Aztec mythology facts for kids

Huitzilopochtli is raising up the skies of the South, one of the four directions of the world, surrounded by their respective trees, temples, patterns and divination symbols.

Aztec mythology is the mythology of the Aztec civilization in Mexico. It was the basis on which they made a working and advanced society. They took some ideas from the Toltec and Mayans to create their advanced culture. Their empire lasted from the 14th century until the Spanish took over.

The Aztecs believed the universe went through four phases. They called them suns. They believed that they lived in the fifth sun. The gods ended each sun with a huge tragedy and then created a new world. In the first sun, the world was destroyed by jaguars. In the second, the world was destroyed by a storm. In the third sun, the earth was destroyed by a fire rain. At the end of the fourth, the world was destroyed by a huge flood. They believed that the fifth sun would end with a huge earthquake.

In their religion they worshipped many gods and goddesses. They even made human sacrifices.

Some gods and goddesses in Aztec mythology are Huitzilopochtli, Chicomecōātl,Tezcatlipoca, and Xochiquetzal.

Images for kids

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  Embodied spirits; Tonalleque (1), Cihuateteo (2).

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  Patterns of War; (1a) Tlaloc, (1b) Xiuhtecuhtli, (2a) Mixcoatl, (2b) Xipe-Totec.

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  Patterns of Merchants; (1a) Huehuecoyotl, (1b) Zacatzontli, (2a) Yacatecuhtli, (2b) Tlacotzontli, (3a) Tlazolteotl, (3b) Tonatiuh.

See also

In Spanish: Mitología mexica para niños