LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Aztec: Aztec Empire
built 645 days ago
Nahuatl (nahuatl/nawatlahtolli) Classical Nahuatl (... known as Aztec, and simply Nahuatl) is a term used to describe the variants of the Nahuatl language. The majority of the speakers live in Central Mexico in the states of Estado de Mexico El Distrito Federal, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos, Guerrero, Veracruz, Michoacán and Hidalgo. Other variants of the language "Nahuatl" were spoken by many of the central Mexican city-states under the domination of the Aztec Empire. Nahuatl was originally written with a pictographic script which was not a full writing system but instead served as a mnemonic to remind readers of texts they had learned orally.
Source:
During the same period as the Inca Empire, the Aztec Empire dominated Mesoamerica from Mexico and Guatemala to the territories of Salvador and Honduras for nearly 100 years. This empire consisted of the native speaking people known as the Nahuatl-speakers and those of the Culhua-Mexico, who had migrated from the Pacific Northwest and inhabited the area which would become the capital of Mexico, Tenochtitlan. The people of this culture were refined workers, merchants, farmers and fishers. Also, they were fervent worshippers of the many gods of the Sun, and fierce defenders and conquerors of their territory. In 1519 when Hernan Cortes landed in this region and came upon this civilization, they were the sole heirs of a flourishing community. Only two years after his landing, the Aztec Empire crumbled and the capital was burned to the ground.
Source:
As you have probably gathered by now, Aztec numbers are represented by long sequences of dots. In general, the Aztecs almost exclusively used dots on manuscripts as well as on stone monuments, but the more ancient bar-and-dot system does make rare appearances on carved monuments as well, primarily due to artistic consideration. The dot system, while feasible for calendrical use (since no number will ever exceed 20), was impossible when dealing with accounting, especially since the Aztecs had to record large amounts of tribute frequently demanded from its provinces. The Codex Mendoza, another post-Conquest manuscript, depicted life in Central Mexico around the time of conquest and ... contained a section on the tribute exacted by the Aztec Empire. To count items in excess of 20 efficiently, the Aztecs used glyphs for the numbers 20 (a flag), 400 (a feather), and 8000 (a bag of incense).
Source:
The Aztec empire included many cities and towns, especially in the Valley of Mexico. The largest city was the capital, Tenochtitlan, which occupied an island in Lake Texcoco. Causeways (raised earthen roads) linked the city to the mainland. On an island to the north stood the city of Tlatelolco, a huge commercial center. Both Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco lay within the borders of what is now Mexico City. The present-day city covers much of the bed of Lake Texcoco, which was drained during the 1600's.
Source:
The Aztec religion included human sacrifices in rich ceremonies to the gods. Dress was ... important in all parts of Aztec life. The Aztecs worshiped hundreds of gods and goddesses; each represented a different aspect of life. Designing clothes, mainly in the upper class, was one form of art in the Aztec culture. Women usually made the clothing, and they richly decorated them with beads, flowers, and precious metals. Gold was often used and was abundant in the Aztec empire.
Source:
Aztec rulers and nobles owned land on private estates. Most land for commoners was owned by a calpulli, which assigned its members plots to use. Landholders paid tribute to the empire in agricultural products, which were used to finance public projects. All able-bodied men owed military service to the empire. Citizens could ... be drafted to work on public lands or build temples, dikes, aqueducts, and roads.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Aztec Empire