Aztec Art Essay

Aztec Art:

Insight into a Lost Civilization’s Creations

Kaavye Lal

Boulder Creek High School

Abstract

In the 13th century the Aztecs ruled city-states from Tenochtitlan, and were feared as the most powerful civilization in America

The Templo Mayor is the center of Tenochtitlan and houses many of the statues representing the Aztec deities

The Aztecs develop ceremonial daggers made of flint and obsidian for ceremonies

The Calendar Stone utilizes two circular bands to determine ritual days

The Aztecs used feathers for shields and clothing to represent Quetzalcoatl

Paintings illustrate the Aztec’s style of clothing and the important roles they play as such as those who led the ceremonies wore robes

16th century the Aztecs encounter the Spanish led by Hernan Cortez, who attempts to rule Tenochtitlan

The Aztecs were defeated by the Spanish after a riot that put the city-state in a state of confusion

The Aztecs were isolated from the world until they fell to the Spanish which highlights that they didn’t have any of the inventions and innovations that the rest of the world experienced

Today much of the Aztec art is presented in museums where one can learn about the history and ideas of this lost society

In Northern Mexico, a group of people known as the Aztecs arrived and became the dominant

For instance from Aztec art one can learn about the rituals they conducted, the type of clothing they wore, the gods they worshiped, and the history of the people. Not only should the Aztec art be preserved for the sake of remembering them, but to show the more creative side of the Aztecs since they are often viewed as violent by most people. Aztec art utilizes many techniques and materials such as feathers and obsidian, in an age when fine art is being taken out of the picture in favor of digital art the Aztec art grasps the public’s attention, and makes fine art relevant