An Aztec tale told of two gods who stepped forward to offer themselves. Th

The last day of the Aztec century a fifty-two year cycle was celebrated by a victim laid over an altar while priests used a fire-board to ignite a flame on his chest Stuart, 65). Once the fire was started, the victim's heart was ripped out and thrown into the "new fire" Priests then tended to the fire until it had grown large enough to be seen all over the Mexico Valley (65). Next, runners from all the different temples would come to carry a torch lit by the new fire to their own, local temples (Frederiksen). This ceremony was performed not only to welcome the new century, but also to assure the rebirth of time (Stuart, 65).

A letter was written to Mr. Thomas H. Frederiksen by a Mr. Miguel Chavez, who provided some insight on the occurrences of child sacrifice in the ancient Aztec culture. There are many theories about the way children were sacrificed by the Aztecs. However, they do know for sure that his practice went on. The rite was performed at the Templo Mayor, and although many were found to have been decapitated, anthropologists have reported that death was probably inflicted by several lacerations on the neck, otherwise known as throat-slitting (Frederiksen). These wounds were given to the children, causing them to bleed white, or until they were dead. Other theories of methods used in child sacrifice included dismemberment, while either alive or dead, and the removal of their hearts (Frederiksen).

Although these techniques may seem harsh and "messy," when compared with the medical manual for heart surgery, the procedures of preparation are very similar (Frederiksen). The patient is placed on his back, on a supine position, with his arms raised up over his head, and a downward pull on the body, causing the chest to be forced into a hyper extended position. This stretching pulled the laceration apart, allowing for an easy approach to internal body parts (Frederiksen).

One way for Aztec merchants to prove themselves, and to create a social status for themselves was to first buy an attractive slave. Next, they bathe the slave and dress him/her in beautiful apparel (108). After inviting friends over, the slave would dance for the owner and his guests. After dancing, the slave would be turned over to the priests, who would cut out the heart and offer it up to the gods. The remains of the slave would then be served to the owner and his guests over cooked maize (108). However, because after the sacrifice the victim's limbs are considered divine, they were eaten with reverence, ritual, and care. The torsos were not as important, and were therefore treated with less respect, and were fed to the animals in the royal zoo (108).

Midaxial thoracotomy provided a good, frontal access to the human heart. However, it took longer time to perform, in comparison with other approaches (Frederiksen). When performed, the skin and flesh along the breastbone, or sternum, was cut with a stone knife, vertically to the axis of the body. Next, a stone chisel and hammer were used to fracture the sternum, cracking the rib cage apart, creating an easier way to separate the two halves of the chest. This gave excellent access to the heart, as well as other internal organs (Frederiksen).

In the Valley of Tehuacan, human skeletons dating back to 5000 BC were found. Included in the remains were a thousand urns, each containing a child who had not died a natural death (Davies, 219). The ages of the children who were sacrificed ranged from three months to eight years old. After their death, the priests would place a jade stone in their mouths to serve as a heart in the next world, where they would become the god's companions (Stuart, 73). Other than common burial, not much else is known about eh way children's bodies were treated after their death. However, one idea is portrayed in a stone drawing in nearby Mexico, which shows two sacrificed children hanging from a pole, upside-down and tied at the feet to a sort of rotating device (Freder

Some common words found in the essay are:
Sacrifice Aztec's, Mexico Valley, Frederiksen Transversal, Frederiksen Diaz, Eastern Paradise, Templo Mayor, Valley Tehuacan, Aztecs Aztecs, Frederiksen Overall, Frederiksen Spanish, sacrificial rites, mass sacrifice, removal heart, third ribs, aztec sacrifice, human sacrifice, fond sound screaming, aztecs simply, steps pyramid, child sacrifice, aztecs believed, sound screaming children, frederiksen spanish conquest, human sacrifice aztec, babies children special,
Approximate Word count = 3643
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page double spaced)