The Festival Toxcatl

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the aztec god tezcatlipoca depicted in codex borgia.


the rituals aztecs carried out during feast of toxcatl described bernardino de sahagún in florentine codex, in fray duráns description of gods , rites, , in chronicle of juan bautista pomar.


the important part of toxcatl ritual sacrifice of young man had been impersonating tezcatlipoca since last toxcatl festival, , selection of new man take role in year come.


the youth chosen ixiptlatli (impersonator) of tezcatlipoca war captive. taught courtly speech, singing , play flute. throughout year parade in streets of tenochtitlan , treated great reverence. skin painted black except ribbon across eyes, dressed in precious jewellery , cotton embroidered clothes. wore snail-shell lip pendant, eagle down headdress, turquoise bracelets , golden bells on ankles.


he walked city playing flute, smoking tobacco , smelling flowers, , people salute him living image of god. @ building called quauhxicalco burn copal incense , play flute. several times during year meet aztec ruler, tlatoani, ritually adorn him. in month of huey tozoztli preceded toxcatl, ritually wed 4 maidens impersonated goddesses xochiquetzal, xilonen, atlatonan , huixtocihuatl, , lived them twenty days. 4 days before main ceremony tlatoani secluded himself in palace , tezcatlipoca impersonator , 4 wives paraded through city. on fifth day travelled canoe place called acaquilpan, here left himself wives near temple tlacochcalco ( in house of darts ). freely walked stairs of pyramid, breaking flute on each step. @ summit priests lay him on sacrificial stone, open chest obsidian dagger, , remove heart. beheaded , skull placed on tzompantli (skull rack), body flayed , flesh distributed among nobles of city , eaten. warcaptive next impersonator of tezcatlipoca took part in flesh , wore skin of predecessor.


during feast other deity impersonators sacrificed. offerings of food, flowers , paper banners made throughout festival, , offerings presented people danced leap of toxcatl . men perform dance of serpent , , women dance named grilled corn . during these dances there kissing , playing between men , women. after dances participants ritually scarred priests of tezcatlipoca (the tlatlacanahualtin).








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