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General Aztecs Tocuaro Kids Contact 2 Sep 2010/8 Rain
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Have you met Tec yet?
Outside and inside a simple Aztec peasant's house

Images of Everyday Aztec Life

The Codices give us an opportunity to see how the Aztecs lived their lives from day to day. Click through these examples.

The composite image on the right shows a drawing of a simple peasant farmer’s house (from a codex) alongside a reconstructed Aztec house interior in a major Mexican museum. Learn more by clicking on ‘One-room bed-sit’ below...

Red - the colour of cactus blood!The Redcoats obtained their ‘red’ coats from Mexican

cactus beetles called cochineal - in huge quantities...

Annual pillow-fights!Aztec pillow-fight games: the trick was

to hide the soft bag under your cape...

Fancy a puff?Aztec pipes were called ‘tubes of aromas’

and held like darts thrown in battle!

Carrying the bride and tying the knot... Knots and matchmakers -

clues to ancient Mexican weddings

Pelican crossing - not to be missed!For Aztec water-folk

the pelican mirrored their fate...

Ritual self (“auto”)-sacrificeWould your cry of pain have been

ear-piercing, tongue-piercing or nose-piercing?

Aztec HairstylesSome Aztec hairstyles were definitely

‘a cut above the rest...’

Girls’ hair and make-upSome dyed their hair with indigo

- ‘so that their hair shone...’

Home smoky home!One-room bed-sit...

... Home smoky home!

The wisdom of Aztec parentsThe wisdom of Aztec parents

- even the Spanish were deeply impressed...

Aztec pregnancy: Dos and Don'tsCompare Aztec advice for pregnant women

with today’s Dos and Don’ts

What’s your nickname?Pre-Hispanic nicknames...

... were often linked to clothing

Freedom: run for it!The original ‘runaway’ slave

- the Aztecs gave you a sporting chance...

Superstitious? You bet...Beetlemania...

... seriously bad news!

Ants, frogs and mice and the bad luck they brought Aztec householdsPlagued by ants, mice, frogs?

To the Aztecs they were omens as well as pests...

The early morning sound of tortilla-makingBetter than an alarm clock

The timeless sound of tortilla-making

Aztecs dance the night awayWhen the Aztecs danced...

...they ‘sang with their feet’

Hot Chocolate: the Blood of the Gods?Pioneers of Chocolate

Aztecs thought it was blood of the gods.

A cry for help...The Aztecs cried their hearts out...

... they made a strong case ‘for crying out loud’

A Bundle of DeathDust to dust...

... for the Aztecs it was water to water

Steam Bath in an Igloo!Awaiting you in the sauna -

- goddess of the ‘steamy’ side of life...

The wheel - would it have helped?In wheel life...

... feet handle rough terrain far better

3 score and 10 - cheers!3 score and 10...

...Yippee!!!

Sacred AgaveGetting drunk on Pulque

One of the benefits of the agave!

A Game of Patolli, anyone?Do not pass Go

Patolli was an Aztec board game.