The early history of cacao
Coatlicue - the epitome of Aztec art
Pilgrimages to sacred locations - a tradition both ancient and modern
There’s only one Aztec drawing of the (fig) paper tree
The chimalli - classic defensive weapon in all Mesoamerica
Guess how many feathers went into making this shield?
In Aztec poetry warriors die - to return again and again
The Aztecs have been called by many names
Where to turn for good introductions to Mexica writing
A Mexican codex in Oxford was thought to be Egyptian!
A throne has layers of meaning...
What if the Aztecs had defeated the Spanish?
Are the Aztec and Maya daysigns the same?
Hear the old- fashioned sound of tortilla making
The Aztecs had to be indoors every day by 6 pm!
Europe is home to artefacts with a mistaken identity...
For ancient Mexicans the cosmos was woven and netted
Maya connections at Bristol City Museum
Control of lake navigation was crucial to the Aztecs
The Aztecs cleaned their teeth with charcoal...
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Aztec stone dog sculpture

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Professor Jennifer Mathews

How did they carry the heavy stones to make their temples? asked Takeley Primary School. Read what Professor Jennifer Mathews had to say.

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3 Mexican football fans

Aztecs, ballgames and logos...

Mexico have come pretty close (quarter finals) to winning the World Cup, and were the first country to host the FIFA series twice - in 1970 and again in 1986, each time in the famous ‘Estadio Azteca’ or Aztec Stadium in Mexico City. (Written/compiled by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore)

Official FIFA World Cup emblem, Mexico 1986
Official FIFA World Cup emblem, Mexico 1986

The Aztec Stadium, designed by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez (who also designed Mexico City’s celebrated National Anthropology Museum), was built in 1966, and is the second largest (capacity 114,000) football stadium in the world. It was in the stadium during the 1986 World Cup that the world famous ‘Mexican Wave’ first broke onto the international scene.

Mexico City’s Aztec Stadium
Mexico City’s Aztec Stadium (Click on image to enlarge)

For decades the Mexican team have sported a strip with a striking design based on the ultimate Aztec icon - the Sunstone or Calendar Stone. The ‘ghosted’ version in grey became very popular around the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Mexico’s 1998 World Cup shirt design based on the Calendar Stone
Mexico’s 1998 World Cup shirt design based on the Calendar Stone (Click on image to enlarge)
Mexicans learn to love football from before they’re born!
Mexicans learn to love football from before they’re born! (Click on image to enlarge)
More on the Aztec Calendar Stone
More on the ancient Mesoamerican ballgame
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Mexicolore replies: Thanks for asking, George. We’re afraid we don’t know, at present. We’ll try and find out for you...
Mexicolore replies: There is a link on this page, Alma, to a page on our site about the pre-Hispanic ballgame, ullamaliztli! Click on ‘More on the ancient Mesoamerican ballgame’...