Ancient Aztec clothing, that is, the clothing worn by the tribes that made

up the Aztec empire (such as the Mexica people), was rich in variety.  As
we shall see, it varied according to the social class that people belonged to.

Aztec clothing was generally loose fitting and did not completely cover the
body.  When the Spanish arrived in Mexico, the people were surprised to see
them in their full armour, with only their faces exposed.

Aztec clothes were generally made of cotton (which was imported) or ayate
fiber, made from the Maguey Cactus (also called the Century Plant or
American Aloe).  Women would weave the fibers into clothing, a task girls
were taught as young teenagers.  Because of their vast trading network, the
Aztecs were able to make use of a beautiful array of dyes, creating the brilliant
colours still seen in Mexico today.
The Ancient Aztec clothing of the common people and slaves sometimes
covered very little of their bodies.  Maguey clothing, rather than the cotton,
was the rule.  Slaves would only wear a simple loincloth.  The loincloth, also
worn by common people, was made from a long strip of cloth tied in front.  If
the man had a little higher social standing, it might be embroidered or have
fringes on the two ends.  The men would also wear a cloak made from a
triangular cloth known as a tilmatli or tilma.  It could be used like an apron to
carry things, or worn as a cloak.
The women would wear skirts, and a sleeve less blouse or short sleeved shirt.
Again, this would be very simple, with some decoration as the social class
became more prestigious. (read more about the clothes of the commoner)

The upper class

Of course the noble class and religious leaders would wear clothing that
was much more adorned, though still tilmas and loincloths and skirts
would be worn.  There would be symbols of their particular affiliation on the
clothing or in a head dress.  The more prestigious clothing became brightly
coloured.  Gold was often used in clothing, and pendants, feathers, furs, and
other forms of decoration were used.  Jewelry such as necklaces, earrings
and bracelets were also worn by the upper classes.  Like tribes still in
mesoamerica today, some wore "ear spools".  Of course, for certain rituals
costumes were worn which became even more elaborate.  Aztec masks were
used for rituals, representing various Aztec gods.

The merchants
Merchants were in a class all their own, and had a certain amount of
independence that most people didn't enjoy.  They often were allowed to wear
more elaborate clothing.

The military
The military had their own costumes, based on what military group they
belonged to - the eagle or the jaguar, for example. Even for the Aztec warrior,
there was a hierarchy that was reflected by how adorned their costumes were.
Those who were war heroes were allowed more jewels and more stunning
clothing.
The ancient Aztec clothing of the warrior offered some protection, and their
head dresses also served as helmets. Some of the chiefs even wore a layer of
gold. Warriors carried a simple decorated shield. They used bows, spears,
and the maquahuitl - a combination sword and club.
Nahuatl (nāhuatl / nawatlahtolli)
Nahuatl is an Uto-Aztecan language spoken by about 1.5 million people in Mexico.
The majority of speakers live in central Mexico, particularly in Puebla, Veracruz,
Hildago, San Luis Potosi, Guerrero, Mexico (state), El Distrito Federal, Tlaxcala,
Morelos and Oaxaca, and also in El Salvador. There are smaller numbers of Nahuatl
speakers throughout the rest of Mexico, and in parts of the USA.
There are numerous dialects of Nahuatl, some of which are mutually unintelligible.
Most Nahuatl speakers also speak Spanish, except for some of the elderly.

Classical Nahuatl was the language of the Aztec empire and was used as a lingua
franca in much of Mesoamerica from the 7th century AD until the Spanish conquest in
the 16th century. The modern dialects of Nahuatl spoken in the Valley of Mexico are
closest to Classical Nahuatl.

Nahuatl was originally written with a pictographic script. This was not a full writing
system, but instead served as a mnemonic to remind readers of texts they had learnt
orally. The script appeared in inscriptions carved in stone and in picture books, many
of which the Spanish destroyed.

The Spanish introduced the Latin alphabet to write Nahuatl, and a large amount of
prose and poetry was subsequently written. Ever since there has been considerable
debate about how to spell Nahuatl.
Nahuatl alphabet and pronunciation (modern orthography)

Notes
 In the classical Nahuatl orthograpy, [k] is written c before a and o, and qu elsewhere; [j]
is written y, [s] is written c before e and i, and z elsewhere; [w] is written hu; and [ts] is
written tz.
  The letters b, d, g, f, ñ and rr are also used, but only in Spanish loanwords.

 Long vowels are usually written with macrons (as above), but if macrons are not
possible, they are sometimes are written with a circumflex (â, ê, î, ô), with a dieresis (ä,
ë, ï, ö) or doubled (aa, ee, ii, oo).

 The glottal stop (saltillo) is not always written. It can be indicated by h, j, ' or a grave
accent, (e.g. à = /aʔ/). In some dialects it is pronounced /h/.

Food & Drink

The Aztec diet was dominated by fruit and vegetables, as domesticated animals were
limited to dogs, turkeys (totolin), ducks, and honey bees. Game (especially rabbits, deer
and wild pigs), fish, birds, salamanders, algae (used to make cakes), frogs, tadpoles and
insects were also a valuable food source. The most common crops were maize (centli,
famously used to make tortillas but also tamales and gruel), amaranth (a grain), sage,
beans (etl), squash, and chile peppers. Red and green tomatoes were cultivated (but
were much smaller than the modern variety), as were white sweet potatoes, jícama (a
type of turnip), chayote (vegetable pear), the nopal cactus, and peanuts. The Aztecs also
grew many types of fruit including guavas, papayas, custard apples, mamey, zapotes,
and chirimoyas. Snacks included popcorn and the sweet baked leaves of the maguey
agave. 
Maguey

by Amefuentes (CC BY-SA)

Not using oils or fats, most dishes were either boiled or grilled, and extra taste was
added using condiments, for the Aztecs loved their sauces and seasoning. Examples of
these include epazote, toasted avocado leaves, achiote seeds, and, of course, chile
peppers either fresh, dried, or smoked. The other two popular flavours for the Aztecs
were vanilla and chocolate. The latter came from the beans of cacao pods from the tree
which was widely cultivated in extensive orchards near the coast. Beans were
fermented, cured, and roasted. Then the beans were ground into powder and mixed
with hot water as chocolate was usually consumed as a warm frothy drink. Bitter to
taste, it could be flavoured by adding, for example, maize, vanilla, flowers, herbs and
honey. So esteemed was chocolate that beans were used as money (even counterfeited)
and demanded as tribute from subject tribes. Other popular drinks were octli (pulque to
the Spanish), a light alcoholic beer made from the fermented sap of the maguey
and pozolli made from fermented maize dough. These alcoholic drinks were, however,
consumed in moderation, as being caught drunk could result in all manner of
punishments, even the death penalty.
Ancient Aztec religion was a complex interaction of gods, dates,
directions and colours. It seems that most of the preoccupation in the
religion had to do with fear of the nature, and a fear of the end of the world.

By the time the Mexica's Empire (Mexica is the proper name for the tribe at
the heart of the Aztec empire) was at its height, the political and religions
systems were in close interaction. The actions of the ruling classes and
common people can be best understood if we look way back to the Mexica
understanding of the creation, or rather creations, of the world. Because the
religion was a mixture from various peoples, there are variations. We'll give a

general overview here.

According to ancient Aztec religion, it took the gods 5 tries to create the
world.  These attempts were foiled because of infighting among the gods
themselves.  After he was knocked from his exalted position by rivals, the first
creator, Tezcatlipoca, turned into a jaguar and destroyed the world.  Under
similar circumstances, the world was created and then destroyed with wind,
and then two floods.

Each time a creator-god would take a turn being the sun. (Read more about
the various Aztec sun gods here)  Finally the gods had a council, and
decided one of them would have to sacrifice himself to be the new sun.
Nanauatl, a lowly, humble god became the sun, but there was a problem - he
wasn't moving.  The gods realized that they all must sacrifice themselves so
that humans could live.  The god Ehecatl sacrificed the others, and a mighty
wind arose to move the sun at last.
This was no free sacrifice, however.  Not only would the people have to help
this weak sun to keep moving, they would also be responsible to repay the
sacrifice.  The world remained in a precarious position!

Once the sun was dealt with, the world had to be recreated.
Quetzalcoatl (meaning feathered serpent) was the one who would create
humans.  Of course, people had been created several times before, so
Quetzalcoatl descended into the underworld to retrieve their bones.  He
tripped as he fled, and the bones shattered into different sized pieces, which
is why people are all different sizes.  By adding his own blood to the mix,
people came to life.

For another variation and more detail, see the Aztec creation story here.

The calendar and the sun

The ancient Aztec religion was highly focused on keeping nature in
balance.  One false step could lead to natural disaster.  The weak sun could
stop moving.  In the sky was a constant battle between light and darkness, a
battle that would someday be lost.

Huitzilopochtli (Hummingbird of the South) was the warrior sun (either the sun
god or the one who fights for the sun god, Tonatiuh (the name given to
Nanauatl)).  Huitzilopochtli (or Tonatiuh) needed blood sacrifice in order to win
the battle against darkness.  Either there would be ritual blood-letting, or
actual people would be sacrificed.  Those sacrificed would rise to fight with
him.  And so human sacrifices became more and more common in Mexico.
Often battles would be fought just to capture prisoners to sacrifice - the Aztec
flower war (or Aztec flowery war).

Every 52 years, the people were terrified that the world would end.  All religious fires were extinguished,
people all over the empire would destroy their furniture and precious belongings and go into mourning.
When the constellation of the Pleiades appeared, the people would be assured that they were safe for
another 52 years.

The world in ancient Aztec religion was divided up into 4 quadrants, and the center - their
city Tenochtitlán.  The heavens were divided into 13 ascending layers, and the underworld 9 descending
layers.  The heavens and underworld may be better described as wheels within wheels, a more common
form for the Aztecs than layers or lines.  The temple in Tenochtitlán was also the place where the forces
of heaven and earth intersected.

The end
Prophecies were a part of the ancient Aztec religion.  Many scholars today
believe that the Aztec people thought that the conquerer Hernan Cortes was
their god-hero Quetzalcoatl, who had been banished.  Whether or not the
more educated upper class shared this belief is questionable.

The afterlife of a person was based mostly on how they died.  Some, such as
those sacrificed to Huitzilopochtli, would join the battle against the darkness.
In ancient Aztec religion, some would eventually be reincarnated as birds or
butterflies, or eventually humans.  Some would be, for a time, disembodied
spirits roaming the earth.  Most at some point would have to make the long
journey through the 9 levels of the underworld.  People would be buried in a
squatting position, with items that would help them in their journey.  In the end
they would live in darkness.

The great temple at Tenochtitlán today,

where temples to the gods Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc stood

To summarize
Ancient Aztec religion was focused on how the gods, humans and nature
were interconnected.  There was a strong emphasis on the worship of
Huitzilopochtli.  The military conquest and ritual sacrifices were all related, and
in a great part focused on helping Huitzilopochtli keep the sun strong so that
disaster could be averted every 52 years.

Aztec Music
The importance of Aztec music in the lives of the citizens of the
empire is hinted at in this quote from Spanish friar Gerónimo de Mendieta:

Each lord had in his house a chapel with composer-singers of dances and
songs, and these were thought to be ingenious in knowing how to compose
the songs in their manner of meter and the couplets that they had. Ordinarily
they sang and danced in the principal festivities that were every twenty days,
and also on other less principal occasions...

Aztec music was a constant and important part of life.  Not only was
music used for enjoyment, it was a way of passing on culture, of sharing an
understanding of religion, of making an emotional connection with the events
of life.

When a child was sent to school, music and the playing of instruments was an
important subject to be learned.  Students between 12 and 15 would learn
songs that were important in their culture.  And, as we see in the quote above,
music was important enough that the nobles often had their own band, song
writers and studio right at home.  Elders in the home would teach children the
songs they needed to know.

The teponaztli, a sacred Aztec horizontal drum

Types of Aztec music

The Mexica people had various different types of music.  Many of the songs
were sacred hymns.  These hymns would commemorate the deeds of great
rulers, or, of course, the gods.  The
gods Ometeotl, Tlaloc, Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca were all honoured in
song.  The sacred hymns would often tell stories about things that the gods
had done.  These hymns would also be used to ask the gods for rain or
success in battle, or to thank the gods for their gifts.  These songs could be
sung at special occasions, accompanied by special ritual dances.

Another genre of Aztec music was the cantares.  Linguist John

Bierhorst called these "ghost songs".  They would often recount the great
deeds of the past, but they had more of a mystical purpose than the sacred
songs.  These songs were specifically sung at times of battle.  Specially
trained singers, dancers and actors would take part in the ritual ceremony.

The spirit world was symbolically portrayed, and the participants would work
themselves into a trance as they sang and danced for hours on end.  It was
believed that there was a special connection with the ancestors and gods at
this time.  The warriors would lose their inhibitions and be almost hypnotically
drawn to the battle.  The battles of the past, and human sacrifices, would be
acted out in front of the people.

Of course, Aztec music also included the more lighthearted songs, and

songs of everyday life.  Love songs, and songs of energy and excitement
were played.  The cantares were only for religious ritual, but there were plenty
of more universal songs.

Unique characteristics of Aztec Music

The poetic and symbolic nature of the Nahuatl language and writing
systems was certainly carried over into their music.  The allusions and
symbols would often be so obscure that we would understand very little of a
direct translation today.  Writing soon after the Spanish conquest, Diego
Durán said that the songs would at first seem like nonsense, but once he
discussed the words and learned what they meant, he came to admire the
poetry and wording.  Both the religious and non-religious songs had this
brilliant word play.

Each place, each god, each thing would often have multiple names.  For
example, if I spoke of where the smoke of shields diffuses, am I talking about
a place?  An event?  What if I said flowers of the heart upon the plain?  Both
of these phrases are speaking of the same thing:  battle.  Once you know
that, you can see the clever poetry in each phrase.

Music in the empire was a combination of dance, ritual, instruments, and

vocals.  Even whistling was incorporated into the music.
 Aztec instruments

Drums played a big part in the music of the Aztecs.  A variety of drums were
used, including the ayotl (drum made from a turtle shell), teponaztli (horizontal
log drum, played with mallets) and huehuetl (upright skin drum, similar to what
we're most familiar with).  The huehuetl was played with the hands and not
drum sticks.

Drums would accompany music or be used alone, for example to lead

warriors into battle.  Both these drums (teponaztli and huehuetl) were
considered special sacred instruments.  It was believed, in fact, that two gods
were banished to the earth in the form of these two drums.

Rattles were also common, and would be filled with beads or pebbles.  Rattle
sticks were also used.

To add the melody to the music, flutes of various kinds were very popular.
The flute was called the huilacapitztli.  Rattles and flutes are still very popular
in Mexico today.
Various other horns and trumpets were used, such as the conch (tecciztli) and
snail horn (quihquiztli).
The dance itself is enthralling and genuinely entertaining; it’s overflowing with
life, percussion-heavy beats and filled with religious significance to boot. Each
routine reflects the duality of the Aztec culture, with women, the night, the
jaguar and the earth on one side and men, the day, the eagle and water on
the other, and features circles heavily.

However, entertainment is not the principal objective; rather, honouring the

Gods and forming a link with the cosmos is the overall goal of
the concheros’  dance. For that reason, the four cardinal points are blessed
before the start of the routine and steps are dedicated to the harvest, fertility,
earth, fire and water. There are also several instruments incorporated into the
performance, such as the concha de armadillo  guitar from which they take their
name, the huehuétl  and teponaztle  drums, as well
as ayoyote  and ayacachtli  maracas/percussion instruments.
Stroll through Mexico City, and you’re sure to hear the
percussion-led rhythm or spot the lively movements of groups of
elaborately dressed dancers at one point or another. Often
referred to as the ‘Aztec Dancers’ of Mexico City, they are
technically known as concheros and have a rich history. Here’s
everything you need to know about the
contemporary concheros, aka Mexico City’s ‘Aztec Dancers’,
including where to see them.
The Aztec government was similar to a monarchy where an Emperor or King was the primary
ruler. They called their ruler the Huey Tlatoani. The Huey Tlatoani was the ultimate power in the
land. They felt that he was appointed by the gods and had the divine right to rule. He decided
when to go to war and what tribute the lands he ruled would pay the Aztecs.

When an emperor died, the new emperor was chosen by a group of high ranking nobles.
Usually the new emperor was a relative of the previous emperor, but it wasn't always his son.
Sometimes they chose a brother who they felt would be a good leader..

Aztec architecture refers to the structural remains of the Aztec civilization. Much of what is known

about Aztec architecture comes from the structures that are still standing. These structures have
survived for several centuries because of the strong materials used and the skill of the builders.[1]
Aztec cities often competed to construct the greatest temples in the Aztec empire.[citation needed] In so
doing, instead of demolishing an old temple and building a new one at the same site, they simply
built over the old structure. Often, the temples were immense, well-proportioned, and beautifully
decorated. Some temples have been found to have at least four or five layers.
Houses were uniform throughout most of the empire, only varying in size and ornamentation.
Houses were built with logs and were not separated, thus resulting in one large room.
The Hueyi Teocalli (Great Temple) was a large temple with a wash basin at the top. This temple was
between 100 and 80 meters tall and was the biggest building in the Aztec city Tenochtitlan.