Aztec civilization
Tenochtitlan's founding culture
The Aztec civilization flourished in central Mexico from the 14th to 16th centuries, centered on the island city of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City).
The Aztecs built a powerful empire through military conquest and tribute systems, developing sophisticated agriculture, architecture, and a complex religious practice that included human sacrifice.
Spanish conquistadors under Hernán Cortés conquered the empire in 1521.
The term appears in discussions of Mesoamerican history, pre-Columbian art, and indigenous heritage: Aztec civilization rivaled contemporary European societies in urban planning.
- Lake TexcocoVanished Mexican basin lake
- floating gardensBuoyant agricultural plots
- macuahuitlAztec obsidian-edged war club
- codicesBound handwritten volumes
- MesoamericaPre-Columbian Central American region
Nahuatl · jaguar warriors · Quetzalcoatl · human sacrifice · blood sacrifice · obsidian · aqueducts · featherwork · corn · conquistador · cacao · step pyramids · gold · cenote · skull · mask · heart · feathered serpent