Thursday, February 3, 2011

Aztec Tattoos: A Story In Ink

By Adam Craven


Aztec tattoos were an essential part of Aztec society. Tattooing was completed only during rituals. Most tattoos had religious or spiritual meanings. All have been highly stylized and intricately intended. Most important have been tattoos devoted to the gods. Body art also identified the tribe and social status of an individual. Achievements in life such as births, deaths, rites of passage, and success in battle have been also recorded. A significant component of everyday routine was committed to satisfying the gods to safe success in life and battle. Their original language, Nahuatl, has not been fully deciphered yet. For this cause, several diverse interpretations have been recommended for a lot of of the images.

The most critical god, the sun god Huitzilopochtli, was both the patron of life who guarded the heavens, as well as the god of war. He was the centerpiece to the Aztec calendar. Sun god tattoos might be depicted with any style face centered within a ray pattern. They're designed in various colors. Nowadays the sun god normally represents a belief in an afterlife.

The feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl is the most powerful god. He represents wisdom and intelligence along with the priesthood. This image could be the whole serpent, or the focus may be on the head. Some feathered serpent tattoos use a human body.

Coatlicue gave birth to the sun, stars, and moon. She is recognized by her skirt of writhing snakes. Also referred to as the Mother of Gods or the Goddess of Earth, she depicts the life cycle and typically serves to identify a birth or a death. She is the goddess of life, death, and fertility.

A fearsome beast resembling a crocodile is a common tattoo these days. He projects a fearsome nature that in no way backs down and never gives up.

The warrior god, Tezcatlipoca, represents the soul's journey to the subsequent life. He gets his courage and power from the eagle. The eagle was honored for his big size, courageous nature, and superior flying abilities. The warrior god along with the eagle are usually tattooed as a pair. Tradition places them on the best shoulder.

The calendar is an elaborate design displaying facial images of mythological characters surrounding the sun. Each creature represents a month. Each and every creature imparts spiritual characteristics to those born in that month. Many of essentially the most common tattoos are based on the mythic creatures of the calendar. Also dates of special events have been and might be recorded with this design.

Aztec designs are appealing when large in size. Right now they are often placed on the shoulder, back, or stomach. Smaller versions work nicely on the wrist, ankle, or back of neck. Other designs include stars, the moon, princesses, and different animal motifs. Animal motifs are typically completed in a rectangular form that fits perfectly on an arm.

Hundreds of supernatural beings exist inside the Aztec pantheon. There are many stunningly stunning designs to choose from. All are elaborate, complicated designs characterized by straight lines and normal curves and angles. These of Aztec descent typically select Aztec tattoos to honor their heritage. Others are attracted to a particular symbol or creature because they identify with the meaning expressed. Creatures from the calendar are often chosen for their spiritual characteristics or to mark the date of a particular event.




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