History"

The Mexican Yucatan Peninsula is a flat plain. Washed by the waters Caribbean Sea, the peninsula is the driest place on the mainland. The Native American word "Maauya" means "land without water." About five thousand years ago, there arose great civilization MAYAN.

According to the Mayan priests, man originated from corn: “Once everything slept. There was no land, no time, no ocean in space. Once upon a time in the East, days were born, and time began to count down. The first day created the heavens and the whole Earth. The second day created a ladder, using which rain descended from the heavens. The third day gave rise to ebbs and flows, using which the ocean overflowed. On the fourth day the horizon was born, connecting the Earth and the sky. On day five, the meaning of life appeared and indicated that everyone should work. On the sixth day the first light came on. The seventh created the continents. The eighth established order in the world. The ninth created dungeons. The tenth made a path underground for those who lived a mean life and had a poisonous soul. The eleventh day from the Sun created stones and forests. On the twelfth day the winds blew. The spirits appeared from the wind. On the thirteenth day, rain fell and, moistening the entire earth, created man. At first people were made of clay. But they quickly collapsed before they could move. Then they created wooden dolls. But it turned out that they are stupid and clumsy. Then God took maize (corn), kneaded it like dough, and blinded people. The corn people began to live in the world. But they were too curious and poked their noses everywhere. And we saw much more than we should. Then God blew in the fog, and man began to see only as far as the horizon..."

Pyramid of MAGIC

According to ancient legend, the world was created four times, but destroyed three times by the Great Flood. First there was a world of dwarfs. In those days, the Sun shone weakly, and in complete darkness the dwarfs built large cities.

Fortune Teller's Pyramid

Then came the first flood, which washed away everything that the dwarfs had managed to build.

In the second world, only the most resourceful people who escaped this flood remained to live. The third world was developed by the Mayans themselves, who were also washed away. Fourth, modern world are descendants of the ancient Mayans who mixed with other tribes. Since then, the descendants of the Mayans have been waiting for the next flood.

In the beginning, the god Hunaba-Ku created the four corn men Balam-Kitse, Mahukutaha, Balam-Akaba and Iki-Balam. Then, as it should be, four beautiful women were created: Kaha-Paluna, Chomiha, Tsunumiha and Kakishaha. God was helped in his work by a fox, a coyote, a parrot and a crow. They carried corn, from which God sculpted his creations. The cobs were yellow and white. Whites were made into men, yellows into women.

The ruler of heaven, Itsamna, was considered the main God. He was portrayed as a colorful, bearded old man. Itsamna was believed to be the first priest to create hieroglyphs and write the first mystical codes. In second place was the rain god Chuck. The entire future harvest depended on it. The third most popular was the corn god Yum Kaah. He was depicted as a young man with a deformed head. It was believed that his head became swollen and lost its shape from intense care for a good harvest. And finally, very important was the god of death Ah Puch, who had a very terrifying appearance.

The Mayan priests created several accurate calendars. Of these, two are the most famous. According to the solar calendar, the year had 365 days and was divided into 18 months of 20 days each. There was also an additional month lasting only 5 days. The second calendar is ritual. It consisted of 260 days, and counting was carried out in intervals of 13 days. Each day of both calendars had its own patron god. The Mayans had an original cyclical system of chronology: all years went through a full cycle (in a circle) and again returned to their original position. The cycle repeated itself after 52 years.

Temple bas-relief of the rain god CHUCK

AH-PUCH patron of the dead

God TEZCATLIPOCA

totem pole

The entire life of the ancient people passed in anticipation of the next ritual holiday. Preparatory activities consisted of four stages:

1. First came fasting and abstinence.

2. Then the priest, who was in a state of insight, chose the best day for the holiday.

3. Then they prepared the future place of the holiday. There they cast out evil spirits, read spells and fumigated idols.

4. On the appointed day, the main festive event was held - a sacrifice.

The Mayan people believed that the world order was maintained by the gods only through sacrifices. In ancient times, the Mayans almost did not practice human sacrifice. Usually they brought jewelry, animals, fish, and various fruits to the divine altar. However, in the most important cases, human sacrifices were made to the gods. Usually such an event was held on the top platform of the pyramid. The victim was stripped and painted blue. Then the four assistant priests laid the man on a round stone, also of blue color. The priest-preparator (nakom) came out to the victim and opened the chest with a sharp flint knife. With his hands he pulled out a living beating heart, placed it on a special dish, which he presented to the ceremonial priest (chilan). He smeared the blood on the faces of the idols, and the victim was thrown down, where he was torn into pieces by the jubilant people...

The Mayans built large cities (Tikal, Balak-bal, Volaktun, Copana, Washaktuna). Each city had more than 200 thousand inhabitants. Their centers were decorated with temple pyramids, which were surrounded by terraces and statues of gods. The Pyramid of the Inscriptions, the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Warriors, the Temple of the Jaguars, the Temple of the Moon and the Pyramid of Kukulcan have survived to this day.

Aztec mother of the gods COATLICUE

YUM KAAH- god of maize

CHUCK– god of rain

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, in the 10th century, almost the entire Mayan people disappeared somewhere. Came to desolation huge cities and temples. A great civilization has disappeared. However, soon, out of nowhere, another people appeared in central Mexico - the Aztecs. Unlike the Mayans, they were warlike and very fierce. These were completely different people who called their homeland the island of Astlaan (“the place where the herons live”).

According to legend, the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli predicted that their people would settle where they saw an eagle sitting on a cactus and devouring a snake. For 165 long years the Aztecs wandered around ancient mexico. On July 18, 1325, they saw the long-awaited eagle and founded the first settlement of Tinochtitlan where the capital of Mexico is now located.

The main deity of the warlike people was the god of war, Huitzilopochtli. The wooden idol of this god was of impressive size and was depicted sitting on a blue bench. The bench symbolized heaven as the place of residence of this god. The main deity was assisted by: Tezcatlipoca (creator god), Tonatiuh (Sun god), Metstli (Moon god), Tlaloc (water god), Quetzalcoatl (air god), Centeotl (corn goddess), Hiuketiuktli (fire god), Mihcoatl (goddess hunting), Xicateuctli (god of trade), as well as the gods of hell Mictlacteuctli and Mictlancehuatl. Each name of the Mexican deities is like a short spell addressed to a given god.

The Aztecs' sacrifices were more cruel and varied than those of their neighbors. For the god of war, prisoners were executed, for the god of water, Tlaloc, children were drowned, and for the goddess of forbidden love, Tlazolteotl, prostitutes were sacrificed. A special form of sacrifice was the fighting of captured warriors. Opposite the altar, men armed only with spears fought. It was similar to gladiator fights, where prizes went to the owner of the bravest warrior.

All Aztec ceremonies were strictly regulated. Unlike the Mayans (where the priest chose the day of the holiday), the Aztecs had holiday calendars in advance. In September, the festival of the maize goddess Chicomecohuatl was held. First, they fasted for seven days and periodically rubbed their ears with their hands. If blood showed from the rubbed ears, then it was believed that repentance had been accomplished and the person was clean before God. Then they chose the most beautiful slave girl, 11–12 years old. They wove a wreath for her and made a necklace out of corn cobs. Pleasant music sounded, and the girl was solemnly seated among flowers and corn. For two days she was worshiped, she was the personification of the goddess who was thanked for the harvest. Then the “goddess” was solemnly killed, and everyone present joyfully began to dance.

The Aztecs were convinced that the Sun lived in the East in his own house, from which he came out in the morning, accompanied by dead warriors and sacrificed people. Therefore, they always sacrificed the best. Until noon, God's retinue changed. Further, the Sun was accompanied by women who died during childbirth, whom the Aztecs equated with warriors who died in battle. In the evening, the Sun reached the kingdom of the dead (Mictlan), and returned home at night.

The Aztec Age lasted 52 years, then a new one began. The last day of every fifty-two anniversary was a great holiday, as the Aztecs feared that the world would soon end and the new century might never come. According to ancient legends, the world was created five times. Each appearance of a new world was called "Sun".

In the first Sun, giants lived on Earth. But after 13 Aztec centuries (676 years), the god Tezcatliopoc turned into a large jaguar and ate all the giants. The Second Sun lasted 7 centuries (364 years). During this period, the god Quetzalcoatl again created man. However, a terrible storm broke out and destroyed everything. The remaining people went wild and turned into monkeys. The third Sun was created by the water god Tlaloc. However, after 6 centuries (312 years), fire destroyed everything. Only the birds remained. At the end of the fourth Sun there was a flood, after which only fish survived. The fifth Sun was created by the god Quexalcoatl from his own penis. This century continues to this day. Unlike the well-known myths about the creation of the world, the Aztec legend contains fairly accurate dates for the natural disasters that overtook the “city of the gods” Teotihuacan in the Anahuac Valley. According to the Aztec calendar, every natural disaster occurred at the end of a time period that was a multiple of 52.

Funeral ceremonies among many peoples of Central America took place in the same sequence. First, several of the oldest priests decorated the deceased with sacred figures cut out of cloth. Then they sprinkled him with cleansing water, saying: “This is the water that you received when you came into the world. Let it serve you on your long journey!” Then a jug filled with water was placed at the feet of the deceased. If a woman was buried, she was additionally wrapped in warm clothes. This made the journey of the soul easier. There was a belief that on the way to other world You must cross eight deserts, bypass a huge dragon, overcome shifting mountains, dodge jumping stone knives and avoid many other dangers.

On the territory of modern Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile, there was the GREAT INCAS EMPIRE, which appeared about four thousand years ago. According to legend, the spouses Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo emerged from Lake Titicaca. Father Sun handed them a magic rod, which was supposed to indicate the place where they were to found new country. Capac and Oklio traveled for a long time. One day their rod suddenly jumped out of their hands and went deep into the ground. On this site they built the capital of the Incas - the city of Cusco (“center” or “heart”).

Inca Sun God

The Supreme Inca (emperor) was a direct descendant of the sun god. His large family, in addition to several wives and children, even included the High Priest (Wiljak Umu), emphasizing the divine origin of his emperor. How in Ancient Egypt, the Inca Empire had hereditary priestly castes, which were divided into the following categories:

Villaks are priests and diviners.

Punchavilyaks are priests of the sun god.

Malkipvilyaks are priests of the dead.

Huacacquillacs are priestly assistants to the idol (huaca).

Mamakuns are female priestesses.

Alkas - “virgins of the Sun”. They lived in special temples in Alcahuasis and were keepers of the fire. Virgins sewed ritual clothes and prepared festive treats for the entire imperial family.

The Incas were less bloodthirsty than their neighbors. Corn, flour, vegetables and animals were commonly used as gifts to the gods. The year began in December and was accompanied by the festival of Kapak Raymi ("feast of the emperor"). The Year of the Incas ended in November very an unusual holiday Aya Markai Kilya (“month of bringing out the dead”). IN last days years, the Incas entered the graves of their own ancestors and removed their remains. The dead were dressed in the best clothes and exhibited in the most public places. Everyone was having fun and dancing, believing that their ancestors were dancing with them. Then the dead were loaded onto stretchers and “taken to visit”, moving from house to house. At the end of this joyful holiday, gifts and treats were brought to the graves, and the dead themselves were solemnly laid in their place. In July there was another holiday in honor of the Sun God - Inti Raymi. To open it, the priest used a special concave mirror to direct the sun's rays and light the sacred fire. Very interesting was the harvest festival of Situa, which was similar to a carnival and was celebrated in September. These days they organized a general cleaning of the entire city. The streets and houses were washed until they shined. Everything in sight was painted in sunny tones. There was noisy fun everywhere. Crowds of people came to the temples. People held idols and mummies of their own ancestors in their hands. The gods were persuaded to protect against diseases and other troubles.

There were many gods. The most important was the sun god (Inti). His subordinates were Pochacamac (god of fire), Chasca (goddess of beauty), Ilyana (god of thunder), Pachamama (goddess of fertility), Chucuilla (goddess of lightning), Quilla (goddess of the Moon) and Con (god of noise). According to their ideas, the world was created by the creator god Viracoche. The Incas divided the world into three levels: upper (Hachan Pacha), middle (Kai Pacha) and lower (Uku Pacha). Accordingly, these gods personified heaven, earth and the underworld. The underworld was ruled by the devil (Supai), who opposed the heavenly gods and caused harm to people.

The Inca Empire was part of famous island Easter. On its banks there are thousands of huge idols up to 8 meters high and weighing more than 20 tons. Scientists still cannot figure out why these sculptures were needed? Some suggest that these are traces of some mysterious extraterrestrial civilization. Others believe that the idols are ordinary idols of ancient gods.

The author of this book found that the purpose of the huge figures was simpler and more practical. It is known that once on Easter Island there lived an ancient people who possessed knowledge about the world that was unusual for savages. Its representatives knew the exact parameters of the planets of the solar system. They were sure that Jupiter was inhabited, and they considered themselves to be from outer space. There is no doubt that these people were smart and not like other peoples.

In order to protect their island from an unexpected attack by savages who could only appear from the sea, they made giant scarecrow idols, which they placed along the shore. One can imagine how the conquerors turned back in horror, seeing from afar a detachment of gloomy giants standing on the shore. In this way, the resourceful islanders scared off the conquerors, of whom there were quite a lot at that turbulent time.

Independent Araucan tribes lived near the Inca Empire in the territory of modern Chile. They called themselves Mapuche (“people of the earth”), since their main occupation was agriculture. These tribes did not form a single state and were outwardly similar to other Indian peoples. Only their legends and rituals were original.

Unlike other tribes, the Araucanians had a strong belief in ghosts (shadows of the dead), which periodically appeared at night. They also believed in the underground lizard Kolokolo, which sneaked up on sleeping people and bit them to death. Periodically, Chonchons, animals with human heads and huge ears, flew in from the “kingdom of darkness.” They flew, flapping their ears like wings, and drank the blood of weak people. The supreme god Genupillian reigned in heaven.

Temple of Zeus

The Araucanians believed in an afterlife and were not afraid of death. According to their ideas, the entire space around was inhabited by the souls of their ancestors. Therefore, on holidays, the Araucanians treated the spirits of their ancestors by throwing drinks into the air and throwing food. They shouted to the clouds floating in the sky, because they believed that the souls of dead warriors were sitting there. The Araucanians solemnly buried their dead in the ground. But a year later they came to the graves again in order to tell the deceased about what happened during their absence.

The most authoritative priest of the ancient Araucanians was Dunguve (soothsayer). He made predictions and gave practical advice. Health issues were resolved by Machi (doctor). The procedure for treating diseases was reminiscent of the actions of modern Filipino healers. Friends and relatives gathered at the patient's house. Machi would come in and place a tree branch at the head of the patient’s bed.

Then they brought a sacrificial animal, and Machi killed it. After that, he sprinkled the branch with blood and set fire to special herbs. Gradually smoke filled the room. The healer leaned over the patient and pretended to suck out bad blood from the sore spot. The smoke cleared, and Machi showed the admiring relatives some object (a chip, a pebble, or an insect), supposedly taken from a sore spot. Everyone was delighted and thanked the doctor very much. During the entire healing ceremony, the women present sang rhythmic songs, accompanying themselves on dried gourds filled with pebbles.

AZTECS AND INCAS On November 8, 1519, Hernán Cortés and his conquistadors gazed in amazement at Tenochtitlan, the capital of the New World. White foreigners were invited by Emperor Montezuma II. Obeying what befell him according to an old fatal prediction, he surrendered to the Spaniards along with